WORTH A LISTEN
Rating: 
Frank Kimbrough brings an unusual improvisational and compositional strategy to Lullabluebye (on the Palmetto label). He mostly sticks to pentatonic scales, diatonic scales, and passing tones, eschewing altered scales for the most part. His attack is also very unconfrontational. He tends to gently swing, leaning into his phrases. There is very little of the pointillistic staccato notes of someone like late 70s Chick Corea or young lion Brad Mehldau. Kimbrough is more like a kinder, gentler version of Keith Jarrett.
You could put on Lullabluebye safely as background music, and your girlfriend, who likes Journey and The Delfonics, wouldn’t even object.
There’s a vaguely Southern gospel feel to some of the pieces. On others, like Kid Stuff, Kimbrough uses pop structures. It’s very friendly stuff. His rhythm section, bassist Ben Allison and and drummer Matt Wilson, are mostly content to support Kimbrough on his shambling originals.
Looking over my review so far, it seems almost like I’m putting down Lullabluebye, but really I’m not. Nothing on this CD will knock you on your ass, but it’s not supposed to. The music is like a friendly conversation between neighbors. The discussion is warm, not heated. Everyone pays attention, is polite and a good time is had by all. The communication between the band members and the pleasant, upbeat slant of the material is just enough to sustain interest.
Not every CD has to be a world-shaking experience. Frank Kimbrough is approaching jazz in a different, accessible way. If I walked into a bar and his trio was playing, I would have a good time. And that’s probably the way you should look at Lullabluebye.