Michael Cain: Evidence of Things Unseen

Michael Cain has plenty of technique and imagination, and there are some arresting moments, as when he utilizes a stride effect that sounds more like Stravinsky’s ragtime than Willie “The Lion” Smith’s. But a lot of the music seems like a pastiche of impressionist effects, and even when he gets into something solid he tends to meander. Without actually sounding like Keith Jarrett solo he has some of the same tendencies. Then again, a lot of people like Keith solo. Some may even read jazz magazines. Personally, I would like to hear Cain in a more structured context.

Originally Published March 1, 2000