From the first time I met Christian Wiggs in my cozy apartment in Harlem for a lesson during one of his trips to New York (where he subsequently takes the city by storm, one jam session at a time), I was struck by how well put together he was. Nary a hair out of place, shoes spotless and shined - quite the first impression. What I would soon come to learn about this remarkable young artist is that the same thoughtful organization, attention to detail, and refined elegance applies to his music as well. Christian is well beyond his years as it pertains to his musical maturity and the vision he has for telling his story.

From the very first note on “Witchcraft” the opening track, a mood and vibe is set for the entire album, which showcases both Christian’s arranging skills, re-imagining a number of familiar crooner classics, as well as his composer’s touch, contributing easily the most fervent track of the entire album, “Fever Dream”. This track also displays the musicianship of his rhythm section, as each member rises to the occasion at various times during this musical hallucination. A particular standout is the bassist, who gets his own track number via an extended intro on “A Secret Kept” leading into “Broken Time”, which pays homage to Bill Evans and the haunting standard “Nardis”.

A look at the rest of the song titles hints at some very well-worn jazz staples, but the listener is in for anything but “That Old Feeling” with Christian at the helm. A handful of these standards are completely refreshed by his arrangements, and the band delivers right on time. Christian is particularly at home in more intimate settings, such as “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing” which is performed in duo with guitar and is quite enjoyable. The final track leaves us with a hopeful, uplifting sensation as the languid, lush harmony is brought to life by mellow woodwinds, interspersing flutes and clarinets, giving the impression we are watching a sunrise, or a sunset - depending on your outlook.

As Christian finds himself somewhere “Between Love and Fascination” on this album, he also steps onto the familiar terrain of “one foot in the past, one in the future”, as he both honors the tradition of storytellers before him (a strong influence to contemporary vocal virtuoso Kurt Elling is felt throughout), while outlining his own musical constellations in the stars.

Benny Benack III

"With the release of his third studio album, ‘Between Love and Fascination’, Christian Wiggs is finding his voice and etching out his place in the world of jazz.” - Kenny Williams