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Shawn Purcell: 180

By Jack Bowers
October 19, 2022
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Guitarist

Shawn Purcell

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Shawn Purcell's latest CD, 180, is all about swinging; Purcell's trio (

Pat Bianchi

organ, Hammond B3
b.1975

" data-original-title="" title="">Pat Bianchi on Hammond B3 organ,

" data-original-title="" title="">Jason Tiemann on drums) nestles squarely into the groove on the double-quick opener, "Cat and Mouse," which sets an upbeat tone for the album as a whole.

The rhythm seldom flags on Purcell's sunny compositions (he wrote all but one of the album's eleven numbers). An exception to the rhythmic rule is the lone standard,

Johnny Mercer

composer / conductor
1909 - 1976

" data-original-title="" title="">Johnny Mercer & Paul Francis Webster's exquisite ballad, "A Time for Love," on which

Darden Purcell

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Darden Purcell sings (quite nicely). Darden Purcell scats on "Chicka D" and "Soul Blue," and on the latter trombonist

Ben Patterson

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">Ben Patterson makes it a quintet. While Shawn Purcell explains that a second ballad, "LTG (Little Tori Girl)," and the funky "Window Games" were written for his and Darden's pet cats, no reason is offered for the name "180"—nor should one have to be.

Bianchi is a topnotch soloist, Tiemann a sharp and forceful drummer who has some of his best moments on "Window Games." The laid-back "Soul Blue," which follows, elicits flickering images of

Henry Mancini

composer / conductor
1924 - 1994

" data-original-title="" title="">Henry Mancini's classic theme from the film The Pink Panther. Patterson's solo is so ingratiating that one wishes he could be heard from more often. "Soul Blue" leads to the suitably-named finale, "Search and Destroy," whose emphatic approach neatly sums up the album's purpose; all hands solo admirably.

Shawn Purcell's other compositions are "Fond Illusion," "A Long Stroll" and "Hoodang," each of which swings neatly in its own way. For his part, Purcell is a well-known musician in the Washington, DC area, having logged substantial time with the US Air Force's superlative Airmen of Note and Navy Commodores (in whose ranks Darden Purcell has also served). The guitarist's influences range from

Pat Martino

guitar
1944 - 2021

" data-original-title="" title="">Pat Martino (an inspiration for the organ, guitar and drums lineup) to

Grant Green

guitar
1935 - 1979

" data-original-title="" title="">Grant Green,

Wes Montgomery

guitar
1923 - 1968

" data-original-title="" title="">Wes Montgomery and

George Benson

guitar
b.1943

" data-original-title="" title="">George Benson, among others. He brings each of them to bear at various times on 180, a buoyant and well-planned session that summons the best from everyone involved.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Cat and Mouse; 180; Fond Illusion; A Time for Love; Chicka D; A Long Stroll; Hoodang; LTG (Little Tori Girl); Window Games; Soul Blue; Search and Destroy.

Personnel

Shawn Purcell

guitar

Pat Bianchi

organ, Hammond B3

Jason Tiemann

drums

Additional Instrumentation

Darden Purcell: voice; Ben Patterson: trombone.

Album information

Title: 180 | Year Released: 2022 | Record Label: Origin Records

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