This Is Me

AMG Review of This Is Me

Alex Henderson
All Music Guide

Emily Remler's first -- and tragically, her last -- excursion into electric jazz-pop indicates that she could have become a strong force in that area had she not died. Though Remler's Concord recordings earned her a great deal of respect in hard bop circles, she felt limited creatively and was quite anxious to experiment in the electric realm. On her final session, This Is Me, the guitarist incorporates pop and rock elements on her own terms -- maintaining her musical integrity and avoiding radio-oriented smooth jazz drivel altogether. What remains constant is the warm and lyrical nature of her playing. While the influence of Wes Montgomery and Herb Ellis remains, some of these pieces indicate that she was paying close attention to Pat Metheny.