Greg Chako Trio
Life After 40
Raining Music / Mint 400 Records
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, but a citizen of the world, guitarist, composer, and educator Greg Chako spent many years honing his craft and teaching English in Japan. While performing and recording relentlessly in Asia, he developed his distinctive, clear tone and retro style.
On his latest release, Life After 40, Chako expands his working trio to add colors and latin flavor to his songs. In addition to his core collaborators, bassist Mason Daugherty and drummer Michael Maloy, Chako has enlisted percussionist Steve Thornton, and on three tracks Wayne Yeager adds piano to the mix. Overall, Life After 40 has a relaxed feel with the songs evolving in a leisurely slow-to-mid tempo. Chako’s clean guitar lines stretch out over the inventive rhythms coming from the percussionists. Many of the songs have a Brazilian feel. This is especially true when Thornton brings out his Brazilian instruments.
Greg has fun creating new tunes based on standards. “You Don’t Know What Funk Is” is based on “You Don’t Know What Love Is” (Gene dePaul, 1941). Similarly, “Love for Latin” is based on “Love for Sale” (Cole Porter, 1930). Greg takes a more supportive role on “Changes,” when Yeager’s piano does most of the heavy lifting,
Life After 40 is a great album to relax with. Maybe put on your colorful carnival shirt, sip a fruit-based rum drink, and dream of being somewhere tropical instead of another winter night in the Midwest.
