Datum - Kyle James (Album Review)

One of the great things about Kalamazoo, MI is that it is full of promising young artistry. Sure, around the state you can find enthusiastic players of all ages making music a full-time or part-time priority, but to find someone developing a truly compelling artistic vision is special. Everything they design is to support their sound: how they write and record themselves, how they organize their aesthetic branding to capture their professionalism at a glance, and how audiences are elevated from the album to the live performance. With his debut record Datum, saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist/engineer Kyle James is stepping confidently forward with a collection of tunes that embody a young artist making a statement with every decision and sound he crafts.

Right away, “Daytona Type Speed” lays the groundwork for a compelling listen. The piano, provided by Grayson Nye, flows beautifully as the melody glides around a vibrant and colorful accompaniment. The track surges with energy right until the listener is left with one final, beautiful chord to rest on. In the space left from this track’s ending, Kazuki Takemura improvises around a pedal note on “Bass Interlude,” exploring the range of his instrument and preparing the listener for the next tune. “Victory Lap (Of Honor)” builds on the pedal note hinted at in the previous track while introducing a wonderful blend of a relaxed backing band with a playful amount of interplay. The tune ebbs and flows around these ideas with additional bass line motifs that compliment a rhythmic melody dancing in the spaces, building until it eventually returns to the initial foundation of the tune and settling the listener with the ensemble.

“Timeless” is a beautifully expressive track that is placed perfectly in this track listing, as it shifts from the previous tune’s dense composition in favor of a moment suspended in time. It’s like spoonfuls of soulful honey, each bite coating the palette and giving you space to enjoy the next one as the band moves as one fluid unit. It is colorful and vibrant without being overwhelming, and the ending tees up the mood to transition onward into “Ordinance.” This song plays off of the definition of the word, meaning “an authoritative decree,” through a variety of ways: the straight accompaniment against Kyle’s more swung saxophone playing, the climax of the tune feeling the strongest on the record, and the fact that the final harmonic progression feels so grounded when compared to the rest of the tune, almost signifying a final, decisive action. With this burst of collective confidence, “Crossover” features the ensemble locked in for one final, full tune that highlights the strengths of each player involved throughout the record in a celebration of skill and exploration. Listeners are then treated to a meditative “Outro” from Grayson Nye, giving a brief moment to reflect on the journey experienced on this record.

Datum is a great listen all around, from the players involved to the production polish from Kyle, Cynthia Kelley, and acclaimed engineer Mike Marciano. It is a record that stands out among the West Michigan offerings and shoots right for a modern jazz vibe that doesn’t alienate listeners. It is as clean and presented as Kyle’s album cover (shot by Stratos) while ripping through the tailored suit and into the soul of this artist. Treat yourself to this record, it is worth every minute of carefully crafted time. 

Support Kyle James!
Website: https://kylejamesburgess.com/
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/Kylejamesburgess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kyle.burgess.9081
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KyleBSuperSaxy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kylebsupersaxy/
Bandcamp: https://kylejamesburgess.bandcamp.com/album/datum
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2DHBYZcynkI4pqQex7kMni?si=mnibhrxJTMmfQhrtKuHPcQ
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lMlFDt18uGIFSbOBn6ooOHKwHlFXrouB4

Album Credits:
Kyle James - Sax
Grayson Nye - Piano
Kazuki Takemura - Upright Bass
Josiah DeNooyer - Drums

Cynthea Kelley - Tracking/Engineering
Andrew Rathbun - Production
Kyle James - Mixing
Mike Marciano - Mastering
Stratos - Album Artwork