Pianist/sax man, GORDON GOODWIN is one of America’s most garlanded jazz men. With 4 Grammys under his belt and a string of other awards to his name, he’s, sadly, not that well known outside his homeland.

If you want to know more about Mr G then you can check out his latest album, ‘An Elusive Man’ that he’s put together with his 8 piece group, THE LITTLE PHAT BAND. The ensemble comprises Goodwin (piano and tenor sax), Wayne Bergeron (trumpet), Eric Marinethal (saxs), Andy Martin (trombone), Andrew Synowiec (guitars), Rick Shaw (bass), Bernie Dresel (drums) and Joey De Leon (percussion). and that team is a pared down version of the Big Phat Band with whom Gordon has recorded a slew of successful albums. He explains why, this time, he’s gone for a smaller set up: “It represents another side of my interest in jazz with more emphasis on improvisation in letting the musicians explore things in a way they can’t do in a larger ensemble”.

‘An Elusive Man’ is ten track long player and the title track, we’re told, is “a reference to people we all know who go though, life and hide behind their jobs, their sense of humour or even their skill sets but never really reveal that much about themselves”. Like the majority of the cuts, it’s an original composition but the album also features a cover of ‘In A Sentimental Mood’.

GORDON GOODWIN’S LITTLE PHAT BAND’S ‘AN ELUSIVE MAN’ is out now on MOC Records.