Ken Navarro, “The Grace of Summer Light” July 13, 2008

Almost four weeks ago, Ken Navarro’s 18th album, “The Grace of Summer Light” was officially released.  It has been available since May 1 on his website.  I pre-ordered the album back in February and was fortunate enough to hear the demo version of the title track back in late December.

As I documented back in April, Ken gave me my pre-ordered copy of “Grace” in the lobby of the Hampton Inn Milford [Connecticut] a few hours before this year’s Smooth Jazz for Scholars concert.  And as I further documented, I listened to the first six tracks while waiting for my dinner to be delivered from a nearby restaurant.  I listened to the remaining four tracks the following day (April 27) once I had returned home.  In a thread on The Magic Island BBS the day after that (April 28), I complimented Ken on the album:

… I can’t get enough of [the album].  You’ve created a masterpiece, Ken.  Thank you very much.

2 1/2 months later, I stand by that evaluation.  “The Grace of Summer Light” just gets better and better every time I listen to it.  Here are the tracks on the album:

1. Just Before The Dawn (prelude) (:28 )
2. Blue Skies, Bright Dreams (6:08 )
I mixed tracks 1 and 2 together in Adobe Audition 3.  They’re heard best together rather than separate.
3. The Grace of Summer Light (7:51)
4. On My Way To Somewhere (9:16)
5. Perfect Circle Sun (4:10 )
6. Daddy-O (6:50 )
7. Nomad (8:05)
8. Looking Everywhere For You (5:48 )
9. We Might As Well Dance (6:11)
10. Just Before The Dawn (2:18 )

A few days before “The Grace of Summer Light” was released officially, Ken recorded a podcast chronicling how the album was made and what inspired each track.  It is available here and on iTunes.  Also, Shannon West reviewed the album for SmoothViews in last month’s edition.

Thank you again, Ken on all your guitars and the additional keyboards and percussion; and thank you to Jay Rowe on the main keyboards; Tom Kennedy (no relation to the game show host and brother of Jack Narz) on acoustic, electric, and fretless bass; Joel Rosenblatt on drums; and Kevin Prince on percussion.  “The Grace of Summer Light” really is a masterpiece and to those that haven’t heard it yet, it’s a musical journey worth taking.