Tom Gavornik, a jazz guitar veteran whose catalogue dates back to the 1960s, got his start by blending the catchy hooks of the Beatles, the virtuosity of Jimi Hendrix, and the jazzy compositions of Miles Davis. Nearly 40 years later, Gavornik is still combining musical forms seamlessly, as evidenced by his own incredible talents -apparent on Soul Cry, a new two-disc set just out on Mia Mind Music. Anyone with the slightest appreciation of Jazz, Blues guitar, or simply breathtaking instrumentation will fall immediately in love with this album.

The opening track of this two-disc set, “What You Lose, is What You Find,” plays like a two-minute cut from Pharaoh’s Dance, with Miles Davis’ blaring trumpet replaced by Gavornik’s synth-infused, meandering blues guitar, which does wonders - adding palpability to the often esoteric quality of jazz. “Rainy Days, Comic Book Dreams” starts out floating on a pillow of winds, heightened perfectly by the stellar accompaniment of Steve Lucas on bass and Kirk Driscoll on drums/ percussion. When the song randomly, albeit seamlessly, morphs into a swinging samba four minutes in, the pair’s understated yet solid background provides a perfect canvas for the masterstroke of Gavornik’s artful and often surprising guitar melodies.

Unfortunately the third track, “Anger,” is awful, a shoddy poem written by Gavornik repeated several times (including once without any musical accompaniment) by his wife, Joan. The poem sounds like it's by a high-schooler, both in its random imagery and unexplained references (“a full moon lights my way to you”), and its violent anthropomorphization of the emotion (“I have my way with you”). This ruins what would otherwise be a laudable bit of improvisation, and is the only dark spot of this otherwise flawless album.

The jazz/blues/rock fusion of “One More Lullaby” shows strength by picking the album back up. Though its form hardly changes for twenty minutes, Gavornik’s incredible skills at both guitar and synthesizer, combined with his unique ear for a tune, and topped off with Lucas and Driscoll’s strong backing, combine to make this a more than admirable close to the first CD of this album. The first forty-four minutes of the second disc is “The Grieving Path,” a continual transition from a minor jazz progression with pensive guitar lines to a major and up-tempo groove with a looser and bluesier feel that keeps the listener's attention through the whole composition. An exemplary moment comes at the halfway mark, where Gavornik once again shows his mastery, switching from a quick, eclectic, and hectic series of licks to the smoothest and most blues-laced line of the song.

Tracks two and three, both called “Hostage, No More.” are, in essence, the same track, save for three minutes and the choice of instrumentation. In the first version, the harmony is carried by Gavornik’s wonderful guitar lines, and supported marvelously by the rhythm section. In the second take (which even shares the same progression), Lucas gets to carry the tune. He does a more than admirable job. Both these songs meld together perfectly, and, seeing what Gavornik does with “Rainy Days” and “Grieving Path”, I was surprised he didn’t just make it one track that shifts in the middle. Regardless, much like the introduction to “Rainy Days,” both these tracks allow you to close your eyes, lean back, and float away for fifteen minutes. The final track, aptly named “Final Sting,” was arranged by Lucas and Driscoll and features Lucas on electric and upright bass, accented by Driscoll’s diverse drumming. Though this piece seems to lack direction, it is a fitting conclusion to the record, taking a page out of the Miles Davis playbook, closing with the brother of Feio.

With the exception of “Anger,” Tom Gavornik’s Soul Cry is a masterful work. His stellar guitar playing, writing, and melodies, on top of Lucas and Driscoll’s perfect playing, make this a must-buy for anyone who considers themselves a jazz enthusiast or anyone who is simply looking to understand what jazz is. Enjoy!