Jimmy Stewart 2007 - Umphrey's McGee
Brad Farberman
2008-07-22
self-released
Chicago jammy jammers Umphrey’s McGee enter their tenth year as a band this year and, in commemoration, perhaps, they have released a double-disc set of some of their most jammin’ jams. That’s right: they’ve taken the improv-heavy instrumental sections from a number of 2007 live recordings and pasted them together into a giant mixtape of jam. It’s pretty cool.
A little background: since their inception, it seems, the Umphers have devoted a portion of each live show to either the act of spontaneous composition or the act of improvising on new or undeveloped material. This portion, dubbed “Jimmy Stewart,” can occur during almost any of their tunes, and is orchestrated through a series of hand signals inspired by Frank Zappa.
Also, a number of songs have emerged from “Jimmy Stewart” moments, including “In the Kitchen,” “Intentions Clear” and “Bridgeless.” So, these jams are more than just excuses to noodle. As one member remarks during the interview track (“What is Jimmy Stewart?”), “it’s an exercise in writing, trying to write, with a band, onstage, in front of a crowd.”
But mostly, these “Jimmy Stewarts” are opportunities to dive headfirst into different styles, like their Phishy forefathers often did. Disc one opens with a techno groove from February 2007 that segues neatly, through post-production, into a pre-composed hair-metal rager. Elsewhere, they dig into downtempo acid jazz, reggae and an improv initially inspired by the immortal “Rapper’s Delight” (“In the Kitchen,” recorded December 1st, 2007 in Ann Arbor, Michigan).
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