August 7, 2017

 Bentley's Bandstand: AUGUST 2017

Robert Kraft Trio, North Bishop Avenue. An undeniably great voice doesn't show up that often, especially one that possesses such a rarely-heard inherent beauty, someone whose sound doesn't overwhelm but instead offers a quiet invitation to discover its charm and power. Robert Kraft is that kind of singer. He never shows off with bellowing pipes or sidetracking screams. Instead, the Dallas-bred Texan gathers the wildly-varying influences of what he heard in the Oak Cliff and Deep Ellum neighborhoods of his younger days, and filters them through churning inner feelings to arrive at that golden land of inspiration. The stripped-down instrumentation behind Kraft offers the perfect accompaniment: restrained and directly to the point. It sounds like they turned down the studio lights, maybe lit a candle or two and jumped into the deep end. It doesn't happen that often in the current musical landscape, and almost never works this well. Like all unforgettable releases (even if this one is only seven songs), there is a cover song that meshes so well with everything else it feels like it was chosen with a jeweler's eye. Leon "The Blind Balladeer" Payne's "You've Still Got a Place in My Heart" comes near the end of this collection, and offers a sonic glow so strong it will last forever. Lone star reveries.   

-Bill Bentley