David Eastlee Quartet @ CharlieO’s 04.12.11
By George W. Harris

I teach a group of college kids from our church on a weekly basis, and figured it was time for their ears as well of their souls to grow a little bit. We eight hopped over to Charlie O’s, where guitarist David Eastlee was holding court with Hamlton Price/b, Andy Langham/p and Dan Schnelle/dr. Eastlee spent the evening giving the virgin ears a history lesson of jazz guitar, covering everything from bebop to swing to standards and even modal. His frenetic fingerwork on “Billie’s Bounce” along with the snapping rhythm team, created enough energy to rival the final lap of the Daytona 500, while the mysteriously complex vamp on the modal “Theme Of Consciousness” brought out splashes of exciting colors and tones. Hard bop readings of standards like “I Never Knew” and the fiercely swinging “Alone Together” featured Price and Schelle going mano a mano in a pair of duets, while Langham’s thriving chords splashed like high tide at Malibu. The toes were tapping, and my group of boys were bewildered at the level of talent. “I sort of like it when I hear it on a cd,” commented one of the guys, “but seeing it live is just unbelievable.” Ah, just another night at Charlie O’s….