Things You Know

If you haven’t heard local jazzman Dave Elke at one of the many gigs he’s played in Chico’s cafes, theaters and bars, and at parties, chances are you’ve taken one of his guitar classes at Butte College or Chico State. Veering away from the jazz some, his new CD, Things You Know, features Elke’s cool jazz sound tinged here with hints of funk and reggae, combining with his mellow voice and ultra-positive lyrics to spin a friendly blanket of sound that is as encouraging as a bear hug from your mom. There’s a little old-school blues, but Elke’s style is definitely shaped by the opposite of angst. The eight tracks feature local talents Zack Bowden on drums, Drew Pressman on bass, plus Marquesa Versola harmonizing vocally with Elke on three tracks. Bruce MacMillan plays steel lap guitar on “Leave Without a Trace” and Dobro on the rockabilly-bluegrass Zen of the final track, “I Am Found,” with its words of empowerment: “You can come here and take all the time that I gave/ But you can’t take away my pride.” If you’d like to be buoyed by the groove and the positive message, pick up a copy at Tower or the Underground.