The sophomore release from Trumpeter Matt Cappy is a boisterous, complex, and vibrant harmonies that are loaded with funk, pizzazz, and groove. It’s loaded with glamour but more so with a host of intricacies and inflections that make you appreciate and fall in love with instrumental arrangements driven and carried by the trumpet. On his group, Cappy has handpicked each member from his days touring with Jill Scott and playing various gigs in Philly and NYC. The resulting group brings together a host of synergy and enthusiasm that’s reflected in the liveliness and joy that they exude on each track.
Starting with the rambunctious and audacious introductory piece that is ‘Tronix’, Cappy kickstarts the record with a groove that is loaded with verve. It’s particularly smooth, giving you as a listener the complete freedom to lounge away as the minutia of the arrangement leave you subdued or enthralled depending on the attention to detail you give it. ‘Tronix’ itself moves from absolute grooves to a more slowed down jam. It’s when Cappy reels it in a bit, on tracks like ‘Gum Sole’, that you wholeheartedly feel the energy and imbibe it all.
The resulting project, loaded with funk, soul, hip-hop amidst its strong jazz roots is absolutely sumptuous from back to front. Cappy has storied experience, playing at numerous well established and regarded jazz festivals across the states. He’s also joined by some fantastic contributors on the record. On the supremely joyful and up tempo ‘Phila Punk’, he’s joined by the great horn players Jeff Coffin on tenor sax and Rashawn Ross on trumpet. Having previously played with The Dave Matthews Band, their inclusion on Phila Punk sees their work synthesized into something focused and absolutely engrossing.
A fantastic instrumental record that will have you mesmerized by the feeling and the dexterity of the trumpet through and through.