On this, his second solo flight, Drew Gardner leans into more groove-based jams with the help of Ryan Jewell and Garcia Peoples’ Andy Cush.

Pulled from the sessions for his first (stellar) solo album on Eiderdown Records, Flowers in Space wanders down the hazy grey areas that exist between the worlds of jazz, rock and guitar soli music.

If you took the boundless folk rock-fusion of the John Abercrombie Trio, and combined it with the noodly looseness of ’69-’74 Grateful Dead and the moody guitar workouts of the likes of Grant Green and Junior Kimbrough, then you would get the general vibe of this excellent recording.

Tunes like the opening cut, “Sun Dagger,” roll with a propelling conveyer belt-like beat (which is chock full of drum fill asides that are pure Jewell-ian), which allows for Cush and Gardner to freely explore and launch off into a myriad of directions. Often, you’ll find the Elkhorn and Heavy Lidders guitarist snaking around and climbing up these meditative rhythms with the coolness of Bill Frisell, with bluesy licks and pearly, rounded tones. It’s a smoky, calm session and it makes for an equally laidback but demanding listen. If you’re a fan of Gardner’s guitar solos from his previous work, then this is an essential LP for you.

Click here to order your vinyl copy from Feeding Tube Records, or here to get the album digitally.

-KH