Jazz guitar fans that tuned into the 2021 album, Rio Crystal, by Philadelphia based Paul Colombo Group, will be equally intrigued by the group’s 2025 album Mabrouka. Following in a kindred guitar-based jazz spirit of the first PCG album, the 10-track, 50- minute Mabrouka album takes Paul Colombo’s sound to a new level of musical elegance. The record is an exploration of jazz styles from swing to Latin to funk to free playing and more. There are nine Paul Colombo originals and one cover.

Speaking about working with this fine band once again, Paul adds, "We have definitely moved ahead from Rio Crystal by expanding on our original quartet sound. There are tracks with acoustic bass and two songs that I orchestrated. PCG was always about exploring different jazz styles and on this record we added some free playing and New Orleans second line rhythms. Taken as a whole, it’s a very colorful record. Most of the tracks were first takes. Just a great experience overall and I couldn’t be more proud of how it came out”.

The interplay between Paul and band, including keyboard player Ron Thomas and a pair of bass players—Andy Alonso (electric bass) and Steve Meashey (acoustic bass) is exceptional. Long time PCG collaborator Chris Lōser, (drums, percussion) keeps the rhythm section vital and fresh. The title track is very jazz-centric with the fusion sound enhanced by Chris’ Afro-tinged percussion and drumming.

The lead off track “Homestyle” is the upbeat album opener and is filled with jazzy electric guitar harmonies and first-rate interplay between Paul and keyboard ace Ron Thomas.

The seasoned approach of PCG bridges the gaps between bluesy, smooth jazz to a stunning fusion spark with spacey edges. A definite highlight here is the Colombo original penned as a tribute to Jeff Beck, simply titled “JB”, that honors the late great guitar innovator with an uplifting, heartfelt melody. The orchestration by Paul and soloist Tom Strohman on flute adds to the track’s smooth/funky feel and is sure to appeal to jazz fans of more contemporary radio friendly jazz and also those enjoying sophisticated improvisations.

Paul Colombo Group’s only cover on the record is the Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby”. This gets off on the right foot and will please fans of this oft-covered classic from 1966, that was covered instrumentally by Wes Montgomery back in 1967. By combining timeless Beatles melodies with jazzy instrumental guitar styles, Colombo has tapped into an innovative pallet of guitar dynamics that finds new ways to bring this song classic well into the mid 2020’s. This track hits hard with beautiful dynamic changes and will shed a new light on this popular song.

“Ali” is a beautiful soft-sounding showcase for the musical ESP between Paul and the keys of Ron Thomas that serves as a kind of interlude between the swifter fusion flavors. This is the only song that features an acoustic piano sound and was captured the first time the band played through the song. Another great showcase for the keys of Ron Thomas comes by way of the bebop blues track “Dancing”, a fine example featuring his Rhodes-flavored electric piano, Paul’s hard-driving guitar licks and the acoustic bass grooves of Steve Meashey.

The track here simply called “Jazz” is a free jazz treat with slow moving atmospherics. With its unusual chord comps, the track will appeal to the more adventurous jazz listeners. With Paul’s guitar in tow, this track shows the widening scope of Paul Colombo Group’s stylistic identity.

“Mr. Blues” will appeal to the jam band crowd with fusion-based, groove-centric undertones. Speaking about this track, Paul explains, “On Mr. Blues we added Andy Roberts organ/synth playing to add another color to the funky jamming. This is another part of the jazz vocabulary we like to explore. Lots of great interplay on this song”. “Louie” is a ballad with piano keys and longish orchestrated synth-tones incorporating late 1970s Euro-tinged keyboard styles while Chris Lōser nails it with his sparkling drumming. The track has some of Paul’s most dynamic, expressive playing on this minor blues with a bridge.

“Bellecastle Blues” closes out the album with a short but sweet romp, that while not as intense as some of the aforementioned tracks, is a fun way to close out the album. The New Orleans second line feel adds just the right texture to this fabulous collection of music.

A most worthy album by the Paul Colombo Group, Mabrouka takes the contemporary jazz-fusion sound to new heights with a thoroughly authentic and supremely listenable collection of groove-based instrumental guitar sounds. PCG has greatly expanded its sonic textures and musical versatility. This record is a must listen for all fans of contemporary jazz.