CD Reviews - International

All International CD reviews

John Lester - Live at the Freight and Salvage Coffee House and Carbonne - Di Piazza - Manring.

Reviewed by Nippy Cripwell

John Lester: Live at the Freight and Salvage Coffee House.
As a ‘live’ performance, and especially a ‘live’ Bass Player’s performance, this is a more than satisfying CD. John Lester explains during the show that he has evolved out of the group performance situation into that of the more austere solo Bass/singer. His show opens in this format and you are immediately struck by how full-bodied his songs are in spite of the obvious limitations you would expect with one Bass, one voice. Lester uses an 80 year old upright, a Joe Zon fretless and a Michael Tobias fretted Bass to accompany his voice in different song settings.
The 80 year old ‘Sarah’ struts lean ‘walking’ lines through ‘Rose Coloured Glasses’, the humorous ‘ I Like Brunettes’ with scat solo, a classic ‘All Blues’ with sax player Bob Johnson, and finally the show closer ‘They Come and They Go’. Just a comment on his Upright Bass sound; such a rounded, tight, humming tone, great for live performance!
The Zon fretless features in the modal composition ‘The Ways of a Woman’. Just listen to how much he gets going behind the great lyric. John Lester is an award winning song writer ; songs like this bear testimony to the fact. The fretted Tobias comes to the fore in the simple but beautifully crafted ‘I Saw You’ and the seriously funky ‘Your Tattoo’. The latter is, for a change, an indictment for tasteful slapping.
John Lester Live is something else, literally! This performance is an exercise in minimalism – music made by one man with one voice and one Bass, and occasionally adding one other instrument. It works because of the broadness of John Lester’s song writing palette and his ability to play the Bass so well in so many different styles. Enjoy it for the performance, the compositions and hey just everything!

Carbonne - Di Piazza - Manring.
One could sub – title this collaboration, Masters at Play. Such is the immediate impact of these virtuosi of the electric Bass guitar. All have awesome technique, gorgeous sound and mature, tasteful musicality. Each player has his own unique voice yet in ensemble they manage to blend effortlessly to enhance the individual composition, irrespective of the composer. And each of these gentlemen write wonderful compositions.
Yves Carbonne kicks off with ‘Anticipation’ dedicated to John McLaughlin. One can hear the European influence in the writing reminiscent of the Mahavishnu Orchestra/ ECM era. He has a rich fretless tone which he showcases over some wonderful accompaniment from the other guys; listen to Manring’s Ebow motif just before the solo (The Ebow gives the equivalent sound of the ‘steel’ on a Steel or Pedal Steel guitar). Again on ‘Detachment’ the stately Carbonne melody is really set up by Manring’s Ebow introduction before Yves takes it away on fretless. ‘Holy Spirit’ is a solo showcase for Carbonne’s dedication to Leo Carbonne, a really evocative piece.
Dominique Di Piazza brings a unique Flamenco approach to this project. His tour de force rendition of ‘Little Rose’ dedicated to Rosita Di Piazza is one of the CD’s highlights. Flamenco fire on the Electric Bass! For me ‘Ever Lasting Love’ has to be the most achingly beautiful ballad I have heard in a while. The mood is perfectly set up by Carbonne/ Manring before Dominique sings out the beautifully simple melody.
Michael Manring brings the American influence to the collaboration; a tougher rhythmic approach (check out Sub Jam), a denser harmonic concept and a complete mastery of all the tonal/ electronic effects available on the Electric bass. His ‘For Phillippe’ is a perfect example of Manring’s complex genius.
Possibly the highlight of this project is the interplay of the three Masters in the more improvised trio situations (‘ Nuestra Esperanza’, ‘Le Retour Du Loup’ and the humorous ‘What’s On Her Mind’ ) . Each has the individual strength and maturity to contribute tastefully so that the whole is greater musically than the parts thereof.
If you only buy one CD this year Bass brothers and sisters, this is the One.

Adrian Davison - Zeitgeist

Reviewed by Jade Abbott

 

Adrian Davison has a very piano-like approach to bass which I have never heard- especially his chord progressions. His style is very innovative and beautiful (especially being a pianist myself).

On the Inner Leaflet of the Cover it says: WARNING: All Bass Parts Recorded 'Live with No Overdubs' which is astounding! (and exceedingly hard to believe). This is a compilation of much of his work from a variety of records. He makes a lot of use of a gorgeous Rickenbacker

For the bassists who are into speed: he is shocking! [Listen to East End] and his technique is remarkable and distinctive
I actually can’t choose a favourite song on this album, as I adore them all! Not only is it very unique, but the songs also take you in and show you to their world. I especially enjoy his take on Opus XIII.

Usually after listening to a whole bass album I really need to listen to something else just to prevent myself going mad but after listening to this album twice through I still wasn’t experiencing a bass overdose and was in fact wishing for more

I’m not going to go into the details of technicalities as Martin has conducted an extremely comprehensive interview in which Adrian goes into detail about the recording of each song. Go read it =]

Overall the album is my favourite I have reviewed so far just for its inspiration and individuality.

Altered - Altered

Reviewed by Jade Abbott

 

Altered is an instrumental 3 piece jazz band (Bassist, John Flitcraft; Guitarist, Jeff Miley and Drummer, Steve Holmes) consisting of some funky bass, which is the main focus of most of the pieces {To my bass-trained ears anyway), paired with some sweet jazz guitar and wicked jazz drumming. In basically all the songs on the album there is a solo for each instrument, which displays the excellent skill of all 3 artists. Their use of contrasting dynamics and crazy rhythms creates a lot of interest

The coolest thing they do is completely synching the bass and guitar. Where they both play the same complicated melodic pattern at exactly the same time! It is technically perfect

I can’t say I could listen to it all day, as it is quite heavy to comprehend all at once. And the random rhythms can be quite an earful. The other criticism I have is that the sound doesn’t change once through the entire album – each instrument holds exactly the same emotion in every song. So to say it’s a little monotonous - intense upbeat jazz all the way through. I’ve been told that’s what Jazz is meant to be like on first listen but I can’t quite get into that!

But nevertheless I enjoyed listening to it and there are is some bits of really soulful bass in it and if you dig jazz bass then you’ll really enjoy it!

Bernhard Lackner – Those Days and Jan-Olof Strandberg – Great Moments

Reviewed by Kai Horsthemke
 
‘Those Days’ is Austrian-born and -educated Bernhard Lackner’s debut album, co-produced by his New York bass teacher Adam Nitti. The opening cut, ‘Italojazzer’, features Flecktones tenor saxophonist Jeff Coffin, the only name here I am familiar with. It is a moderately-up fusion piece, with nice additional solo turns from Blair Masters on synth and Lackner himself, trading eights with Coffin. ‘We try to fly’ has a round, ‘pocket’ bass groove. Lackner and drummer Derico Watson work well together throughout, and the bassist delivers an upper-register solo that gets to the point without having to draw on any slap-&-pop histrionics. Scott Bernard is on guitar here, as on the next track, ‘It’s time to go’, Lackner’s nimble-fingered meditation on the perceived necessity of departure. ‘You never know’ seems like a narrative continuation of the previous track, Lackner and Watson again locking in pleasingly, before the tune turns hip-hop and is all but phukked up by a perfunctory rap (‘Yo! Check it out!’ etc.) by the implausibly monikered Earthworm Jim. ‘Why?’ appears to be a legitimate question here. Fortunately, it doesn’t take up too much time, and the tune soon returns to its opening groove. ‘Four Winds Drive’ is a solo bass vignette that is all mood and musical narrative. Again, the bassist’s restraint is a welcome defining characteristic. ‘It’s our world’ offers an indication that Lackner is not averse to using his thumb. Guitarist Bernard shines, as does Lackner himself, in 5-string thumb-funk and 6-string upper register alternating solo turns. ‘Song for you’ is a vehicle for Coffin and Masters, a pleasant ballad. The title tune concludes this refreshingly non-egotistical collection of predominantly medium-tempo ensemble pieces, with nice workouts by the keyboardist, guitarist and bassist, who rides out a set that, while perhaps short on sonic surprises and musical innovation, nonetheless contains enough to please the discerning ear.
‘Great Moments’ by Finnish bass virtuoso Jan-Olof Strandberg is a collection of 16 ‘moments’, or snapshots, that feature Strandberg on 4-, 5-, 6-string, fretted, fretless and piccolo bass guitars. Featured guests include Pepe Ahlqvist (check out his riveting harmonica solo on ‘In the shadow of the great’), guitarist Sami Virtanen (with superb contributions to ‘Undercover’, ‘T.D.’ and ‘Before the storm’), and Armand Sabal-Lecco on tenor bass (on the title track). ‘Rollercoaster’ and ‘To the rollercoaster’ offer suitably frenetic rides, with Strandberg on fretted and fretless basses steering proceedings. ‘Stanley & Sofi’ is a tribute to Stanley and Sofi Clarke, gentle but nevertheless technically demanding. ‘Before the storm’ carries all the foreboding suggested by the title, with the bassist creating rumbles and distant lightning flashes in strummed and slap-popped flurries. ‘Hey baby where are you now’ has a cute melody, appropriate for the title (or vice versa?). In conclusion: This is a hugely impressive set of crisp, articulate recordings, full of technical wizardry and instrumental prowess, but – for someone like me, who isn’t overly enamoured with thumb-funk gymnastics – also strangely unmoving. In this last regard, I strongly recommend investigating the bassist’s album ‘Illustrations’.

Carbonne Di Piazza Manring

Reviewed by Jade Abbott

Carbonne Di Piazza Manring is a trio consisting of 3 bassists! Yes. Nothing else except the low end. Each bassist also has one Solo tune on the album
They each have an individual sound and style and technique, which seems to allow for them to pull this feat off. The one word that describes it perfectly is, Elegant

It combines quick mid-tone finger-work, with a lower bass groove and [my favourite]- an extensive use of harmonics and even, every so every so often, a subtle use of effects which collectively present a certain graceful charm. I enjoyed listening to the various timbre's produced by each bass.

Even though the bassist are so excellent there is always that (inevitable) feeling that something is missing... a drum beat. For most of the album anyway – Often they manage to inhabit a whole spectrum of sound and even fulfil the role of drummer, such as in the Duet, Sub-jam

In terms of interests’ sake – it’s the solo songs that keep me listening as they seem to have more of a focus, unlike a lot of the album. Philippe is an AMAZING Solo.
My other favourite song is a duet, Detachment – It perfectly captivates the energy that is bass.

On the whole it is a pleasant listening and certainly presents many elegant ideas.

Darren Michaels - Equilibrium

Reviewed by Jade Abbott

 

First time I have heard of Darren Michaels and I've had to go do my homework so I could write this review - American Funk/Jazz/Rock Bassist Darren Michaels' Album Equilibrium is edgy and interesting

The Bass never gets boring and no song is the same. It is full of Texture and Emotion with a variety of genres, styles and bassing techniques. The Compositions have a great sense of movement and energy - whether it be one of the more mellow tracks or excited ones.

The Ensemble Pieces (featuring Mark Chairo with an awesome guitar sound, Chris Moore on drums, keys, and programming and Acid Jack with the crunchy vocals) are indescribable!

I think I could listen to it all day! (I’ve already listened to it twice in the last hour or so)
It’s the type of Album that makes you extremely proud to be a bassist.

I can’t say I'm much of an authority of the Genre {and it’s probably the fist time I have got so into it) but I do know as soon as I pressed play, I was right into the music and I don’t think I've left it's clutches yet. I'm struggling to find words =]

It's my new bass album of the moment and it seems to encapsulate both a very traditional bass jazz sound that makes good chilled listening music and merges it with newer stuff and a very modern sound that makes me want to move a little.

Darren Michaels - Green and Altered - Graphic

Reviewed by Julian Fairall

DARREN MICHAELS: Green
This was a CD I was most extremely happy to get my hands on. I’d read about Darren Michaels a while ago, and heard a few brief sound clips from his web site [http://www.darrenmichaelsbass.com], and “Green” was an album I’ve wanted to hear for some time. But in all honesty, this is one of those albums that at first sounds really good, and it is..make no mistake – this boy can play, but it doesn’t really go anywhere. Not to sound pernickety, but Michael Manring’s done this all before, only a lot better. I can’t really put a finger on it, but it’s almost like the songs were played without much consideration for arrangement and altogether dynamic. Now I know that one man’s poison is another man’s fun, but the whole “world music” or “new age” tag works really well, only when accompanied by strong material – and sadly, in my opinion, the material is not as good as the playing. I’d be really interested in Michaels’ other album, “Equilibrium”.

Overall: a nice solo bass album for those that enjoy solo bass, but IMHO, sadly lacks the spice to elevate Michaels into the big leagues.

ALTERED: Graphic
I must confess to loving music like this. Serious chops with “left-of-centre” music always has interested me; and Altered [http://alteredjazz.com] make some great music. If you enjoy well crafted, well executed, slightly sick music – in the vein of Zappa, mid-70’s Miles and a whole lotta fusion thrown in for good measure – then rush out and buy this album right now! [http://cdbaby.com/cd/altered2] Bassist John Flitcraft has got some serious game, but he is best when he’s laying down some of the nastiest lines I’ve ever heard. His pizzicato attack on his MTD 5 string is stunning, as is his punchy yet understated tone. It’s the kind of overall album I will admit, will either have you reaching for the repeat or eject buttons. But it’s fresh and exciting, and best of all, it’s a musician’s album without being overly pretentious.

Overall: the trio format (which I enjoy) works so well. All three of these guys can lay it down with the best out there, and they do – but this is not an ego album…this is a great album!

Dean Taba - The Camarillo Waltz

Dean Taba may have recently left hustle-bustle Los Angeles for hang-loose Hawaii, but his playing and composing has lost none of its big-city edge. Taba is an accomplished doubler, but for The Camarillo Waltz he focused on his upright, here recorded with deep lowfrequency resonance and a rich, burnished midrange. The ten tunes showcase Taba’s compositional sophistication and flexibility; they range from quirky blues heads to hip stoptime funk to abstract, textural ballads. His band, anchored at the trap kit by Kendall Kay, is skilled and sensitive. Taba’s tunes seem fun to play, and thanks to the Internet, you can find out for yourself. Go to www.deantaba.com for free charts of everything.
 
-Jonathan Herrera
Bass Player Magazine
27 October 2008

 

Edo Castro – Phoenix Grant Stinnett –G-Money Rob Gourlay/ Jim Stinnett – Two Low

Reviewed by Kai Horsthemke

When I first received Edo Castro’s album ‘Phoenix’ for review purposes, two things about it set me on guard immediately: first, the image of a 9-string bass on the cover (I mean, who on earth needs these things?) and second, the inclusion of that awful and omnipresent tune, ‘Amazing Grace’. Well, that was then. ‘Phoenix’ is a near-completely beautiful, exquisitely crafted album. Castro is much more concerned with mood and texture, not to mention melody, than with extroverted, chops-flashing bravado. Case in point: who would even think of covering Ralph Towner’s breathtaking composition ‘Beneath an Evening Sky’? Castro does it full justice, with the elegant fretless melody set against a chordal backdrop, rendering the complex time signature of the piece almost unnoticeable. ‘Bone Dreams’ adds pedal steel guitar (Rob Powell) and tabla (Debropriyo Sarkar) for texture, and ‘Song for the Electric Whales’ is a moving (and sonically accurate!) tribute to these magnificent creatures. The blues-based ‘Blue Asia’ features like-minded Mark Egan on fretless 8-string bass, apart from Castro himself. ‘Chance of Rain’ reprises the ambience of the second selection, and the title track is the only real ensemble piece here: it contains few surprises but is a pleasant track nonetheless. The Native American flutes of Blue constitute the featured instrument on two evocative tracks (indeed, the sole instrument on the 9-minute-plus ‘… Part 2’; how is that for unselfishness on the part of the bassist?), and ‘Rise’ is the Methenyesque album closer, with Castro on nimble fretless. So, what about ‘Amazing Grace’, then? It begins promisingly, with Castro reharmonising this trite tune. But then the voices come in, and everything goes downhill from here. To me (as someone with a profoundly atheistic worldview), the lyrics have always been simple-minded, and while Castro’s changes here should be noted, the vocal acrobatics further propel this piece into the abyss of the eminently skippable, unconnected as it is from the rest of the CD. However, this is the only blemish on an album that is otherwise a veritable gem.

Grant Stinnett comes with a considerable pedigree. He is the son of Jim Stinnett, who is featured here on bass (‘Raindrops’, ‘High Tide’), as well as on tasteful keys (on 3 tracks). The opening tune, ‘Raindrops’, is an appealing tap-plus-fretless feature, and ‘Chaotic Spot’ combines funk bass with tap virtuosity (bassist Brent Rusinow is featured here on the intro and a solo). ‘Dark Light’ features saxophonist Dino Govoni, as does Rob Gourlay’s composition ‘Lee’s Circle’ (which also showcases bassist Gourlay’s skills). ‘O’s Lament’ is a solo feature that allows Stinnett to pull out all the taps. The next track, ‘The Traveler’ (a father-son compositional collaboration) is one of my favourites here: great tune, beautifully played. ‘I don’t need Wings to fly’, with Stinnett also on guitar, Govoni on soprano sax and Jim Stinnett on keys, explores some of the ‘outer’ territories, an interesting piece. The father and son bass duet that follows is big on chops but also features wistful fretted and fretless melodies. ‘Money in your Pocket’ is a rocking trio tune (with Everett B. Pendleton on guitar and drummer Tom Arey), with a triple-tracked tapslap interlude by Stinnett. ‘Preview’ ends the CD, an all-too-brief solo vignette by the bassist. Big on skill and attitude, perhaps less so on compositional impact, ‘G-Money’ is a superbly recorded and mixed album that is best enjoyed on high-quality ’phones or by placing your head between two speakers.

Although a collaboration between two formidable bassists, Rob Gourlay and Jim Stinnett, ‘Two Low’ is also a showcase for the guitar/ vocal talents of Lionel Loueke. Let me start with the only track I don’t like on the album. I don’t mind its ‘eclecticism’, but ‘I miss Mr Rogers’ has an unattractively artificial sound to it, although it contains some real instruments. The soulless feel of the programming seems to infect the whole of the tune: this is the one to skip. That said, however, there is a wealth of aural information and delight here that invites repeated listening. ‘Jubilee’ kicks off the album, featuring Gourlay on tapped and Stinnett on fretless basses, a real celebration. ‘Landscape’ and ‘African Dream Quest’ belong together, with both bassists trusting the grove, Loueke flying high, with strong echoes of Zawinul’s solo work. ‘Double Agent’, again, has a strong groove, Gourlay introducing the talkbox effect on bass (remember the 70s?). ‘Ebenella’ has Gourlay tapping and chording and Stinnett doubling on fretted (for the solo) and arco double basses. ‘Motor’ is driving music, bound to put a huge smile on your face as you’re aiming for the horizon – great fun. ‘Si je …’ is a medieval-sounding, contrapuntal duet: gorgeous! ‘Slippery Moon’ introduces young Grant Stinnett on odd-time taps, with Gourlay playing the intro and comping, and Stinnett senior responsible for the melody and solo: this is a lesson in not treading on one another’s toes when 3 bassists get together. ‘JLP’ has Stinnett on double bass and fretless, after Loueke’s acoustic intro: a beautiful ballad, with Loueke soloing brilliantly, too. ‘Waltz for Jan’ is a gentle, yes, waltz that features Gourlay on fretted basses and Stinnett comping on upright, soloing on fretted bass. ‘Chipper’s Dream’ offers some relaxed swing, before Chick Corea’s sizzling composition ‘Got a Match?’ rides out the album. This is an utterly tasteful, unhurried adaptation, an appropriate closer, with Gourlay and Stinnett on fretted on fretless basses, respectively.

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Franc O’Shea - Alkimia

Reviewed by Kerry Blewett

 

Franc O’Shea is a bassist who was born in Swaziland but moved to England at a young age. His musicial influences extend over many genres in which he gained experience even residing in Spain for a few years and playing flamenco music extensively. As a result the musicians featured on this album reflect this diversity and have accompanied such greats as Paco de Lucia, Michael Brecker, Al Di Meola and Chick Corea to name a few.

The title track “Alkimia” showcases Franc’s rapid-fire fretless playing which leaves one feeling quite breathless just trying to follow the speed with which he manoeuvres around the fretboard. This is a feature of Franc’s playing that permeates most of the songs.

“The Three Princes of Serendip” is a more relaxed ballad with Benjamin Sarfas laying down the melody on violin.

Franc introduces “Anam Cara” with some lovely harmonics and the song then evolves into a lovely 6/8 Celtic flavoured song.

It is very difficult to articulate anything more meaningful about the rest of the songs on this CD other than to guarantee that any serious bassist would be astounded by the virtuosity displayed by Franc and his accompanying musicians.

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Jake Kots - At a Glance and Mark Roberts - Voyage

Reviewed by Julian Fairall

 

CD REVIEW - JAKE KOT: AT A GLANCE

Players: Jake Kot – bass; George Mitchell – keyboards; Renato Caranto – saxophone; Dave Derge – drums; Paul Mazzio - trumpet

Titles: 1. More Proof - 2. Katie - 3. On the Run - 4. In a Moment (For Nick) - 5. Four Into One - 6. At A Glance - 7. Enter

Summaries:
1) More Proof: A strong interaction between bass and drums, with a nice accentuated groove throughout. Interesting octave pedal slap solo in the beginning. Although there were really pointless solos from both bass and keyboards it’s a nice tune, presenting some interesting possibilities, yet a little meandering.

2) Katie: The trumpet intro with bass is very "old school fusion" (nice). Sax melody part which reminds me a little of early Dave Weckl. Cool "burping" bass line throughout (nice). Typical sax solo, yet very nice bass osstinato underneath. 4/5

3) On the Run: Nice bass solo at the beginning. the interaction between bass and sax is refreshing - not trying to out-do each other. A very deep slap tone (some kind of chorused processing - which is nice). Nice piano solo, with a Latinesque underneath. 4/5

4) In a Moment (For Nick): Nice mellow jazz piece - brushes on the drums – and the sax melody line is nice. Nice movement. Fretless bass comes in with a very nice dual line with sax. Great solo - obvious nod to Jaco, yet the solo is more of an upright player's approach, reminds me of James Genus (Kai would really enjoy). Best part is that the solo didn't go on forever. 5/5

5) Four Into One: My favourite song on the album. Very funky (nice organ underneath). Nice Tower of Power feel, with Hammond organ. Great bass line thought-out. The sax solo tears it up, followed by very nice bass solo that reminds me a little of Richard Bona (chorused effect on there, which I like). Nice slurs. Again, a short and to the point solo that ends before it gets boring. 5/5

6) At A Glance: The title track. More traditional '70s fusion feel, like older Chick Corea. Cool bass solo. Uses some very well executed pinch harmonics - quickly executed, not the typical long notes. More of a traditional jazz approach during the bass solo. Again, just long enough to hold the listeners attention. 4/5

7) Enter: Jazz and fusion player's fall back end-of-the-album piece. Atmospheric and really not doing a hell of a lot. Trying all too hard to follow the Jaco/Weather Report idea from 30 years ago. While it's not a bad track (nice bass playing etc.) it left me looking for the forward button on the remote.

Conclusion: The first thing that struck me about this, was the really nice bass tone - prominent, but not predominant. It’s jazz, without trying too hard to sound like jazz. Like a good bassist's album, the bass is not one long meandering solo, yet chooses to allow the other instrumentalists to interact and contribute, especially with the saxophonist, Renato Caranto. This album finds itself in the typical, yet always interesting fusion mould. Not overtly fusion, nor jazz, just a very nice all round vibe. Nice album, nice players, nice everything. Not startling, yet if jazz/fusion is your bag, then this is it.

Jake Kot plays Kot basses - www.jakekot.com - AccuGroove cabs - Thunderfunk amps - DR strings - Bartolini pickups.

CD REVIEW - MARK ROBERTS: VOYAGE

1. Atlantis - 2. Provincetown - 3. Maiden Voyage - 4. To Dance with Whales - 5. A Lady Lost - 6. Pirate's passion - 7. The Deep Blue - 8. The talisman - 9. Into the Sun

I have a confession, for those who know me, this is nothing new, but I have a morbid fascination with extended range basses. I particularly hanker after a 9-string bass myself. Mark Roberts is a 7-string player (for those of you who don't know, or care much for about extended range basses - the 7-string is strung, from low to high, B-E-A-D-G-C-F), playing a Conklin 7.

I was particularly interested to hear what chordal patterns and harmonic avenues Mark would be taking on this outing. I have to say this right off the bat – this is possibly the worst album that I have ever heard. I couldn’t get past maybe a minute of each song before skipping on to the next track. Not because the playing was bad – it was just very, very uninteresting. In an era where extended range players like Jean Baudin (http://www.jeanbaudin.com/), Yves Carbonne (http://www.yvescarbonne.com/) and Al Caldwell (http://www.tbhillbilly.com/) are tearing up 9 and 11 string basses – exploring all sorts of musical possibilities – Mark plays in such an unconvincing manner, that I had to wonder why he’s even bothering with an extended range bass. In fact, why a bass at all. No flurries from the lowest to the highest notes – not chord arpeggios – in fact, nothing but mindless new age meanderings. Very atmospheric with nothing to offer the listener a chance to get a cup of tea on the boil.

Don’t get me wrong – players like Michael Manring can captivate me with the simplest of ideas (in the same way that Mozart does), and he is a new age player, but this was just plain and simple boring. Sorry – but that’s the honest opinion!

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Jasmin Graf & Alfred Kallfass

Reviewed by Jade Abbott

 

Certainly the emptiest looking line up consisting of Jasmin Graf on vocals and Alfred Kallfass on bass. The German duo perform a series of covers from Abba to Seal to Phil Collins which take on a whole new funky form.

What fascinated me about this album was the way the bass had to fulfil all other roles –of both the melodic and percussive instruments. Songs are gracefully carried by Jasmin’s flying Voice. At the beginning of a listening, one may feel that the songs are missing something [either a drum beat or a saxophone or something] and truthfully it’s slightly perplexing but one learns to appreciate the openness and freedom that the songs hold.

It’s a wonderful example of how bass can carry the bulk of a song by coupling the low end and top end of the bass. I compare it to the common situation of only an acoustic guitar and a voice. This album says why not replace that guitar with a bass.

My main criticism would be Jasmin’s vocals as I feel they could take a more powerful stance and then would add more to the music.

I particularly like their rendition of Gimme gimme gimme

Overall, if you are looking for something a little different and would like an interesting as well as informing take on the role of bass this is an excellent choice

Jasmin Graf & Alfred Kallfass and Adrian Davison – Zeitgeist

Reviewd by Kai Horsthemke

 

Despite the superficial connections (first, the bass; second, both are duo recordings, in Davison’s case at least to a certain extent; third, Graf and Kallfass are German, and Zeitgeist is German for ‘spirit of the time’), these are two vastly different albums.

The collection of fairly unusual covers was recorded in Leipzig and features singer Jasmin Graf (in a series of first-takes, according to the sleeve notes) and bass guitarist Alfred Kallfass. While some of these (like Ani Di Franco’s Gratitude, Fairground Attraction’s The Moon is Mine, and Phil Collins’s Another Day in Paradise) are perfectly suited for bass-vox arrangements, others (ABBA’s Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!, EWF’s Let’s Groove Tonight, and Chaka Khan’s Sweet Thing) arguably constitute more courageous choices. Nonetheless, the bassist and singer do justice to all of these. Graf’s voice indicates that she is well versed in contemporary R’n’B; yet, she largely avoids the annoying showboating of many of her influences and peers. As does Kallfass – who is more than happy with letting the bass be guided by the structure of the song, rather than making the arrangements into flashy, multi-tracked showcases. The pieces are enticingly short – with very little room here for excess or the extraneous. Immediate favourites are readings of Vanessa Carlton’s A Thousand Miles and Cutting Crew’s Died in Your Arms Tonight, with Graf on earthy vocals and Kallfass making excellent use of harmonics. As is Steve Miller’s Fly Like an Eagle, which starts with an explicit funk that was always dormant in the original, but then gives way to a dreamily soaring finale. Two less successful pieces (to my mind at least) are Carl Douglas’s Kung Fu Fighting (which is a brief, rather puzzling oddity here) and Rio Reiser’s Land in Sicht. Graf’s voice sounds too mannered on the latter, and she is prone to a few ‘yeah, yeah’ interjections – which have always irritated me in songs sung in German, whether by Joy Fleming or by Xavier Naidoo. Fortunately, the listener is left with the impression of Joss Stone’s Right to be Wrong, a suitable vehicle for Graf. Kallfass shines throughout, technically as well as with a mature sense of arrangement and structure.

A retrospective of the years 1990 to 1995 in the bassist’s professional career, Zeitgeist features Adrian Davison on bass and Paul Marangoni on drums and percussion, both musicians also handling keyboard duties. Davison’s strength is tapping – which he demonstrates in veritable flurries and cascades of notes. Yet, he also has a keen sense of atmosphere and melody – something that makes Davison’s essentially ‘more-is-more’ approach not only palatable but enjoyable. The bassist’s accuracy and tapping and harmonics technique (all bass parts were recorded ‘live with no overdubs’) are astonishing, and the recording quality is superb. My ‘Anspieltips’ (suggestions for first listening) for this album are Ricochet, Voices and Opus 111-#1.

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Jay Terrien - All the Dolls in the same Place and Lorenzo Feliciati - Live at European BassDay & more

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.


Jazz Pistols - Special Treatment

Reviewed by Kerry Blewett

The name of this band had me visualising an ageing, mellow Johnny Rotten crooning his way through some re-done jazz standards, how wrong could I be.
This German trio pumps out some seriously hectic rock-jazz. I can’t help wondering how it is that I haven’t heard more of them, the standard is so high that they can compete with the best. The band comprises Christoph V Kaiser on bass (see interview on the SABPC website), Stefan Ivan Schafer on guitar and Thomas Lui Ludwig on drums (I wonder if he plays a set of Ludwigs?). Check out the band’s website, it’s very nicely laid out with lots of interesting links and info.
I enviously read about Christoph’s two Fodera six-string basses, in answer to a question about what equipment he would like should money be no obstacle he replied that he already has the best. To top that he nonchalantly refers to the two Accugroove cabs that he uses, hell, where can I get my hands on one of those in S.A.?
This album (which is comprised of cover versions of reasonably well known tunes – given Special Treatment) starts with the guitar leading the other two into the funky title track. It soon progresses into wild (the kind I find very exciting) guitar work followed by a drum solo over a pedestrian bass foundation.
The next track “Odd Blues” is rather odd for a blues piece. It sounds more like Al di Meola to me. This is followed by a piece of funk-rock entitled “Bugs” which is the platform for the 1st bass solo of the CD. Man, but those Accugrooves sound sweet. The song builds into an extremely exciting groove before calming down again to the opening rhythms.
“Dirty Sanchez” features a Spanish style accoustic guitar flavour. It makes for a good movie soundtrack in parts. Shades of Earl Klugh are apparent here. The next song “Vix 9”, a cover of a Bela Fleck and the Flecktones song, is all about driving drums and speedy guitar parts. Some phenomenal dual bass and guitar riffs (The original, as the title suggests, features Victor Wooten on a 9-string bass).
“Mr Smithers” features Larry Carlton style guitar playing. “Borderline” starts with gentle accoustic guitar that is soon joined by fretless bass. I suppose that it’s no coincidence that the bass sounds like a cello bearing in mind that Christoph began his musical career playing cello.
“Angry Dragon” is a funky piece beautifully woven together with some interestingly executed off-beat rhythms. This is my favourite track of the album which is a difficult decision to make given the quality of the rest of the tracks.
“Palladium” rounds off the CD ala Dave Weckl Band.
My overall rating of this band and this CD is that it is a must hear for those who appreciate some excellent rock-jazz. This album was recorded in the band’s own studio in 2001. I look forward to hearing their live album recorded in 2006. There is also a DVD of their live performance which I would love to see. However, the website warns that the DVD plays on any PAL-DVD player but not on an NTSC-DVD player, I’ll have to check out which one my player is.

John Lester - Live at the Freight and Salvage Coffee House

Reviewed by Kerry Blewett
 
Reviewing this album was a somewhat different experience to other reviews that I’ve done of solo bassists. The reason for this is that John Lester is not only an accomplished bass player but also communicates extensively as a singer/songwriter. This CD was recorded in 2001 on John’s 41st birthday.
John dedicates the 1st track “The Heart of our Family” to his parents who, as he puts it, “are responsible for the good life that he’s been living”, presumably because of being able to pursue a life of music.
“Rose Colored Glasses” is a cheerful be-bop tune performed on his 80 year old acoustic upright bass. The other basses used during this performance are a Joe Zon 6 string fretless and a Michael Tobias 5 string fretted. I get the feeling that the title of this song reflects John’s personal attitude towards life.
Next up is “The Ways of a Woman” which is a track that I first heard him perform on the Euro Bass Day 2004 CD. This is a beautiful song exhorting the world to embrace the ways of a woman in order to overcome many of the problems besetting it.
My personal favourite on the album is “I Like Brunettes” which must have upset some of the blondes in the audience. Fortunately for John his disarming wit raises significant laughter from the audience and I’m sure he escaped unscathed.
The next two songs “All Blues” and “I Saw You” feature Bob Johnson on sax and are an unusual mix with only the two instruments.
“Both a Blessing and a Curse” is an autographical tale about the reasons for playing music and also about the hard times and good times that any musician trying to make a living from playing music would be able to attest to.
“Your Tattoo” features a percussion player and is a funky slap-style piece of blues. John then brings up a guitar player and the trio performs a neat commercial piece entitled “Reach Out”.
Now a piano player joins the ensemble and the next song addresses John’s spiritual beliefs and his version of the beginning of time which envisages man and woman being created simultaneously and is called “Two”. The last addition to the band is a drummer to help out on the next song, which is a lively number called “On My Own”.
The final song reverts back to solo bass and is the 1st song that John wrote for his solo career. It is a haunting song of life and death entitled “They Come and They Go”.
My overall impression of John Lester is one of a deeply committed songwriter first and a bassist second

John Lester - So many reasons

Reviewed by Kerry Blewett

This is the second review that I’ve done on one of John Lester’s albums, the 1st being “Live at the Freight and Salvage Coffee House”. “So Many Reasons” is a studio project recorded in 2006 that affords him the opportunity of having more musicians contribute to each song, the live album relied mostly on John flying solo and later in the performance bringing on some guest artists.
Having now listened to John quite a few times I finally realise that his style of singing as well as the compositions remind me of Michael Franks. All compositions are John’s. Do yourself a favour and access his website, there are plenty of interesting things to discover. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that two songs from this CD, the title track and “Beware la Merde”, took top honours in the West Coast Songwriters International Songwriting Competition.
The title track is first up with John on the double bass. This is a gentle, pretty, uncomplicated love song. Next up is the swinging “Steppin’ Back in Time” which will be a hit with fans of trad jazz, the kind of big band jazz that you can catch on Sundays at the Radium Beer Hall in Orange Grove.
“Last Letter to Theo” is a soulful song dedicated to Vincent van Gogh’s brother Theo who supported Vincent van Gogh through his trials and tribulations as a painter. The winning song in the category of “best humorous song” is “Beware la Merde”, a quirky, figure-snapping little number about the perils of stepping out in Paris.
“Good Intentions” is a catchy up-tempo jazz number featuring John on electric bass. The next song “Both a Blessing and a Curse” is an autographical tale about the reasons for playing music and also about the hard times and good times that any musician trying to make a living from playing music would be able to attest to.
“Union Street” in San Francisco is where John lived for a while and built a demo recording studio. This song tells the story about three homeless people who lived on the street.
“Rose Colored Glasses” is a cheerful be-bop tune performed on his 80 year old acoustic upright bass. I get the feeling that the title of this song reflects John’s personal attitude towards life.
Once again I found myself thoroughly enjoying the work of John Lester and am not surprised by the rave reviews that he seems to attract worldwide.

John Lester – Live at the Freight and Salvage Coffee House; Big Dreams and the Bottom Line; So Many Reasons

Reviewed by Kai Horsthemke

My introduction to northern Californian John Lester came with his contribution The Ways of a Woman to the European BassDay 2004 compilation CD. Bassplayer/ singer Lester is an award-winning songwriter, and it would appear that he takes all three of these facets of his musicianship equally seriously This is what makes him unique among the handful of artists that include John Wetton, Sting and Jay Leonhart. He has the vocal abilities and songwriting talents of Wetton and Sting, as well as the unique bass voice of someone like Leonhart. Lester is an unflashy but oh-so-tasteful player, with impeccable intonation, equally adept on upright, acoustic and electric (fretted and fretless) basses, and with a voice that is essentially his own, albeit occasionally reminiscent of Stephen Stills.

‘Live at the Freight and Salvage Coffee House’ dates back to 2001 and is an intimate, immediately welcoming affair on the occasion of the bassist’s birthday. It kicks off with The Heart of Our Family, a solo double bass tribute to his parents. Rose Colored Glasses is a blues that also features the first bass solo here (again on upright): great voice, great playing. The Ways of a Woman is a fretless feature – a hauntingly beautiful ballad with intelligent lyrics that Lester’s voice more than does justice to. I Like Brunettes is a droll, bluesy double bass celebration of the un-fair sex that includes some engaging scatting. All Blues is the only cover here: it features Bob Johnson on what sounds like alto sax and is a real treat, especially if one has never heard it sung. Lester contributes a second convincing solo, again on the upright. I Saw You is a further bass-sax duet, before Lester picks up the fretted bass for a solo feature, Both a Blessing and a Curse. Not only is his singing moving, his bass solo is the epitome of taste. Your Tattoo is another fretted bass and vocal feature, this time in terms of subtle slap-‘n-popping, and introduces percussionist Paulo Baldi. It is catchy piece that indicates great synergy between the two players, something that also pervades the next piece, now with the introduction of electric bassist Kenon Chen, a sparse, minor-key reggae tune: Reach Out is unflashy but all the more likeable for that very reason. Two leaves the creation / evolution debate unresolved, but at least it takes a firm stand against the creationist twaddle that Adam came first, the kind of androcentric bullshit that spawned millennia of sexist practice. Nyree is on piano here, and Lester turns in a compelling solo on fretted bass. On My Own introduces percussionist Celso Alberti and features Lester on strummed fretted bass. They Come and They Go is an appropriate closer to the set. A solo feature that occupies similar thematic terrain as Suzanne Vega’ Tom’s Diner and Tom Waits’s The Heart of Saturday Night, it constitutes a meditation on the ephemeral.

Recorded in 2003, ‘Big Dreams and the Bottom Line’ contains studio versions of several of the live set’s tunes, plus a few ‘new’ tracks. Like all of Lester’s songs, the former are fully composed / constructed, so the versions here do not differ substantially from the live versions. Most significantly, and to his credit, Lester steers clear of studio trickery, preferring to allow the songs and his playing ‘sing’ for themselves. The Ways of a Woman remains as gorgeous as ever, while On My Own now features fretless bass, the strumming tasks being assumed by acoustic guitars. The drum track, too, is more prominent here. I Saw You is played on acoustic bass guitar, a folksy piece that would not be out of place in the repertoire of Suzanne Vega, Kristin Hersh or Shawn Colvin. Two retains its Latin flavour, but is piano-free here, with Baldi and Alberti on percussion and drums respectively. Broken is the first of the ‘new’ tunes, with Lester on basses and nylon-string guitars, a melancholic, minor-key meditation on loss and longing. The Happy Man is an earthily funky, nonmelancholic number, with Lester on electric and acoustic basses. The Heart of Our Family is strongly similar to the live version, without any loss in haunting immediacy. Lester is on fretless again on Out of the Clear Blue Sky. It would take another review altogether to comment on the quality and intelligence of his lyrics: suffice it to say that Lester’s singing and songwriting are on a level that would put a lot of the currently lauded hotshots to shame and expose their lack of imagination and musicality, and the triteness of their efforts. Reach Out retains the reggae flavour of the live version, with Lester supplying all the bass parts and vocal harmonies here. Sister is a likeable nylon-string guitar and fretless piece, and Your Tattoo differs more substantially from the live version. The slap/ pop bass accompaniment now comes in later, with Lester opting for a melodic hook to carry the song on the instrumental front. The Garden is gentle, bossa-style album closer. Lester again employs ‘live’ percussion, instead of the flat, soulless programming a vast number of players resort to.

‘So Many Reasons’, the 2006 studio album, carries over two pieces form the live set. The title track, So Many Reasons, that kicks off the set has Lester on double bass, with percussion and unobtrusively arranged and performed backing vocals completing this attractive, Michael-Franks-reminiscent Latin number. Steppin’ Back in Time is a full-on, suitably blast-from-the-past swing number, replete with piano (Bas van Lier) and brass/ sax (Robbert Scherpenisse – trumpet, Lucian McGuiness – trombone, Theo Travis – tenor saxophone). Last Letter to Theo is a gently melancholic ‘thank-you’ addressed to Vincent’s brother, Theo van Gogh – the cover of the album, incidentally, is taken from the artist’s ‘The Sower’. It constitutes a reflection on a life of both artistic exuberance and profound suffering, with Travis providing tasteful commentary on flute. Beware La Merde (no need to translate this!) is a jazzy, upright-bass-driven caution to tread carefully on the soiled sidewalks of life, while Good Intentions is a gently syncopated, funky piece that is also a showcase for Baldi’s percussion skills. Both a Blessing and a Curse marks a departure from the live version. Lester employs the upright rather than the fretted bass, as well as a drum track, courtesy of Steve Rossi. She and I is a gently haunting song, with Lester on double bass and acoustic guitar and Travis on soprano sax, again not too remote from Michael Franks-charted territory. Fear Itself offers a hypnotic grove and vocal phrase, and deals with the all-pervasiveness of fear (itself). (As Dennis Hopper’s character said in the late ‘70s Wim Wenders film, quoting Roosevelt: ‘There’s nothing to fear but fear itself.’) ‘Union Street’ is driven by acoustic guitar and features a tasteful fretted bass solo. Rose Colored Glasses differs from the live version in including Bob Johnson on tenor sax, plus a sharp drums ‘n perc accompaniment. Rainbow over Magen’s Bay is an upbeat, reggae-flavoured ditty – perhaps my least favourite of all the tunes on these three albums. But this says a lot about the astonishingly consistent and high-level songwriting craft of the man, because it is still a very good song.

In conclusion, then, the albums reviewed here offer something for bass enthusiasts, something for lovers of pleasing, moving vocals – and especially something (lots of things) for lovers of good songs. If this were a just universe, John Lester would have had at least 5 songs in the top ten and a similarly high number of Grammy nominations.

April 2008

Joseph Patrick Moore – Decade 1996-2005

Reviewed by Kai Horsthemke

 

‘Decade’ is a ten-year retrospective on the bassist’s recorded output that spans five albums and features Joseph Patrick Moore on fretted, fretless and upright basses. As one might expect, given the scope of the project, there are several styles and musical moods contained on this compilation that – fittingly – kicks off with a new tune:

Decade has a Steely Dan-type groove and features JPM on a variety of basses, finger-funk melody and tiny fretless inserts.

In An Instant is a piano-led ballad/ Latin number, also featuring guitar, a composition by pianist Alvie Givhan that has Moore in an exclusively anchoring role.

Groovemessengers (The Story of Jazztronica) is a nifty bit of acid jazz that Moore underscores on upright, adding brief melodic statements, in between flurries of keys and muted trumpet.

Datz It has all the funk the title promises, with JPM taking the initial melody. This is also a feature for guitar (Jazz Is Dead and Phil Lesh stalwart Jimmy Herring sizzles here) and some juicy organ and sax stabs.

Down Under, a cover of the Men At Work favourite, features folksy flute and Temple Passmore’s voice, as well as some impressive drumming – but on the whole, to my ears at least, it fails to add any new dimensions to the tune.

Mystery is a burning live number, a fretless feature that also showcases some hyperactive keys, presumably courtesy of Buzz Amato.

Soulcloud, too, is a live recording, a slower but nonetheless percolating piece that, unfortunately, ends a little inconclusively.

Brave Up is a more traditionally jazzy tune, both in terms of instrumentation, bass, drums, piano/ keys, sax – Jim Spake – and trumpet – Scott Thompson) and execution.

Masoko Tanga is an intriguing cover of the Police composition that really works as a (subtle) bass feature.

Chief Dagga is a live, tasteful slap/ pop tune, with swirling keys (synth, electric piano) and intriguing shifts in time signature.

Herbie, by the sound of it, is a funky tribute to Mr. Hancock rather than the famous VW beetle, showcasing Adam Nitti on electric bass, JPM on upright, and some neat electronica more than halfway into the piece.

Ashes to Ashes has a Pastorian grove and is, indeed, a tribute to both Jaco and Charles Mingus, with convincing sax, piano (Bill Anschwell) and guitar breaks (Jimmy Herring).

Fall is another track from the album ‘Live in ‘05’, a gentle funk/ Latin number with happening synth, deep pulsating bass plus a convincing finger-funk solo.

Jamband Express is, indeed, that: a moving, grooving, bass-anchored jam band journey, 12 bars and beyond, that also features trumpet, flute and drummer Jeff Sipe.

Waterfalls has cascades of electric bass notes and arcoed upright taking the melody: one of my favourite pieces here.

Gypsy Moon Father Sun, too, is from the 2005 live set, a slow bit of funk that features muted trumpet, keys and deep-grooving drums.

Rain Dance is a Native American type of tune that introduces Larry Blewitt on percussion, Kenneth Lovell on wooden flute and JPM on harmonic-driven electric bass.

Pause # 1 is a brief dedication to Miles: Moore is featured on Marcus-style deep-funky bass, with some wicked sampling and Scott Thompson on Milesish horn.

The last tune, Qui es-tu Marie Jeanne?, is a gorgeous ballad, my other favourite track here, with JPM on both electric and arco/ pizzicato upright basses.

‘Decade’, then, offers a wide-ranging mélange of musical styles and vocabularies, with something to appeal to even the most fastidious of tastes, a great introduction to what Joseph Patrick Moore has been up to until now.

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Lorenzo Feliciati – Live at European BassDay and More

Reviewed by Kai Horsthemke

 

After getting to review Italian low-end maestro Lorenzo Feliciati’s studio album, ‘Upon My Head’, I was keen to listen to the live album recorded in the same year, 2004. The latter reprises three of the tracks on the studio album, with three of the live tracks being ‘new’ (to these ears at least), and contains two additional studio tracks.

‘Coffee Flavour’ is a gentle opener to this set, rich in harmonics and arpeggios, and indicates the bassist’s rapport with his drummer of choice, Lucrezio de Seta, and keyboardist Aidan Zammit. The piece is essentially a chordal sequence; here as elsewhere, the bassist’s tone is round, growly and big. Things get more intense on the propulsive, jittery live version of ‘Thief Like Me’. Again, perhaps, low on ‘take-home’ melodic value, it nonetheless features the trio in stealthily telepathic mode. ‘Don’t Ask Me To Dance’ is familiar from the aforementioned studio album, a mock tango, and the bassist’s tongue appears to be firmly in cheek here – as does Zammit’s, with the pianist’s bombastic and over-the-top flourishes. ‘Footsteps’ is a successful rendition of the Wayne Shorter classic, with Zammit responsible for the melody. Five-minutes-plus into the track the band hit overdrive as they transport the tune to Cuba – where it remains. Great! ‘Alice (A Lullaby)’ – presumably pronounced ‘Ah-lee-chay’ – is a gentle, harmonic-laden and child-friendly composition. Yet, the tune (already familiar from the studio version) contains various twists and surprises that make it one of the highlights here. ‘Groove First’ is all that, and more: with additional keyboardist Vittorio Iue, it is a high-energy burner, with strong melodic content and enticing accents and rhythmic shifts, featuring Feliciati at his nimble-fingered best. The ‘extra studio tracks’ introduce soprano saxophonist Fabrizio Mandolini. Feliciati also plays acoustic guitar and keyboards on ‘The Dance’, a vibey, Weather-Reportish tune that seems to suggest that, fortunately, the bassist has succumbed to the request to ‘move his body’ (see track 3). ‘Smart As You’ is more angular, the rhythm section supplying the initial propulsion, before the track changes mood(s), with Mandolini flying high and bass and drums briefly reappropriating the opening groove. An enjoyable outing!

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Mark Egan - As we speak

Reviewed by Kai Horsthemke

Mark Egan came to the attention of most of us in the mid-70s, as a member of the first Pat Metheny Group, with whom he recorded a number of classic albums. Between 1982 and 1990 he released not only two solo albums, ‘Mosaic’ and ‘A touch of light’, but also six albums with PMG partner in rhythm, drummer Danny Gottlieb, as ‘Elements’. I still have all of these albums on vinyl, always having loved the bassist’s fretless work that, while clearly influenced by Jaco, nonetheless established a turf of its own. Apart from some recordings with Gil Evans and collaborations with the Hooters and Joan Osborn, I didn’t hear much of Egan after 1990, to my considerable regret.

Until now, that is. ‘As we speak’ is, to put it mildly, an astonishing album. Weighing in at over 100 minutes, this trio date features musicians who appear to be connected at the brain – or perhaps more accurately the heart. The interaction between the bassist and drummer Danny Gottlieb is already legendary, and these recordings are further testimony to this. In October 1986 I caught the Randy Brecker-Eliane Elias quintet at Fat Tuesday in New York, with Gottlieb and guitarist John Abercrombie. What had impressed me most that night was the telepathic interplay between drummer and guitarist: when Abercrombie was soloing, Gottlieb was right behind him, urging him on, shadowing, cajoling him – it was a breathtaking experience. So when I saw the line-up for this album, I knew that I would be in for treat.

Gottlieb’s playing is urgent, yet playful – open and boisterous. Abercrombie’s sound is sharper and crisper than before – already indicated, however, in his contribution to Charles Lloyd’s ‘The water is wide’. And Egan himself … well, his fretless intonation is flawless, his tone big and growly. This comes closest to a straight-ahead jazz recording, probably the first I’ve ever heard of the bassist, as evidenced especially on the trio compositions on disc 2. The sound painting on the opening title, ‘Spirals’, and the authoritative solos on the title track and on the Latinesque ‘Vanishing point’ serve as early, unequivocal signals of the bassist’s intentions: to capture the exuberant spirit and interplay of his favourite trio recordings. Not only is Egan’s bass upfront, but this is also the album that has him coming into his own as a composer. The only ‘cover’ is the Arthur Schwartz-Howard Dietz classic, ‘Alone together’. The rest is penned either by Egan or by the trio. (In fact, my only quibble here is that the aforementioned piece is played in too fast a tempo, Egan’s masterful take on the melody and soloing notwithstanding. There is obviously no rule that states how tunes should be interpreted; this observation merely reflects my own personal preference.) Egan’s earlier compositions tended to have the character of useful exercises, for ensuring greater finger independence, and arpeggio-related explorations. ‘As we speak’ is the album that comprehensively puts paid to this impression. ‘Your sweet way’ is a ballad that has ‘standard’ written all over it. ‘Mississippi nights’ has a heartlands, Midwestern flavour. ‘Shade and shadows’ is a gently assertive meditation in 3 that picks up steam midway through and features yet another arresting solo by the bassist. ‘Depraw’ has an element of the reverse warp that characterises Monk’s compositions, while ‘Plane to the Trane’ (albeit a ballad) is a soaring, transcendent tribute to the late tenor great name-checked in the title.

In short, this is a climactic double CD that anyone who is interested in bass and in the possibilities of telepathic sonic communication ought to get to own. In other words, a gem of an album!

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Paradox - The First Second

Reviewed by Kerry Blewett

It’s nice to see that one of my all-time favourite drummers is still swinging, or should I say, still funking, which is for me, the genre of music that Billy Cobham has become best known for. The other two musos in this trio, Bill Bickford on guitars and Wolfgang Schmid on bass are unknown names to me. At least that was the case until I did some Internet research and discovered that they have a wealth of albums and projects under their respective belts.

This album was recorded live in Istanbul (as far as I can determine) in 1998. It is a vibrant affair and a very clear recording. The performance is incredibly slick especially considering the complexity of the playing. Whether or not there were any over-dubs before the CD was pressed is not clear but it sounds really “live” with some audience noise coming through during the songs.

I struggled for a while to think of how I was going to critique the individual songs and then finally gave up. There seems to be no sense in trying to describe the playing on each song, these guys are just awesome. What I found particularly pleasing was that the songs and arrangements do not represent simply a display of technique but are really catchy and exciting to listen to.

From my research, it appears that this is a once-off recording of Cobham playing with the other two. I was also astounded to see the quantity of projects listed on the Internet when doing a search on Billy Cobham, he has been incredibly busy over the years.

For those who are not in the know, Bill Bickford on guitar is right up there with John Petrucci and Michael Landau, I hope I’m not insulting anyone here. Wolfgang Schmid on bass also plays with a huge array of other musicians and I found his website www.wolfgangschmid.com very interesting. He is one of the more exciting bass players when it comes to the solo pieces.

Phishbacher - Infinity Ltd

Reviewed by Kerry Blewett

 

Wow, what an exciting quartet. This CD appealed to me right off probably because I’m a huge Dave Weckl fan. I don’t mean to detract from Walter Fischbacher’s originality in any way but I very often hear shades of other musicians’ work in whoever I happen to be listening to at the time. Only once I read the interview on www.bassplayers.co.za did I realise that Walter’s idol is Chick Corea which explains the musical influences that I heard.
Walter Fischbacher is a pianist/keyboardist who hails from Austria but is now resident in New York City. He is joined by Bernard Ullrich on tenor sax, Ric Fierabracci on bass and Hari Ganglberger on drums. I really appreciated his tribute on the sleeve of the CD to Tommy Motola and Clive Davis for ignoring his work totally, thereby forcing him to get his act together completely on his own. This he has done on his own label, Lofish Music.
The opening track is called “The Opening” and progresses from a slow laid-back beginning to more frenetic rhythms later in the song. Very funky.
Track 2 “Call Pete” contains a rather pedestrian beat overlayed with a tasteful sax solo.
“Lizard” is a rather lengthy slow groove. I found this one to be a compulsive foot-tapper. Again, the manner in which the various sections of the song are put together just reminds me so much of the Dave Weckl band with Steve Weingart on keyboards.
The next track “Dano” starts off with some impressive bass guitar soloing before breaking off into a very laid-back jazzy number featuring Randy Brecker on trumpet.
An octave bass effect is featured very nicely to introduce the next track “Pavel”.Thereafter, the tune progresses into a dance-beat type of number, at least I’d be able to dance to it.
Track 8 is called “Level 12” and is a swinging, jazzy number, which is, as Walter Fischbacher himself says in his interview with Martin Simpson, a nice show-off tune for the jazz cats.
The second last track “B Nice” is a funky groove which I imagine is played in the key of B. Lastly, “Triple S” starts off slowly with some guy fantasizing about sucking a woman’s toes, I guess it takes all types.
My overall impression is that these are extremely fine musicians who I would love to see performing live.

Schubertiana - The Affiliate Artists of Kean University.

Reviewed by Nippy Cripwell

Schubertiana: The Affiliate Artists of Kean University.
This is essentially a recording of Schubert’ Quintet in C Major, a work written for String Quartet plus Double Bass. When Martin slipped this CD in with the others for review, I thought it would be too ‘Classical’ to have any immediate reference for our Bass Collective. But while listening to it the thought occurred to me, any Bass player could learn a lot just listening to how a Master composer writes for Bass in what is probably the purist form of Classical music – the String Quartet. With only five voices to listen to, it is easier to hear the individual lines weaving through the movements. One can hear the Bass in it’s usual role laying down a foundation for the upper voices, as well as reinforcing melodic statements with the cello, and even being featured as a voice on it’s own. Stretch yourselves, Bass People, take a jump to the right, and see how a ‘Cool Dude from Way Back When’ wrote for players of the Bottom End.

The Kristin Korb/Todd Johnson Trio (featuring Kendall Kay) - Get Happy and Frederick Charlton - Bach on Fire

Reviewed by Nippy Cripwell

 

Get Happy: The Kristin Korb/Todd Johnson Trio
(featuring Kendall Kay)

‘Get Happy’, the title of this CD says it all. The immediate reaction on hearing this would be: a really hip, swinging trio burning through a selection of The Great American Song Book tunes, plus a few other originals. But then look at the liner notes. This trio consists of Kristin Korb – Acoustic Bass/ Vocals; Todd Johnson – 6 String Electric Bass; and South Africa’s own Kendall Kay – Drums. Put in this perspective you will appreciate just how dynamic this performance is.
Kristin Korb sings swell AND lays down some serious Bass lines on Acoustic Bass. That’ Hard Stuff! Her lines are strong and melodic; the instrumentals stand out: Just a Closer Walk With Thee, her own Sunshine & Slim and Goin’ Home. I suspect her singing has influenced her approach to her Bass playing; she ‘sings’ her way through the changes as opposed to a more angular harmonic approach. All you young people, listen to how this lady constructs her Bass lines and LEARN!
Todd Johnson has got to be a guitar player. His approach to the 6 String Bass is that middy, chunky chordal way of playing, reminiscent of early Wes Montgomery. He is understated but swings hard. The tone he gets is so refreshing, so different to what one generally hears from the 6 String Bass sound.
For a bright fresh take on ‘Standards’ Bass playing- this is a must.

Bach on Fire: Frederick Charlton

‘Frederick Charlton has compiled a vast ten movement “Suite” of his favourite selections from the famous 3 “Partitas for Unaccompanied Violin” by Johann Sebastian Bach’. This is the culmination of some 30 years work of transcription and performance; a monumental undertaking.
From a Bass playing perspective it is enlightening to hear these Bach compositions performed so ably on the instrument. The technical challenges posed in playing Bach are extreme; difficult interval leaps, complex harmonic progressions, double stopped passages. Intonation is so crucial to clearly distinguish the harmonic movement in Bach. The sound on the Bass must be kept light and nimble to prevent the music from sounding ponderous. It is difficult enough on an instrument tuned in fifths; it is compounded on a Bass (tuned in fourths). Added to this is the physical endurance and concentration required. Some of the movements are long (Ciaccona from Partita No. 2 is 17.30.)! All these challenges emphasise the heights Mr. Charlton’s performance has achieved.
Frederic Charlton is critically acclaimed, and rightly so. Bach’s music is sublime though not always easy listening. Make an effort to listen to ‘Bach on Fire’, the music will open your mind and the Bass playing will open your perception of performance possibilities.

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The Limit - Reinventing the Sun

Reviewed by Kai Horsthemke

Although this grunge/ power rock trio is clearly dominated by the guitar and voice of frontman Mark Daniel, Todd Grosberg’s contribution to the overall sound and style of the band should not be underestimated. He adds not only muscular, loping bass lines that (together with Bob Chmiel’s powerhouse drumming) propel the music along, but his vocal harmonies also add a very pleasing dimension to the band’s aural impact. The Limit appear to be influenced equally by classic rock bands like Led Zeppelin and the Seattle sound of, say, Pearl Jam. They sound like they must be gas to catch live. In fact, my only criticism would be that the recording itself is a bit murky: a more defined top and bottom end would do justice to both the catchy compositions and the performances by Grosberg and his fellow thunderniks.

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