Jazz

A Sinner Kissed An Angel: A Mesmerizing Jazz Journey!

A Sinner Kissed An Angel is the kind of jazz record that doesn’t try to impress you. Built around the partnership of guitarist Linus Eppinger and alto saxophonist Sam Braysher, the album feels like a natural extension of a long musical conversation rather than a carefully constructed studio statement. Recorded with a seasoned rhythm section including bassist Darryl Hall and drummer Eric Ineke, the album thrives on immediacy. Much of the material was shaped with minimal rehearsal, aiming to capture the “in-the-moment” interplay the quartet developed on stage.  That spontaneity defines the record: tempos breathe, phrases stretch, and nothing feels overworked.

The title of the album is itself a statement of intent. A Sinner Kissed An Angel is a ballad sung by Frank Sinatra with the Tommy Dorsey band, precisely the kind of lesser-known gem from the American Songbook that both Eppinger and Braysher have made their special province. The repertoire draws on composers including Horace Silver, Dusty Springfield, Benny Goodman and Frank Sinatra, a programme that ranges from Blue Note hard bop to pre-war swing and Tin Pan Alley balladry, all filtered through the cool intelligence these two leaders share. A fantastic mix of jazz standards and originals, from “A Smooth One” to “Relaxing at Camarillo.”  Rather than radically reimagining these tunes, the quartet approaches them with deep respect and subtle individuality.

The interplay between the four musicians is one of the album’s defining strengths. Eppinger’s guitar work is particularly notable for its restraint. He avoids flashy virtuosity, instead favouring clean lines and a warm, rounded tone that blends seamlessly into the ensemble. Braysher complements this with an alto sound that is poised and articulate, often leading the melodic narrative but never overpowering it. Together, they create a front line defined by balance and mutual listening.

What elevates the album is the rhythm section. Hall’s bass lines are full-bodied and grounding, while Ineke’s drumming, steeped in decades of jazz history, adds both swing and subtle colour. Their presence gives the music a sense of lineage, connecting the younger leaders to the broader continuum of jazz. Their presence lends the album a weight and authority that anchor the two younger leaders without ever constraining them.

What makes this album more than the sum of its admittedly impressive tracks is the feeling of genuine pleasure that radiates from every track. This is music made by persons who love these songs, who love jazz, and especially who love playing with each other.

This why the overall mood is relaxed. There are no grand gestures or conceptual frameworks, just four musicians engaging deeply with each other. That simplicity is deliberate: the album prioritizes feel, groove, and conversation over complexity or technical display. This isn’t a record that tries to impress with flash or volume.

The richness here isn’t about showing off. There is no excess here, no room to hide behind arrangement or production. In an era when jazz albums frequently announce their ambitions loudly, there is something quietly radical about a record this confident in the virtues of restraint, swing and beauty, and that’s why this album succeeds because of its honesty. It captures a fleeting moment between musicians, unpolished in the best sense, grounded in shared language, and rich with the kind of subtle interplay that only emerges when players truly listen to one another.

This album feels almost archival in spirit, not as a relic, but as an act of preservation infused with contemporary awareness. It reminds us that innovation in jazz does not always require rupture, it can emerge through attention, through detail, through a willingness to listen closely to what already exists. Jazz is notoriously tough to define, but really, it’s alive. It keeps moving, shapeshifting, refusing to sit still. Jazz is living music and this album proves it, right from the start.

Frankie Pfeiffer
Editor in chief – PARIS-MOVE

PARIS-MOVE, May 3rd, 2026

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Tracklisting:

1. A Smooth One 06:47
2. I Told You So 05:24
3. Put On A Happy Face 04:00
4. Spooky 04:49
5. Roundabout 04:25
6. Never Let Me Go 04:32
7. Room 608 06:02
8. That Sunday That Summer 03:34
9. A Sinner Kissed An Angel 06:20
10. Relaxing At Camarillo 06:07

Musicians:
Linus Eppinger: guitar
Sam Braysher: alto saxophone
Darryl Hall: double bass
Eric Ineke: drums