Notes Home is the second release by the Irish violin and piano duo David MacKenzie and Josh Johnston. Both are classically-trained musicians who have been playing jazz together for about five years. Their band is rounded out by Stephen McFarlane on guitar, Andrew Csibi on bass, and percussionist Robbie Harris. Starting with the influence of Stephane Grappelli and Joe Venuti along with a blend of their own styles, the goal is to make jazz easily accessible and enjoyable to all whether or not a listener knows anything about jazz. All thirteen tracks are original pieces, most of them composed by MacKenzie. The album was recorded live in the studio with very few takes and virtually no editing to preserve the improvisational feel of the music. Johnston says, “We wanted the album to sound like the group was playing in your living room.” The engineering is flawless and the sound quality excellent. Most of the pieces are in an updated swing-jazz style, but there are a couple of slinky, beautiful ballads, and some pieces really cook. The group succeeded well in making the music accessible without watering it down or resorting to smooth jazz commercialism.

The whole album is very enjoyable, but I’ll mention a few favorites. The opening track, “The Latecomer,” sets the tone of the album - light-hearted, rhythmic, and fun-loving. Yeah! “Cap Mortola” continues in the same vein, but then “Silk” slows it down to a languid, easy pace. I love “La Narbonnaise,” a blues-tinged piano solo that has the effortless flow that only a master of the instrument can produce - my favorite track. “Broadband Blues” puts MacKenzie back in the lead, but the whole group gets a chance to solo. “Waiting” is a beautiful ballad with a beat and a graceful swirl. “Wistful Thinking” is an elegant and heartfelt violin/piano duet. “Sliding Scale” ends the set with a toe-tapper that leaves the listener with a warm, happy musical smile. Each member of the group gets a turn to solo and add his own element of joy to the mix. Bravo!

Notes Home is a fun, uplifting album that should appeal to a broad audience. Check it out at Amazon, CD Baby, and iTunes. Recommended!