Almost Home

After a promising start as a jazz pianist, Jon Regen switched gears to try a slightly different approach. On this studio date he sticks to original material that fits in the singer/songwriter camp. Like Bruce Hornsby, another singing pianist with jazz roots, Regen is a good storyteller, though he reins in his skills as an improviser a bit more. He is joined by electric bassist Jonathan Sanborn and drummer Eric Addeo, though they pretty much stick to timekeeping roles. Highlights include the introspective rocker "What Am I Supposed to Do From Here," the ballad "Little One," along with the road weary "Only My Credit Card Remembers Where I've Been," to which any traveling musician will relate. While jazz fans may be surprised with Regen's switch of his musical focus, this CD is well worth hearing, though there are barely 28 minutes of music.