Phil Upchurch - Tell the Truth!

Titles

Side 1

1. Jive Samba

2. Jack Of Speed

3. La Costa

Side 2

1. Manhattan

2. Take Five

3. Home Again

Side 3

1. Long Gone Bird

2. Tell The Truth

3. (Every Time I Turn Around) Back In Love Again

Side 4

1. St Louis Blues

2. Girl Talk

3. She's Alright

4. Misty

Phil Upchurch is a guitarist who primarily makes a statement by what he doesn't play. There are others who play more daring, faster and trickier pieces than Upchurch. But there are few who play as soulfully. From his relaxed phrasing on Nat Adderley's "Jive Samba" to his buttery smooth vocals on Steely Dan's "Jack of Speed" and the bluesy title track, Upchurch's "Tell the Truth" is more about pure feeling than technique.

At the same time, he can absolutely keep up in this area, as he demonstrates on Roland Vasquez's "Long Gone Bird" and his amazing arrangement of Paul Desmonds' "Take Five," for example. The recording was made at The Bakery Recording Studio in North Hollywood in 2001.