“Sauce Buffet” Delights Your Album Palate
Matt Jalbert’s guitar has all the flavors on solo debut
Source: Matt Jalbert on Bandcamp.com
Sauce Buffet. Isn’t that a great name for an instrumental guitar album? I chuckled upon seeing it, the title of Matt Jalbert’s initial solo release, but in appreciating his talent over a decade, I figured the LP would be fun and chock full of stuff to chew on. The retro cool and Dali-esque cover informs the messaging, too. This pairing of name and artwork does a fine job of previewing the 33 minutes spread over seven songs.
Those familiar with Jalbert from TAUK, the Long Island jam-fusion quartet, know that breathability of the notes is critical to his sound. Still, he’s aces at timing any shredding to maximize emotional propulsion. No different here, and, if anything, his skillset stands out doubly thanks to production with a matte, not glossy, finish. The music is steeped in jazz, funk, the psychedelic rock influences abound—and the grooves, plenty of them. You can argue that this type of album is an acquired taste, but before long you’ll be happily lost in the layers, exploring nooks and crannies. An inviting listen, it works as background during a deck hang or to kickstart the mind while driving. Versatility is in Sauce Buffet’s recipe.
The opener juxtaposes grounded passages with the ethereal, and the offer to “Hover If You Have To” is somewhere in between. That snake charmer vibe, with the bassline to match, in “Day Care Dojo” as hypnotized kids get set to kick each other’s butts at recess. Featuring keyboardist Wil Blades, “Mild Plus” is a bluesier, contemplative number. “Lemon Essence” elevates the heart rate with sustained vigor, packaged in the shortest cut. Meanwhile, “Line In The Sand” represents a breath before the finale framed by a pondering-on-the-shoreline quality. And I remain undecided on how to cook “Alarm And An Egg”: scrambled, poached, sunny side up? I’m leaning toward over easy, and that means runny goodness.
Matt Jalbert with Flavor Drop at the Goodhouse Social Club on 07/31/2025.
Nestled between the tracks with odd time signatures, “Righteous On Rye” is sequenced fifth. On a seven-song LP, the slot becomes critical to the overarching structure even when the cuts lack connection story-wise. I hear a Western tone in the progression, a space age cowboy riding a horse and, well, getting righteous on rye. The solo isn’t aggressive per se, Jalbert dials it back just enough…it has bite, like some whiskeys. Top-shelf guitar interplay, but that with every instrument over the whole album is a barrel of family reserve, with extra proof. Blades, Devin Runco (guitar), and the rhythm section—Nick Campbell (bass), Curtis Kelley (drums)—provide bounce and consistency, swing and vitality. To boot, I always smile at the effective use of percussion, especially congas.
Not only is “Righteous On Rye” Sauce Buffet in microcosm, it’s also my peak track. I texted a link to it, the third single from the Color Red LP, to my sister when it was released, and she replied, “So coincidental. G [her son] sent me the same thing yesterday.” Huh?! No way. Triple take. Her family lives 2,500 miles from North Jersey, and it’s not like I speak with my nephew nearly as much as I should. Said he found it down a wormhole. Okay, but he still had to send the link to my sister, otherwise there’s no story: Coincidence doesn’t exist, this is connection.
David Byrne describes songs with cities. Joni Mitchell uses colors. For his solo debut, Matt Jalbert wants us to talk about flavors. Which cut needs smoky or sweet, which needs spicy or tangy? I’m not going to assign a sauce, or plural, to each track on this intelligent album, and I intentionally didn’t do so at any point here.
Just listen to the effort yourself and connect with your taste buds.