ALBUM REVIEW

Greg Chako - Hard Bop: For The Record

Greg Chako is a veteran jazz guitarist and composer who has been letting his instrument do the talking for over forty years. Born in Cincinnati, he caught the jazz bug early, eventually packing his bags for the Berklee College of Music to hone his chops. From there, his musical compass took him far beyond Ohio. He spent nearly two decades gigging, recording, and leading bands across major Asian cultural hubs like Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, and Tokyo. Those years on the international circuit shaped his signature warm tone and easygoing, lyrical style on the fretboard.
Life threw plenty of curveballs along the way—including standard musician hazards like carpal tunnel and some serious health battles—but Chako always found his way back to the music. After returning to Cincinnati, he kept the momentum going by signing with Mint 400 Records, earning a well-deserved spot in the Cincinnati Jazz Hall of Fame, and even writing a memoir about his journey.
With more than two dozen albums under his belt, his record Hard Bop: For the Record is a perfect example of what he does best. Stepping into a piano-less quintet format, Chako lets his guitar handle the heavy lifting for the band's harmony, seamlessly blending classic bebop grooves with smooth Latin rhythms. It’s the sound of a musician who completely respects the old-school masters but is perfectly content carving out his own path.. 

Opening with Mozambique  a super Afro-Cuban groove that features the two-horn frontline of Brooks Giles on sax and Spencer Merk on trombone and Alex Merk on drums. Greg Chako steps up first delivering a straight up solo that really stretches the track superbly. Giles steps up with a muscular, fluid run that establishes the track's driving energy and Spencer Merk  is not far behind with a really nice trombone solo that will blow your mind. David Lloyd on bass stretches the track with some deep grooves before the band pulls back in and Alex really splashes on drums for the close of a super opener. Ballad To The Bone features Spencer delivering a deeply soulful phrasing on trombone, joined by Giles on sax. His continued lead gives this track a beautiful, lyrical darkness, punctuated by Lloyd on bass. Chako's own  understated, blues-tinted guitar phrasing floats on the melody, giving the track just the perfect balance. Very nice.

Soar With The Wind is an uptempo, hard driver opening with Giles and Merk in tandem.  Chako takes the first solo showing his lyrical precision with a bouncy phrasing that bounces cleanly over the driving rhythm section. Giles continues the work on sax with really strong work of his own and Spencer on trombone keeps pushing without breaking a sweat. Alex really ties it all up with an extended drum solo bringing back the chorus. Time To Play is an understated track built over the solid bass work of Lloyd. Giles and Spencer set the stage but it's Giles who really breaks this thing open with a stunning sax solo and Spencer's follow up trombone work is tops. Deceptively strong. 

Mellow-Dee has an easy 3/4 time with Giles and Spencer laying the groundwork before Spencer belts out a really strong trombone melody. Chako stays in blues territory with a soulful, nicely phrased guitar solo and Giles really tears it up with a frantic soprano sax solo that gives the piece a real counter. Wrapping the release is soulful rocker, For The Record with it's warm melody courtesy Giles and Spencer. Lloyd and Alex really develop a nice funky groove and Giles is the first one anchoring the theme. Chako on guitar really widens the pocket with bluesy phrasing and jazzy chords and Merk on trombone really sails. Lloyd steps forward with another fine bass solo backed by Alex on rim shots and coming back out really funky with Glies and Spencer closing. Solid closer for a really nice release. 

📺 Session Video Performance
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Watch: Greg Chako plays Mozambique