Simon Belelty Pee Wee

Simon Belelty's Pee Wee unites an all-star band in heartfelt, timeless jazz, blending warmth, finesse, and emotional depth across 11 tracks.

Simon Belelty has been sharing musical moments for nearly thirty years as a guitar player, arranger and producer of jazz. To some, he may be known as a side man, but here he takes the reigns. That doesn't mean he dominates. Belelty is a master collaborator, and on this album he brings together a stellar group of instrumentalists for whom collaboration is a sacred rite of passage.

Simon has a delicate touch, inquisitive but self-assured. In jazz, the guitar is an entirely different type of companion. The instrument insinuates itself between the more commanding tonal elements of sax, trumpet and piano. Even when providing solos, as on Wayne Shorter's "United" and the exquisite "Never Let Me Go," Simon sounds as if he snuck in through the back door and commanded the bandstand without anyone seeing it coming.

Kirk Lightsey shines on "Habiba" and in duet with tenor saxophonist Asaf Yuria on "More Than You Know." "Lady Luck" is a hipster's lament, with bassist Gilles Naturel and drummer Jason Brown setting the rhythm, and trumpeter Josh Evans gliding above. "Pee Wee" and "Witch Hunt" showcase drummer John Betsch and bassist Darryl Hall, while "415 Central Park West" displays NYC swagger, opening with Simon on guitar before giving way to a robust series of solos.

The result is a jazz album that is sneaky and assertive, joyous and melancholy. If these seem like contradictory terms, listen again. Led by Simon Belelty, they seize the moment, and make time stand still.

Track Listing

Habiba 415 Central Park West Pee Wee Witch Hunt More Than You Know Lady Luck United Never Let Me Go