Kyle Eastwood: Paris Blue

I know what you’re thinking: Does Kyle Eastwood’s bass have six strings, or only five? Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kind of lost track myself. I can report that Kyle is indeed the son of jazz enthusiast, cinematic gunslinger and much-awarded director Clint. Kyle contributed compositions to his father’s Mystic River and Million Dollar Baby; Pops returns the favor by whistling the melody on a beat-heavy cover of Bob Haggart’s “Big Noise (From Winnetka)” on his son’s second album, Paris Blue.

The rest of the album, all compositions by Eastwood the younger, also rides a strong beat. Swathed in stifling synth noise, “Marrakech” and the title track come real close to the smooth-jazz realm, but the funky “Cosmo” has a catchy head for the horns to play, and when Eastwood’s band gets a chance for some straightahead soloing in “Le Pont Royal” the results swing pretty hard. The final two tracks, electronica remixes of “Big Noise” and “Marrakech,” have a nice bump but outlast their welcome a bit. Not a standout, but a solid disc–something to take a chance on if you feel lucky. Well? Do you, punk?

Originally Published April 1, 2006