The Gabe Dixon Band

iTunes Review

Recorded primarily live in ten days at Blackbird Studios in Nashville, pianist Gabe Dixon’s self-titled 2008 collection is hardly a roughshod, raw performance. Dixon’s a born perfectionist whose first takes are delivered with greater polish than other performer’s labored recordings. “Five More Hours” has a classic FM radio highway feel. “Further the Sky,” featuring a guest vocal from Mindy Smith, sports a haunting 1970s electric piano that recalls the melancholy stamp of Paul Simon and eventually swells with a regal organ piping through. “All Will Be Well” has an amiable pop bounce to it. Dixon wrote alone and in collaboration with Semisonic singer Dan Wilson (co-writer of the Grammy-winning Dixie Chicks song “Not Ready To Make Nice” among his credentials) and Nashville songwriter Tia Sellers. Dixon’s comfortable singing folk, pop, blues, and soul with equal conviction. His natural tone is clear but he can channel the grit when necessary. The shuffles of “Till You’re Gone” and “Far From Home” recall the floating euphoria of Stevie Winwood’s lite R&B. Not bad for a minimalist trio.