On Starry Nights by Anton Commissaris: Review

by Damien Reid March 16, 2023

March 16, 2023

On Starry Nights by Anton Commissaris: Review

Jazz veteran Anton Commissaris brings us a fresh bossa nova melody with “On Starry Nights.” Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night painting played an essential inspiration for Anton’s track, and folks is there a better way to express art than through song? Anyway, the musician summons his usual forte in this tune, where his smooth voice accompanies a piano, bass, percussions, and a vibing jazz sequence we’ll get into soon.

“On Starry Nights” starts with a chill trumpet and saxophone duet that accents its bossa nova rhythm. This particular outfit of jazz fascinates me, due to its samba beat style and tempo. Anton’s cool Sinatra-style vocals blended excellently with the melodic patterns, and I felt overjoyed to hear a singer’s presence in bossa nova music. Apart from these facets, the musician brings a 1950s-inspired theme in all his songs, and “On Starry Nights” is no stranger to that. It’s a piece of solid evidence that jazz has aged like a fine wine, and artists such as Anton continue to bring a modern sound through its structure.

A breathtaking saxophone solo is active in “On Starry Nights”, followed by a lovely piano solo as well. I must say, it was quite satisfying to hear the two instruments in full form. Aside from that, Anton’s songwriting and vocal tone are impressive and resonate with each instrumental bit. So, if you’ve got an itch for jazz music, then do give “On Starry Nights” a shot!