Veteran jazz guitarist and educator Rich Goldstein, a longtime faculty member at The Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford, channels some of his guitar heroes and main influences on his brand new album, Into the Blue.

From Wes Montgomery and George Benson to Pat Martino, Joe Diorio and Randy Johnston, Goldstein’s playing on his debut release for the Truth Revolution label is marked by a seasoned touch, a penchant for swinging and obvious reverence for the history of jazz guitar.

Joined by organist Yahn Frankel, vibraphonist Behn Gillece and drummer Ben Bilello, Goldstein delivers in old school fashion on a program of well-known standards by Thelonious Monk, Django Reinhardt, Horace Silver, Stevie Wonder and the Beatles, along with two numbers popularized by Dinah Washington and Jack McDuff.

These soul jazz takes are blues-tinged and authentically grooving, transporting listeners back to the golden era of Blue Note’s Hammond B3 organ tradition in the ‘50s and ‘60s.

1. Hard Days Night (5:51)
2. Not A Tear (6:29)
3. What a Difference a Day Makes (6:08)
4. You and I (4:57)
5. I Mean You (5:00)
6. Nuages (5:25)
7. Our Miss Brooks (8:07)
8. Cool Eyes (4:14)
9. Altered State (5:02)
10. How Deep Is the Ocean (7:31)

Goldstein’s third recording as a leader, following 2008’s Wes Montgomery tribute, Comin’ from Montgomery, and 2011’s Effervescent with pianist Andy LaVerne, bassist Steve LaSpina, saxophonist Billy Drewes and drummer Anthony Pinciotti, opens on a sumptuous Hard Days Night and the luxuriously laid back Not A Tear, and then we get a playfully perky What a Difference a Day Makes, the rhythmic beauty of You and I and the finger-snapper I Mean You.

Along next is the languishing beauty of Nuages and the slow roll of the impassioned Our Miss Brooks, and they are in turn followed by the gently rambunctious chords of Cool Eyes, the album rounding out on the drum-led Altered State, coming to a close on the all-embracing tones of How Deep Is the Ocean.

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