This album has a homey feel. The simple, direct way it communicates starts off with the funky, medium-tempo groove of "Your Way." Nothing fancy, nothing ornate - the music conveys an ease that's pleasing to the ears, as the song's opening lines borrow from "Summertime," suggesting that the listener should put their feet up and enjoy.

The quartet, led by guitarist Corey Christiansen, features tenor saxophonist David Halliday, Hammond B-3 organ player Pat Bianchi and drummer Matt Jorgensen. The album is funky with lots of blues attitude. On the grinder "Roll With It," which has a backbeat vibe, Christiansen offers well-placed guitar lines, laced with a feeling that draws you in.

'Roll With It' features all original music. "Steele" breaks with the souljazz groove as a convincing uptempo swing tune, with the band cohering around the infectious blues theme. "Kaiya's Dance" and "Sideways" veer off the beaten path as ballard and impressionistic pieces, back to back, suggesting Christiansen has more on his plate than just creating good grooves.

These two songs give Roll With It an edge that keeps you interested. Then it's back to basics with the closer, "Half Pay." The song's slinky backbeat, Halliday's Eddie Harris-inspired expressions and the soul-jazz funk evoke a solemn John Scofield ready to bust loose.

If jazz is America's soundtrack, periodically updated by tonal seismic shifts, then Corey Christiansen's third release, Roll With It, is one such shift. Imagine a Grant Green-Jimmy Smith-Stanley Turrentine 1960s triumvirate (had one existed) buffed to an early 21st Century digital sheen, greasy easy on the pork fat, hard on the omega-3s and what you get is guitarist Corey Christiansen's soul-jazz world view.

and here is the money quote ...
Corey Christiansen has arrived with one of the most satisfying soul-jazz recordings of the year.

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