Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Tom Ollendorff: A Song For You

Tom Ollendorff: A Song For You

By Chris May
April 24, 2021
View read count

They say lightning never strikes in the same place twice. But sometimes it does. When it comes to new jazz guitarists of more than average talent, London has produced two in fairly rapid succession. In spring 2020,

Rob Luft

guitar
b.1993

" data-original-title="" title="">Rob Luft released his immaculate and uplifting sophomore album, Life Is The Dancer (Edition). Exactly a year later,

Tom Ollendorff

guitar, electric

" data-original-title="" title="">Tom Ollendorff is releasing A Song For You (Fresh Sounds), a debut which delivers much and promises even more.

Ollendorff and Luft have similar signatures. Both are evolutionary rather than revolutionary stylists. They bring quantities of freshness to the tradition but they do not rethink it. In this they resemble, say,

Pat Metheny

guitar
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Pat Metheny more than, say,

Eivind Aarset

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Eivind Aarset, although Aarset's high-register neo-trippy lyricism has echoes in the playing of both of them.

On A Song For You, Ollendorff presents sophisticated, melodic music of seraphic beauty. All but one track are Ollendorff originals. Most last less than five minutes. There are two extended pieces: the ballad "Not In These Days" clocks in at eight minutes, and the sole relatively kick-ass burner, "XY," is almost as long. Both fly by. Vernon Reid's much covered evergreen "Autumn In New York" receives a memorable reading (on a par with pianist

Al Haig

piano
1924 - 1982

" data-original-title="" title="">Al Haig's once heard, never forgotten one on his 1957 Counterpoint album, Jazz Will-O-The-Wisp).

Ollendorff is accompanied by his regular trio, which is completed by bassist

Conor Chaplin

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">Conor Chaplin and drummer

Marc Michel

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Marc Michel, and he co-produced the album with Fresh Sound's Jordi Pujol. A Song For You is a stunning debut. Following Ollendorff's progress looks like it will be time well spent.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Song For You; Spring; Etude 1; Not In These Days; XY; Autumn In New York; Aare; Etude 3; These Days (Outro).

Personnel

Tom Ollendorff

guitar, electric

Conor Chaplin

bass, acoustic

Marc Michele

drums

Album information

Title: A Song For You | Year Released: 2021 | Record Label: Fresh Sound Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Chris Trinidad y Canci��n Tagalog
< Previous

Queen Of Fire
Next >

Tom Ollendorff Concerts

Oct 15 Wed

Tom Ollendorff Trio Ft Jeff Ballard &conor Chaplin

Sunset-Sunside
Paris, France

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.