While no one was looking, Chuck Loeb was quietly becoming one of the most interesting guitarists making music today. Loeb kept working as a sideman, composer and arranger, making his own solo albums in a low-key way until he reached the point where any serious conversation about who's among the best in the business that doesn't include Loeb isn't a serious conversation at all.

Between 2 Worlds finds Loeb exploring a more naturalistic, organic mode with the instruments mixed up front and without any keyboard embellishments whatsoever. Recorded both in Berlin and New York City, everything about the music sounds fresh. It takes a few listens to even notice the absence of keyboards, but it gradually becomes clear that they aren't missed at all.

Loeb gives plenty of room for his fellow musicians to shine, and particularly impressive is how he uses horns in a way that makes them more than just supplemental instrumentation. On the opening track, "Let's Go," Loeb's guitar sets the pace, with