David Preston

According to the liner notes, British jazz guitarist David Preston, a close friend (and, as suggested in the notes, paramour) of Gardot’s, flew to meet her in Philadelphia. They spent an entire night talking about the songs they’d both loved all their lives. At 7am, they headed to Morning Star Studios to lay down four tracks. Just Gardot and Preston; voice and guitar.

As an aside, if Preston’s name isn’t familiar to you, it should be. He’s worked with a spectrum of jazz artists, including Curtis Stigers, Claire Martin, Jim Mullen and Martin Taylor, and co-wrote and produced Ian Shaw’s sensational Lifejacket. If you visit Preston’s MySpace page, there is a terrific video of him recording Lennon and McCartney’s “Because” with Gardot at Abbey Road Studios.

The Gardot/Preston EP is an exquisite exercise in arresting, evocative minimalism. They open with a stealthy “Get Out of Town” that, like much of Gardot’s work, sounds like it has been lifted from a 1940s film noir soundtrack. Next is a sweetly pensive “Someday My Prince Will Come” that is shaped of equal parts wishfulness and pent-up desire. Unlike so many performers who paint “Bye Bye Blackbird” too darkly, Gardot and Preston appreciate that it is a tender evocation of home’s familiar comforts and protective warmth. Their interpretation, fragile as a butterfly’s wing yet deeply satisfied, is singularly stunning. They finish with an equally masterful “Summertime” that unfolds like a delicate morning glory slowly awakening to a glorious sunrise.
- Jazz Times

Time Out says

Drum-led young gun jazz slingers unleash their bombastic blend of wiry Hendrix fusion meets Irakere percussion to this intimate jazz venue, with two members of hard boppers Empirical – fine drummer Forbes and bassist Farmer – alongside talented guitarist Preston and percussionist Valdes. - timeout

guitar-led jazz band featuring such young heavyweights as fiery fusion guitarist Dave Preston, ex-Irakere Cuban percussionist Hammadi Valders, plus drummer Shaney Forbes and bassist Tom Farmer, who comprise Empirical's rhythm section . Well worth catching live, they mix unrelenting grooves, intense polyrhythms and driving improv. - TimeOut