Sal Mosca: The Talk of the Town

Cool pianist Sal Mosca is perhaps best known for his work with Lee Konitz. As a constant member of Konitz’s lineup, Mosca recorded six albums with the accomplished composer and alto saxophonist between 1950 and 1971 before founding his own quartet and recording another highly acclaimed record with Warne Marsh at the Village Vanguard in 1992 – the last “big” release of Mosca’s before his death in 2007. The latest posthumous marker in Mosca’s musical stamp-book is a big one, inundated with nearly two hours worth of chill, jazz-infused solo piano, in which he most impressively guides listeners across a journey of five separate medleys which perfectly encapsulate his avidity as a composer to develop seamless transitions between two different melodies altogether. An upstanding piece of jazz music, The Talk of the Town comes as a strong recommendation to those who can appreciate the simplicity in the adeptness of this pianist at work in his prime.