For over twenty years as a solo artist, bandleader and sideman, Jim Kimsey has shown himself to be a highly individual musician. While consistently drawing on a broad mix of music, Kimsey has always succeeded at being himself, no matter what the situation. Now with PerXactly! his jazz debut, he plays many roles -- composer, arranger, bandleader, guitar maestro -- and proves himself a master of each. Surrounded by a group of superb, sensitive players he moves seamlessly through an array of styles and grooves. Their sense of interplay is swinging and conversational in the finest tradition of jazz ensemble performance, like on the relentlessly cool and exciting opener, Perxactly! The compositions here are memorably melodic, highlighting the lyrical introspective quality in Kimsey's writing. His tunes are framed by bittersweet, goosebumpy harmonies that use dissonance to tease out subtleties of humor and longing. This sort of harmonic adventureousness requires an expertise and musicality not often heard, and is demonstrated to stunning effect on the great ballad Puo Dirmi. Further spicing this harmonic roux is a persistent yet shape-shifting flavor of the blues. Check out romps like Rampart Street Rhumba and Second Line Thang, whose exultant rhythms celebrate the New Orleans roots of jazz and r&b - while the guitar break on the tango section of NDKREBN pulls the roots from the mud as it soars to the clouds. One is transported by the music on PerXactly! to invigorating, atmospheric places: the bustling streets of the French Quarter; the lonesome cafes of Naples; the sexy social clubs of Havana; the smoky after-hours joints of old Indianapolis. Along the way the listener hears echoes of classic Miles, Bill Frisell, Professor Longhair and Nino Rota. The word PerXactly! [per-'zak-(t)lee] is a hip, soulful way of saying, "Yeah!" It's a funny and poignant sign of affirmation -- and a perfect name for this beautiful music. Jim Kimsey: guitar Michael Stricklin: sax Sam Withrow: drums Fred Withrow: bass Bruce Polson: piano, keys Jesse Wittman: bass