Manchester-based artist Neil C. Young is a jazz guitarist, showing just how talented he is on his new record, ReWorks Vol. 1. There are only four songs on the record, but each track has a delightful sound, turning the modern jazz genre on its head. Why not give it a go?

By Jane Howkins

The EP opens up with Issues. It should be stated here that Neil’s music is instrumental, but when the songs here are that good, it doesn’t really matter that there aren’t any lyrics! The track features a proper stomp of a rhythm section, making you want to tap your toes along instantly. However, the lead guitar remains the focal point of the tune, going through a variety of different movements as the piece progresses.

Video Games is up next – it starts out a little slower than the previous piece, making it sound very different! Opening with just a simple fingerpicked clean guitar melody, it nevertheless sounds amazing, changing the pace up nicely. The drums and bass appear after a while, slyly increasing the tempo.

Tijuana Lady starts out with a steady drum beat, before the lead guitar kicks in. It changes from a palm-muted style to a more traditional form of note picking, keeping the listener constantly guessing throughout the piece. Whilst the guitar melodies have a jazzy improvisation style, they’re pretty different to what you might normally expect from a song of this genre, mixing things up nicely.

Sunday Morning is the final song on ReWorks Vol. 1. As you might have guessed, it’s a cover of the popular pop song, although Neil really turns it on its head here. Whilst the main chorus melody can be heard at times, Neil completely makes it his own, giving the listener the best of both worlds.

ReWorks Vol. 1 is a captivating piece of work, seeing Neil cover a selection of popular songs and turn them into gorgeous instrumental jazz pieces.

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