These days, jazz/rock generally dials up the ‘rock’ and dials down the ‘jazz’.

But, on Ohio-based guitarist Dan Wilson’s fourth solo album Things Eternal, the balance is redressed. Harmony is king, promoted by the repertoire touching on Stevie Wonder (‘Smile Please’), Freddie Hubbard (‘Birdlike’), Herbie Hancock (‘Tell Me A Bedtime Story’), Michael Brecker (‘Pilgrimage’), McCoy Tyner (‘For Tomorrow’), The Beatles (‘Eleanor Rigby’) and Sting (‘Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot’).

Wilson, who has toured and recorded with Christian McBride, David Sanborn, Les McCann and Joey DeFrancesco, is in a line of guitarists who use predominantly clean tones to communicate their bebop-influenced ideas, via Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass, George Benson, Pat Martino and Kevin Eubanks.

But despite its ‘non-threatening’ timbres, Things Eternal is no smooth-jazz date. The material is meticulously arranged and the excellent four-piece band interact freely. In a world where guitarists seem fixated on copying either Bill Frisell or Derek Bailey, this is a fine piece of modern, mainstream jazz with elements of fusion and gospel.

Opener ‘Sticology’, a lesser-known cover written by Phillip K Jones II, begins with a voicemail from DeFrancesco, and then moves into Glasper/Take 6 territory, with an excellent Wilson solo referencing the Miles Davis classic ‘Four’.

Wilson’s two originals are impressive too: ‘Since A Hatchet Was A Hammer’ comes complete with a nod to Coltrane’s ‘Acknowledgement’, while the touching title track features a voicemail from his grandmother and wistful lyrics sung by Jessica Yafanaro (‘Finding purpose through service’) over Glenn Zaleski’s dreamlike Fender Rhodes.

Things Eternal: a good time almost guaranteed for all. Learn more about Wilson and check out his tour dates here.