The Morning Call   

   review 4/21/07.

"SEARCHING" (www.jimmymeyer.com)

JAZZ | Jim Meyer, a long-time Bethlehem resident, has been gigging for years in collaboration with singer-songwriter

Steve Brosky and as a member of Air Products corporate band, The Difference* "Searching" is his first solo release,

and he not only plays the guitar parts but also performs and programs everything else. In our Internet age,

when just about anyone can upload an MP3 or video to the Net, regardless of talent, it's nice to hear work that meets high standards.

Working with mastering engineer Jim McGee from Spectra Sound Solutions, Meyer has created a well-balanced collection

of instrumentals, each with a slightly different musical slant, World music influences, especially reggae and Latin jazz,

flavor the mix. Meyer's approach is assured, not showy as he allows the melodies to resonate. A less-patient player

might have tried a more note-filled approach, but Meyer's choices show his experience and skill. Area listeners who

voted in the Lehigh Valley Music Awards chose "Searching" the best jazz disc for 2006, which suggests his wide appeal.

Tim Blangger