JON REGEN

Revolution

jonregen.com

Jon Regen is a man who knows his instrument. The piano isn’t great for rocking out unless you’re Jerry Lee Lewis or Little Richard, but it’s perfect for sophisticated, slightly retro pop songs. Regen writes his with the smart, jazzy feel of Ben Folds or Randy Newman, and on such tunes as “She’s Not You (But Tonight She’ll Have to Do)” and “One Part Broken, Two Parts Blue,” he gets to play his favorite character: the bemused, brokenhearted New York City night owl. There’s little angst here—Regen isn’t striving for gritty realism—but thanks in part to guests like Tom Petty keyboardist Benmont Tench and ex-Police guitarist Andy Summers, there’s honesty in the performances and overall craftsmanship.