When his teaching activities were curtailed during the pandemic, David Bloom composed over 30 tunes, 15 of which appear on this album, his fourth such album collaboration with esteemed arranger Cliff Colnot. The two share similar ideas about music and life. Shadow of a Soul is about Bloom’s reverence of a person’s individuality, imagination, passion, spirituality and their creative accomplishments with them.

With compositions that vary in style, instrumentation, length, color and texture, Shadow of a Soul is an engaging and effervescent journey from start to finish. We hear some of David Bloom’s inspired alto flute in the mix of the title cut and “The Way I See It.” A couple tracks under a minute in length (“Samba” and “Reconsider”) are described as palate cleansers between the more formidable main courses.    

Opening with a tribute to a Chicago-based saxophonist and educator who passed away in August 2022, “Mischievous Mark Colby” features the soprano sax of Dave Liebman. Some other pieces arranged for 8-10 piece jazz ensembles include such tracks “The Way I See It,” “True Bloo,” “No Reruns,” “Mu Hahn,” “Fatal Honey,” “Only We” and “Lushness for Life” with interesting mixes of winds, woodwinds, horns, guitar, piano drums or bass.  Written to celebrate Bloom’s view of the world and sense of beauty and imagination, “The Way I See It” features solos by Rob Parton (flugelhorn) and Ryan Cohan (piano). “Fatal Honey” was composed to celebrate the fleeting quality of sweetness and the danger that often accompanies it.

I especially enjoyed the colorings of David Bugher’s vibes in “True Bloo,” viola and cello on “Mu Hahn,” and a combination of bass flute, alto flute and two piccolos on “Fatal Honey.” Another unique track, “Ambivalent” was arranged with two trumpets, two trombones, baritone sax and drums.  Orchestras with large string sections characterize the title cut, as well as “For Eddie P,” a tribute to Eddie Palmieri, one of the foremost Latin jazz pianists of the last half of this century. 

A guitarist and flautist, David Bloom is also a painter, writer and educator. He met Cliff Colnot when he came to study at The Bloom School of Music in 1977. They lost touch for over a decade but became friends when they met again at a Passover seder.  A distinguished conductor with an international reputation, Colnot has served as the principal conductor for both the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s contemporary MusicNOW ensemble and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago for over two decades.

Closing with “Yin and Yang,” we note how this album emphasizes the duality of both creativity and logic. The interplay of these elements exists in all the dynamics of Bloom and Colnot’s music.  The composer, arranger and wonderful cast of stellar musicians present a charming work that not only reflects Bloom and Colnot’s vast abilities, but also the collective vitality they present together. (Joe Ross, Roots Music Report)