Reviewed by Nippy Cripwell
Jay Terrien: All the Dolls in the same Place.
A look at the CD sleeve, the composition titles and Jay Terrien’s publishing company’s name, Drunker Quicker Music, gives you a snapshot of what you’re in for with Jay’s ‘All the Dolls in the same Place’ CD. Bit flakey, kinda trashy….? Actually no. All the flash is a set up for two Dudes with some serious Rock ‘n Roll roots, stretching out and ‘getting down with their Bad Selves’ (quote- one Frank Zappa) so to speak. Remember those times when the guys would set up a simple Riff/ Chord sequence and jam away for hours? – It’s that, but taken a few steps further.
Kudos to these two Bassist/ Percussionist brothers (Terrien, Pat Mastelotto) for setting up some great tunes without assistance from other Top End musical brothers and sisters.
The hallmark of Jay Terrien’s project is simplicity in the basic composition, embellished with some tasteful linear-contrapuntal arrangements. Underneath all this is some hard driving drumming/ percussion, which moves everything along at some pace. A good variety in mood, style and groove keep this project interesting, difficult when just two people are involved.
Throughout the CD Jay uses a wide range of effects and sound processing to create tone and colour variation. He uses guitar techniques like strummed double stops/ fuzz power chords, to great effect in his tunes. What ultimately makes it is the empathetic percussion grooves of Pat Mastilotto.
Jay Terrien brings an irreverent Rock ‘n Roll attitude to his music, which invites one to lighten up, get down and have some fun here!
Lorenzo Feliciati: Live at European Bass Day & more.
The ‘edge’ of live performance is so well captured on this recording. Lorenzo Feliciati plays his tail off but still has all the control of a real virtuoso. My lasting impression is of Italy’s Mt. Vesuvius smouldering, but with the cap down tight! He is an intensely busy player, but is so musical it all makes sense. The ‘European-ness’ of the musicians’ style is refreshing to this listener, you know, just a little off left!
The compositions are all strong, but check out ‘Don’t ask me to Dance’. It’s an almost perverse Tango with a convoluted melody. The piano solo supported by the ostinato Bass figure, is such a great counterpoint to the main theme, and the coda brings it to a strong ending. Wayne Shorter’s ‘Footprints’ gets a wonderful reggae- type feel. The Bass vamp is played with that palm-damped technique to such great effect and the Bass solo is a classic, a lesson in musical phrasing and the use of space. The Latin outro/ tag rounds it off so nicely! Alice (Lullaby), a ballad, has such an austere progression moving (1- flatV). Lorenzo’s solo is just gorgeous. The smoking track on the CD has to be ‘Groove First’. This is all about Mr. Feliciati! The A and C sections book- end a burning keyboard solo by Aidan Zammit. This is a project that shows you more with every new listening – check it out.