Perry Joslin Project: Perry Joslin Project

Jazz musicians come from all backgrounds, and Perry Joslin is an interesting case. The fortysomething pianist, after dabbling in fusion in the early 1980s, put on a suit and entered the business world. After crunching numbers as a broker, he began a stint at KPMG, the accounting and consulting firm, and within three years was picking colors for a corner office as partner and managing director for the state of Florida.

Now Joslin’s ditched the wingtips for the life of music and gigs. His debut self-titled CD (his second is due this summer) with the Perry Joslin Project was originally released in 2003 but was recently reissued by Virtuoso Records. It offers an appealing mix of styles, from the smooth jazz of “MiDoe,” the fusion of “Here We Go” and the rock-pop of “Over Dublin.” “Thoughts of Miles” is especially intriguing, as Jason Carder’s trumpet shares the spotlight with Joslin’s keys-he’s a fan of inverted chords. It’s a funky and jumpy piece spiced by Dan Warner’s groovy rock guitar licks. Equally adept are the other musicians in Joslin’s Project, which includes flutist Nestor Torres, saxophonist Ed Calle, drummer Lee Levin, bassist Javier Carrion and percussionist Richard Bravo.

Originally Published April 1, 2007