Whereas Evan Lurie's first solo album was a successfully cohesive collection of pieces, How I Spent My Vacation is a compilation of work from the pianist/composer. Consisting of music originally written for low-budget films like Fisher Stevens's Call of the Wylie and, most notably, Steve Buscemi's Trees Lounge, the album does not flow as such. Although the individual pieces are quite good, as an album, How I Spent My Vacation just doesn't really work. An all-star cast of musicians, including bassist Greg Cohen, drummer Ben Perowski, former Lounge Lizards' guitarist Marc Ribot, and contemporary Lounge Lizards Steve Bernstein on trumpet, Bryan Carrott on mallets, and Jane Scarpantoni on cello, makes the collection well worth listening to, but not necessarily as a continuous experience. How I Spent My Vacation does showcase the various sides of Evan Lurie's musical personality, ranging from silly, cartoony jazz on tunes like "Fired!" and "The Call of the Wylie" to the solo piano musings of "Cut Trees" and the loungey, smooth jazz of "Languid Rooftop and the Plan." All in all, How I Spent My Vacation is excellent for fans of Lurie and the artists who appear on the collection, but would probably not win Lurie many new converts.
© Matthew Carlin /TiVo