Melody leads the way on guitarist Skip Grasso's 'Becoming'

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 A mellowness supporting the drive of Skip Grasso's music on "Becoming" will make his music attractive

Skip Grasso composes with charm and wit.

in the background for some listeners. But then, a lot of listening today to all kinds of music is preferred when taken in as background. If you pay steady attention to "Becoming," the rewards are nonetheless there.

The melodic emphasis is reinforced by a tendency to have piano and guitar share an emphasis on the tunes, echoing the vibes-and-piano parallelism of classic George Shearing. 

Supporting this sound is the amiable bass playing of Harvie S. On the opening track, it's good to hear his upright bass in a solo, but overall he is underrepresented in the mix, though he is well worth hearing in accompaniment. On the other hand, the estimable veteran Billy Drummond is often a little too prominent, lending to a slight, persistent imbalance, despite the drummer's tastefulness.

"Harvie Livingston Seagull" may be seen as a tribute to the bassist. It brings him into zesty but uninsistent interplay with the Baltimore-based bandleader, who never forces his hand. With keyboardist Anthony Pocetti turning to the electric piano, the overall vibe is sweetly consistent. 

I admired the smooth samba layout of "Don't Forget." The ballad "Canto Belo" is clearly a natural change of pace for this ensemble. For kicking up its heels and its open-air feeling, "Garry on a Bike Ride" could hardly be more appealing. The set ends with the self-evident feeling of bright anticipation in "Spring Forward." 

There is nothing abstruse about "Becoming," a quality that never fails to be welcome in jazz.



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