Ars Nova – A Musical Beginning
By RJ Temple
DRT Music

Ricky R. Temple, Jr., known professionally as RJ Temple, is billed as a ‘holy hip-hop’ artist. Okay, maybe RJ can hip and hop with the best of them, but for my money what sets his sophomore project, Ars Nova – A Musical Beginning, head and shoulders above his counterparts is his phenomenal ability on the jazz piano.

But it’s not just his improvisational skills that wow the ears; it is his knack for infusing the music with subtle shadings frequently overlooked by aficionados of the genre. “Toco El Piano” sports a light and airy Copacabana feel, while “Instrumentation” is pure American piano bar fare. “Beyond My Faults” stretches the boundaries beyond the Solar System to incorporate some spacey sounds before settling back into a peace-evoking arrangement of the old Dottie Rambo classic. This is a tune that truly allows Temple to show off his classical piano skills.

The title cut has more of a classic jazz ensemble feel, heavy on the percussions, while “Muthority” meanders playfully around the edges of fusion. “No One Compares” features some tasty acoustic guitar strumming mixed in with a subdued gospel choir to add to the diversity of this project.

I could go on and on. Ars Nova provides Temple with an ideal platform to explore the breadth and depth of his talent, and he never repeats himself on any song on the project. Fans of light jazz, mellow piano, and soothing dinner music will dig this album. I know I do.