The Quest By Keith Fiala

 

The Quest

By

Keith Fiala

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

My love for all things Jazz has grown over the years, I think of it has as a multi-legged musical octopus, its many arms and tendrils form into a multitude of sub genres, perhaps my early induction came thanks for my undying love of progressive rock, some of the same times signatures found in Jazz can be found in prog, but here today in 2024, I sit and listen to the beautiful tones of one of the finest soulful trumpet performers of his day in Keith Fiala, and his latest album The Quest. How times have changed, but of course truly good music lives on forever, and that’s exactly what we have her with this explorative new release from Fiala, captivating music in motion.

The album itself is a vast body of work containing some 12 unique and enticing musical narratives. That voyage of plenty starts with the almost funky reggae styled opus called Always With Me, a fine hook of a composition that eases you into a blissful ride of smooth jazz and beyond.

The album itself is somewhat of a cathartic journey for the artist too, as three of the beautiful compositions inside this creation are inspired by the artists passed mother, the opening and aforementioned track being the first, with Remembrance and Song For My Mom being the other two, all are deeply emotive and reflective arrangements, and so they should be.

The Quest as a title track takes the entire collection of compositions and manifests an energy deep within, to create an effervescent energy to thoroughly enjoy, whilst manifestations like Behind Your Eyes flowed like a fresh autumn spring from a vast mountain of tone and timbre.

For me one of the most fascinating tracks off the album was Spirituale Regnum, I cannot recall a Gregorian chant being used on a Jazz based album before, but it worked in a stunning fashion, adding in the electronic vibrations and wizardry on one of the most unique starts I have heard, this made for me a track that is one of the most artistically clever pieces I have heeded from a Jazz artist in decades.

I remember listening and reviewing Fiala’s last album New Beginnings and I believe that the musician has climbed the ladder of uniqueness one step more with this enjoyable new release, tracks like Midnight Rain thrilled me completely, I was also grateful for the natural sounds at the start, but that probably more due to the lack of rain over the last 6 months in my village, but indeed with the electric piano, the bass and a bluesy guitar, combining that with Fiala’s trumpet gave me a musical experience that was so good, I had to listen to it in total three times before I could even write a single word.

Tips of the hat on the previous track must go to other musicians known to us at here at OWMR, with bassist Sean O Brien Smith, and that steaming guitar of Billy Denk. Every Jazz fan can find something they like on this album, perhaps the beautifully paced On My Way Home, or the concluding narrative Uncle Bob's Campfire Stories, regardless there is a tale to be told here on this album that is deeply compelling and one that really needs to be listened to.

The Quest by Keith Fiala is an album that will hook you in, sit you down and will not let you go until the last ember on the camp fire has gone out. Keith’s intelligent performances, superb musicianship have brought to us ever eager listeners a Jazz album that contains a storyline, an explorative nature, and unexpected twists and turns along the way, and thus is a release that is both captivating and enthralling and of course incredibly enjoyable, with all that in mind, surely another huge hit must be on the way for Keith Fiala and The Quest.