Ed Jurdi	Website:	www.EdJurdi.com
	Genre(s):	Eclectic Grass Roots American Music Fusion: Pop, rock, country, folk, bluegrass, blues, etc.
	Instrument(s):	Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
	Trademark(s):	Purist Acoustic Sound, Retro Grass Roots, Signature Voice
	Album(s):	LongshoresDrive
	Collaborations:
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Laden with well-felt acoustic guitar, richly-textured instrumentation, and soulful vocals, Ed Jurdi's 2003 release Longshores Drive is an epic journey that is given wings by Jurdi's grass roots breed of folk, bluegrass, country, blues, soul, rock fusion that is fashioned in the age-honored stylisms of classics of the likes of (acoustic folk era) Bob Dylan, The Band, The Eagles, Van Morrison, James Taylor, (Slowhand era) Clapton, and countless other acoustic masters from various derivatives of American guitar music. Jurdi deploys a fantastic expressive vocal style that is matched to caringly-crafted, clean-toned, lyrical acoustic arrangements that feature a mixture of finely textured folk, country, and blues instrumentation including guitar, bass, banjo, hammond organ, harmonica, sax, mandolin, fiddle, pedal steel and percussionry. The album spans an array of styles that are coherently integrated within Jurdi's creative complement of absorbing songs.

The album opens with "Keep on Trying" that sets the tone with the acoustic guitar, pedal steel, piano, and percussion texturing that is led into with an ascendant harmonica intro that drives a stake to define The Band sounding feel similar to their 60's classic "The Load". Jurdi demonstrates his palpable vision and diverse styling on this track with the gospel vocals and climactic sax lead that further integrate a kaliedescopic array of sound to the arrangement. Jim Breuning gives a small taste of his tasty, grounded sax stylings on this track setting the stage for his integral role in the overall concept. "Walking and Talking" follows suit stretching the musical territory in the direction of classic acoustic and slide guitar blues with an early era Clapton feel and similar to the blues classic "I'm Walkin'". This track gives the listener the first indication of the comprehensive breadth of diverse styles that Jurdi embraces on this album. The following track, "Philadelphia", is a rhythmic acoustic piece that is built around the lyrical content that elaborates the trials and tribulations of separation, troubled relations, and the impending reunion that the song elaborates. This song features another fine soulful sax lead from Jim Breuning, its brevity the only shortcoming; perhaps a little more latitude to the sax lead would have given a little more instrumental depth, though the song works quite well as devised and executed. Jurdi next deploys subdued, Dylan-ish, Jimmy Smith sounding, sustained Hammond organ chordal voicings to form the backbone of the fourth track, "Don't Call on Me", which is a country-rock pop song fashioned in the tradition of John (Cougar) Mellancamp's popular acoustic country / bluegrass jamboree style of pop music integrating resonant guitar rhythms, playful finger-picking banjo work, sporadic fiddle lines, subtle steel guitar, soothing Hammond organ, earthy vocals, and a climactic harmonica lead mindful of the popular 90s group, Blues Traveler. Next on the venue, the pure-toned acoustic ballade, "Catch Me If You Can", is forged in an eclectic fusionistic style (not jazz fusion, American music fusion) that blends a seeming Elton John influence of contemplative piano stylisms and a ballade composition with tasteful acoustic renderings reminiscent of The Band and The Beatles that are referenced in the song's lyrics. The playfully pleading love song "Bumblebee" is similar to the Squeeze 80's pop song "Black Coffee in Bed" in feel and theme as well, though this track has a spirit and quality that is all Ed Jurdi's and stands on its own. Once again, Breuning delivers another captivating sax solo for this song's climax and once again the sax solo seems like it would have added more depth and satisfaction if given more space, though the conciseness is seemingly part of the Jurdi style of arrangement that leaves the listener wanting more at this point in the album. I suspect a live rendition of this song might allow the sax lead more liberties and time.

Opening with a dramatic Hammond organ precursor reminiscent of "Like a Rolling Stone" (though not really similar), Longshores Drive kicks it into the high gear on the seventh track reaching the album's apex on "Stop Drop and Roll" that is the standout among the many fine songs that are included on this album. The spirited, upbeat, "get up out of your chair" and "get up and go" lyrics on this track are set to lively acoustic accompaniment that once again nicely integrate the earthy, retrospective Hammond organ sustained chord voicings with tactful gospel choir backings. Jurdi reveals his clever approach to building tension through the album to this climactic piece that this time reaches climax with a gratifying sax lead that finally unleashes Breuning to make a real statement of his capabilities, though I suspect that this lead only touches the surface of what he is capable. "Stop Drop and Roll" is perhaps the best track on this album, an obvious candidate for radio air time for mainstream pop, alternative, or country radio formats and frankly, I'd be surprised if this track did not get the air time and attention it merits.

Jurdi slows it down a notch with "Kansas City" to recover from the peak on "Stop Drop and Roll" with this introspective ballade that conjures memories of the guitar stylings, absorbing vocals, and heart-felt song writing of the Eagles in their acoustic prime. The next track, "Passing Time", continues to invoke flashes of the Eagles' musical greatness of days gone by with the lyrics and feel that have a conveyance similar to the Eagles' classic, "Wasted Time", though this track seems to fuse this Eagles' style with a resounding piano style influenced by Elton John's reflective classics such as "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me". The album is brought to a close with "Roll Me Down by the River", a brief acoustic and steel guitar piece that has a distinctive feel similar the to Eagles' Dalton brothers' theme.

My reviews are mostly focused on instrumental music. Rarely do I receive an album with voice of this fine a caliber that it shifts my focus from the instrumentation to the vocals in the forefront because of the quality of the vocals. Jurdi possesses a superb vocal talent that is readily apparent from the first listening of this album. Considering that the underlying arrangements and instrumentation deliver high quality content as well, Jurdi brings to light that great music is not about genre so much as it is about solid, focused vision, captivating concept, and true musical talent. I would highly recommend this album to fans of folk rock and people that just really like quality music that is built applying the seemingly lost art of song writing. The songs on this album are well-crafted both with the musical arrangements, as well as the lyrics. Both aspects are woven together in a coherent manner that is reminiscent of the towering greats of the 60s and 70s. Jurdi delivers a solid musical effort from start to finish on this album that produces highly accessible, lyrical songs that can easily be appreciated by a wide musical audience. The arrangements have a myriad of diverse influences that are appreciable yet the overall style is unique and refreshingly enjoyable. This album offers such a wide accessibility that I think it should be appreciated by all audiences... maybe in a manner like the greats of this integrated eclectic American-based music school of approach such as Dylan, The Band, The Eagles, and others mentioned above. Many of the songs on this album are deserving of radio air time and it would be a tragedy if they did not receive the attention they deserve.

For reference of Ed's diverse influences, Jurdi cites a wide array of influences from many different styles of music. Country and bluegrass influences include Gram Parsons, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Emmylou Harris. Ed reveals that folk music has been a major influence drawing from people like Townes Van Zant, Lyle Lovett, and Nick Drake. I think the biggest influences are in soul music. Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Solomon Burke, Al Green. Jurdi also acknowledges influence from many instrumentalists such as the Funk Brothers (Motown House Band), Booker T & The MG's, The Meters, Mark Knopfler, Duane Allman, RY COODER, and Leo Kotke, as well as jazz greats such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, and the Modern Jazz Quartet.

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