Local Review: David Ian Baker, Corey Christiansen, Taku Ishikawa — Days Over

David Ian Baker, Corey Christiansen, Taku Ishikawa
Days Over
Self-Released
Street: 06.16.2025
Days Over = (The Cooltrane Quartet x Acoustic Swing) + LoFi

Days Over is a top-tier Western-themed jazz album created by Utah’s finest and dandiest jazz artists. Taku Ishikawa, Corey Christiansen and David Ian Baker transported me back in time to Utah’s wild western days. Days Over is the sort of music that I imagine folks used to listen to when they came swaggering through the swinging doors of Utah’s swankiest saloon. Doff your hat and take a seat for this incredible trio. You’ll be tapping along to their irresistible sound in no time.

Days Over is an excellent album for easy listening. Smooth and open melodies float along in each lightly textured piece, but the initially simple and relaxed sound of the album is deceiving. Days Over is a jazz masterclass. Baker, Christiansen and Ishikawa have created an album that is genre-bending — and not just for its LoFi-esque, Western-style jazz. These musicians on their respective instruments have a sound unlike any other.

Ishikawa’s percussion is reserved and powerful in turn. A good drummer knows when to support and when to carry a piece. Ishikawa plays both modes with ease. He’s well supported by the rhythmic thrum of Baker’s upright bass. Baker’s talent makes his flawless pizzicato seem like a simple task (folks, it ain’t easy). The final contribution to the trio’s setup is Christiansen on the electric guitar. Christiansen adds a uniquely modern flavor to the album’s acoustic sound — while still allowing the music to retain its timeless swagger. Christiansen’s slick riffs and more melancholic moments comprise the majority of the album’s entrancing melodies.

The mastery of these artists is expressed in various ways throughout Days Over. The album has everything good country folks could want. There’s slapped and plucked bass, quavering and crashing percussion as well as slick and somber guitar. Days Over consists of four covers and three original pieces. Each song on the album expresses the mastery of the artists in its own way. However, it’s easiest to truly understand the talent of the artists through their interpretation of a familiar song.

“Tennessee Waltz” is perhaps one of the most covered country swing songs. Each cover brings something new to the table. These Utah jazz kings take liberties that pay off. Baker, Christiansen and Ishikawa completely reshape the piece to fit the style of their album. Their “Tennessee Waltz” is a tear-wringing Western ballad that is carried by Christiansen’s echoing guitar. Many artists are tempted to complicate the waltz’s simple melody with impressive riffs. Baker, Ishikawa and Christiansen choose instead to show that there is beauty in simplicity. Their quiet talent shines through the piece without need for extremely technical displays. The end result is a somber and reminiscent cover of a timeless classic.

It’s no wonder these artists sound so good together — they have incredible chemistry. Utah’s jazz scene is small but mighty. Many artists inside of our local scene collaborate frequently. Baker, Christiansen and Ishikawa are usually somewhere in the lineup of a good local jazz festival. Their expertise and camaraderie are reflected in Days Over as Christiansen, Ishikawa and Baker toss melody and dynamics back and forth in the way that only masterful jazz artists can do. All three of these artists are legendary performers.

If you’d like to engage with these artists and our local jazz scene, look no further! The Hot House West jazz nonprofit is hosting a free Jazz Fest in Daybreak’s America First Square on September 19. It’s confirmed that both Ishikawa and Baker will be performing with various ensembles. There’s no time like the present to waltz right into Utah’s incredible local jazz scene! Days Over is an excellent representation of what you can expect to hear. The Hot House West Jazz Fest and Days Over are both the work of incredible jazz artists. These musicians intend to play some music that will make the world mean a little more. —Avery Good

Read more music reviews by Avery Good:
Local Review: static wild — a place i go
Local Review: Reverend Morley — Circle of Willis

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