Nature Boy

Local “cocktail” jazzers Holly Taylor and Eric Peter have produced an enjoyable little CD of jazz standards. From the Gershwins’ “They Can’t Take That Away From Me” to Duke Ellington’s “Love You Madly” and Nat “King” Cole’s hit (and CD title cut) “Nature Boy,” Taylor slides around and hovers over the melodies with her strong alto while musical partner Peter underpins it all with his subtle jazz chords and bass lines on the unique “seven-string” guitar. Their spare sound conjures up images of dark, smoke-filled jazz clubs on the Continent somewhere, late at night. The duo also gets some terrific backup here and there from such notable musicians as Deric Binyon (trumpet), Dan Kinkle (drums), Craig Strode (trumpet) and local jazz legend Charlie Haynes (flute, alto and tenor saxophones). Haynes turns in a particularly fine sax solo on “Four” and a beautifully lonely flute solo on the title cut.