Cyrus Chestnut, Cyrus Plays Elvis (Koch)

“Is this just yet another entry into the marketing war? Or better yet, IS HE SERIOUS???? [sic]” Cyrus’ liner notes wax a mite slapdash (and could have used a Spell Check swipe), but he gives no pandering whiff on disc. Through 10 of the King’s more noted tunes and one original tribute, “Graceland,” the big man with the pinstripes gives the air some Power Under Control, to quote an old driving manual. He isn’t afraid to warp those originals around the edges, cf. the bridge he throws into “Hound Dog” to “keep one from going on automatic pilot listening to this.” In practice though, he lets Dezron L. Douglas pound away on the famous “Dog” famous bass figure while he plays in the surf of chord substitutions, transmogrifying that simple country hound into one upscale Cerberus. Pushing and pulling defines, appropriately enough, “It’s Now or Never,” as his right hand jumps out so far ahead of the right it might almost catch next day’s Baltimore train home to visit Mom. Only “almost,” though. Remember, this man knows his tightrope. High tension droops only during “Can’t Help Falling in Love” and “Don’t,” where the bandmaster foolishly follows saxophonist Mark Gross through every convenient sentiment the latter learned from our man Kenny. But spare “Don’t” the fast-forward button for squeezing out a titch more grit. When Cyrus (ex)pounds on “In the Ghetto” and the finale “How Great Thou Art,” though, out grit goes. Presley’s bold, simple affirmations, strife and salvation respectively, swing open previously unheard doors, revealing previously unknown corridors, narthexes, and foundations. “Hot dog,” you’ll whisper, as that Hillbilly Cat once did for his ’68 comeback special, as you ease back breathless on your couch/lawn chair/rich Corinthian leather.