BENJIE PORECKI, Faster Than We Know

 The masterful blend of cool elegance and rapidly intensifying excitement on “Chrysalis” the high spirited opener on Benjie Porecki’s fascinatingly eclectic eighth album Faster Than We Know, captures everything about his peripatetic energy of his career to date. That is, to begin with, a tasteful versatility so renowned that it’s been tapped by everyone from Carlos Santana and Buddy Guy to Chaka Khan, Tom Scott and Chuck Brown.

And then, there’s the way the track, while Latin-fired at its heart, embodies his gift for seamlessly blending jazz, funk, blues and R&B – a crackling fusion aesthetic extended by his fast-bustling, Hammond B-3 and electric piano driven romp “Right Direction,” which is, like the other tracks on this stellar collection, fueled along by his steady yet adventurous trio of bassist Cory Baker and drummer Mark Prince.

Together the three fashion a fluid, groove intensive environment where free flowing melodies, intuitive feel and subtle harmonic movement take precedence over flash. Whether the tunes are gently seductive and soulfully elegant or more bluesy, funky and frenetic, positive minded titles like “Moving On,” “Make It Bring You Up,” “Fresh Start” and “It’s Gonna Be Alright” tap into the buoyant camaraderie driving the aesethetic as Porecki’s moves gracefully between acoustic piano, organ and electric keys.

The lone cover, a stark arrangement of “Superstar,” is handled with restraint and sensitivity, emphasizing mood and tone over re-interpretive gimmicks. Elsewhere, Porecki’s writing reflects a clear sense of intention—these are compositions built around feeling and flow rather than complexity for its own sake.