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CD Reviews
Edited by Jesse Jarnow
"Zygote" - John Popper - review by Chip Schramm
"The Nashville Sessions" - Leftover Salmon - review by James Dunseth
"Visions Under The Moon" - David Nelson Band - review by Chip Schramm
"Terrapin" - Joe Gallant and Illuminati - review by Dave Rioux
"The Stranger's Hand" - Jerry Goodman, Steve Smith, Howard Levy, Oteil Burbridge - review by Jesse Jarnow
"Forget About It" - Alison Krauss - review by Ali McDowell
"Short Trip Home"- Edgar Meyer, Joshua Bell, Sam Bush, Mike Marshall - review by Jesse Jarnow
"Diary Of A Fiddler" - Darol Anger - review by Christopher Orman
"Welcome Home" - Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey - review by Christopher Orman
"Zygote" - John Popper
Interscope Records
by Chip SchrammJohn Popper has been one of the most influential members of the jamband music scene since his founding of Blues Traveler and involvement with the original H.O.R.D.E. tours. A universally liked personality, Popper has always been a true ambassador for the state of live improvisational music in America. He has always led by example, proving decisively that musicians can enjoy great success by separating their egos from the music without losing their creative freedom. One of my most vivid memories of Popper comes from an interview he did for MTV. Bending over to show the camera his backside, the gargantuan Popper joked "do you think this ass sells records?" There has never been any doubt that his talent on the harmonica and skillful songwriting have been the keys to his success both with Blues Traveler and with other projects like Frogwings.
Popper's first solo album, "Zygote," is a very different kind of animal. It represents a more personal and experimental side of Popper and serves as a tranquil contrast to the hard driving sound of Blues Traveler. Once his harpoon, Popper's harmonica spends most of its time in his pocket. He uses it sparingly, mostly for a little melodic addition to a few tracks. The emphasis here is on the songs themselves, as 8 of the 10 tracks are written exclusively by Popper. Many of them are deeply symbolic and seem as if they were written down in his personal journal long ago. There are certainly a few songs on Blues Traveler's albums that reflect Popper's personal and emotional side, however is seems as if he was saving many of these songs to give them his own unique treatment. Far from dance music, the sounds of "Zygote" are at the core of Popper's soul.
As the title "Zygote" implies, Popper has created something new and different. He calls on Dave Matthews' Band drummer Carter Beauford to lend some of his light and airy drumming on the album. Beauford does a commendable job, playing within himself and providing a foundation for the rest of the band. Guitarist Crugie Riccio and two of his fellow members of Cycomotogoat round out the lineup. Bob Chores adds some lilting keyboard work and Dave Ares plays bass. Popper even picked up the guitar himself and used it as a new outlet for his creative energy. Nearly all of the songs on the album represent his roots and origins. Once You Wake Up symbolizes his new approach to making music. Similarly, Growing in the Dirt makes allusion to the awkwardness of setting root in a new medium. His Own Ideas gives Popper the chance to weave his own guitar solo around his singing. He even overdubbed some harmonica in a few spots, so he really is making the lion's share of the music himself.
There is nothing quantitatively overwhelming about the arrangements here. Popper's sound is stripped to the bare essence of his feeling in a variety of ways. The first track Miserable Bastard sounds the most like what Blues Traveler fans are used to hearing. Riccio and Clores provide a bouncing groove that rides underneath Popper's surly vocals. Popper's harmonica jams are also at their most prominent here. It is the longest track on the album and serves as a point of departure for the rest of the material. Evil in My Chair and Lunatic reveal a darker side to Popper's music and give his supporting cast room to maneuver as well. On the former tune, Beauford uses quick work with the brushes generating a heavy Latin flavor. One of the strongest things about Popper's vocals is his tone. He speaks in the first person almost all of the time, usually addressing the listener directly. Home and Love For Free are pretty basic songs structurally, but Popper's passionate vocals are what drives the music.
At the end of the day, I feel like I know a lot more about John Popper, the person, as well as the musician. Considering how much adversity he's been through with the unexpected death of Bobby Sheehan and his own ongoing health problems, this is an appropriate place and time for this album. This album is for John Popper fans much more than for just Blues Traveler fans. That may sound overstated, but even though Popper created the majority of Blues Traveler's material (with the exception being "Save His Soul"), "Zygote" is music on its own terms. Just one week ago, representatives of Blues Traveler announced that the band would stay together after the death of Bob Sheehan. There is no doubt they will undergo a musical devolution as they refine their new sound. John Popper's work on this album shows he still has plenty of creative ideas in his head and his heart. I'm truly hoping that he will be around to share them for a long time to come.
"The Nashville Sessions" - Leftover Salmon
Hollywood Records 62142-2
by James DunsethSo, is the new Leftover Salmon album "The Nashville Sessions" actually a Leftover Salmon album at all? Some will say yeah... duh. I tend to disagree, for me a more suitable name would have been Leftover Salmon and the Nashville All-stars. There's just too many guest appearances on this album not to call it something more then just Leftover Salmon. That's not meant to be a slam on the band or the album, I just think it's so much different then anything I've ever heard out of them that it deserves to be set apart. There are nineteen guest musicians on this album that give each song a unique sound and texture.
The first track Midnight Blues is a straight up bluegrass tune. Del and Ronnie McCoury are the featured guest musicians on this one and add that traditional bluegrass sound to this tune.
Next up is Lovin' In My Baby's Eyes which features Taj Mahal and Sally Van Meter. Taj Mahal's vocals on this track are right on and absolutely makes this track sound out as one of the best on the disc. It's a bluegrass/country tune with beautifully gruff vocals, he strains to get out each lyric and it sounds wonderful.
Dance On Your Head is the next tune. This is the first song on this disc that sounds more like the Leftover Salmon I'm used to. It's got that Calypso/Cajun sound that makes them so darn popular. Throw in a line about Zombie's and a couple about Festivals and you've got yourself that unique Leftover Salmon tunage. The guests on this track are Jeff Coffin and Bela Fleck, nice work from the both of them. Jeff Coffin's saxophone interludes are an especially nice touch.
The next track Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way is a cowboy song, very country. There's even a feel of a horse clopping along. Sounds like something you would find on an AM country station. The electric fiddle is neato, giving it just a little bit of a psychedelic feed back thing at times. This one features some country legends: Waylon Jennings, Randy Scruggs, Sally Van Meter, and Sam Bush.
With Five Alive they drop back into the bluegrass style. Bluegrass instrumentals are always pleasing and this one is fun. I could definitely boogie down to this tune. Earl Scruggs, Randy Scruggs, and Jeff Hanna help drive this one along very nicely.
Breakin' Thru is up next featuring Jerry Douglas and Reese Wynans. This is another tune that seems to be more typically Leftover Salmon. Sort of a newgrassy sound, musically it reminds me a little of Tony Furtado's sound. Beautiful banjo and slide runs throughout this tune. One of my personal favorite tracks.
Lucinda Williams helps out with the vocals on Lines Around Your Eyes. This is another tune with a cajun/country feel to it complete with accordion fills. This track also features Jo-El Sonnier.
It's Your World is another song that has a country feel to it. This one sounds like something that could definitely go on a popular country station. Once again Randy Scruggs helps out along with John Cowan.
Another tune that I feel really encompasses the sound of Leftover Salmon is On The Other Side. I really like this song quite a bit. It's a little more of a rocker than most of the songs on this album. There's some nice electric guitar runs and a kickin' harmonica solo from Mr. John Popper. The organ work is also an added bonus on this track. Reese Wynans and John Cowan are also featured on this track.
Another bluegrass tune Troubled Times is the tenth track. Nice mandolin and fiddle work on this track. Sounds like fairly traditional bluegrass though. Sam Bush, John Cowan and Jerry Douglas are the featured musicians here.
Another Way To Turn has a subtle pop undertone to it in some ways. It's still deeply set in country music but it's got catchy melodic feel to it that I really enjoy. I would even go so far to say that this one has a slight psychedelic feel to it. The organ work in this tune is truly inspiring as well, leading into the most ripping guitar solo on the entire album. Todd Park Mohr and Reese Wynans help out here. I think this is my favorite track on the album.
The next tune is definitely a boogie number and fittingly it's titled Up On The Hill Where We Do The Boogie. Excellent banjo from Bela Fleck on this one. This tune makes you get out of your seat to shake around a bit. Vince gets a little nutty with the help of Bela Fleck and Reese Wynans. There's another nice guitar solo on this track, they're really rocking out.
The last track Nobody's Fault But Mine gets a little help on the vocals from John Bell. This might be the slowest track on the album. It's a very bluesy tune, sounds like something you'd hear on a street corner sometime.
Overall, I'd have to say this album is pretty good. Highlights for me are Lovin' In My Baby's Eyes, On The Other Side, Another Way To Turn, and Up On The Hill Where We Do The Boogie. Lots of excellent musicians help out on this album but I think Leftover Salmon gets lost in the shuffle sometimes. But if you're into bluegrass and country music I think you'll really enjoy it.
"Visions Under The Moon" - David Nelson Band
High Adventure Records HAR 99001
by Chip SchrammThis is an interesting album. I am pretty embarrassed to admit that I hadn't heard the David Nelson Band at all until I listened to "Visions Under the Moon." I was aware that Nelson himself was one of the original Wildwood Boys along with Robert Hunter and Jerry Garcia. I was also aware that Nelson was one of the founding members of New Riders of the Purple Sage. Bill Laymon, and Arthur Steinhorn were also part of NRPS and currently provide bass and drums respectively in the Nelson Band. Indeed, each and every member of the band has played a major role in the San Francisco Bay Area music scene at one time or another. Mookie Siegel on keys and Barry Sless on electric and pedal steel guitar have both played on Bob Weir's side projects. It seems to be no coincidence that the band uses two drummers as Charlie Crane matches Steinhorn beat for beat. Even had I not known of the shared influences between all the players on the album, I still would have come away with an overwhelming feeling that they sound a whole lot like the Grateful Dead. Perhaps the more politically correct term would be "Bay Area Music Sound," but this is the sound that made the Bay Area musicians internationally famous in the first place, so I'll leave it at that.
As the gap between the present time and the last Dead show continues to grow, younger music fans might not recognize the subtle nuances in both lyrics and technique employed by the David Nelson Band. It's safe to say that this is not an album for listeners with a short attention span--four of the ten tracks are over eight minutes long. The band doesn't just fill the extra spaces with pointless noodling, though. The interplay between musicians on the album is very crisp yet varied. Because of the length and complexity of their song selections, they have ample arena to showcase their talents. The resulting harmonies flow very smoothly especially in the extended jams, as if these songs have been rehearsed for years.
There is a nice balance of well-written songs and inspired instrumental moments throughout "Visions Under the Moon." Having lyrical masters Bob Dylan and Robert Hunter contributing on a couple of songs certainly doesn't hurt. The song Long Gone Sam that opens the album isn't all that similar to U.S. Blues, but I can easily see how the two songs came from the same pen. Verses like "I'm not tryin' to save the country, I'll leave that one to the FBI," show that Hunter as well as the players still have a tongue-in-cheek attitude about life. Nelson himself is quite a storyteller as evidenced by the long and amusing Road to Armageddon and Fable of a Chosen One. At this point in Nelson's career he no longer has the vocal range he once did, but he doesn't try to overextend it. He focuses more on enunciation and timing to fit his lyrics in between beats in the music. On Dylan's Absolutely Sweet Marie, Nelson mimics Dylan's vocal style down to the breath. The song itself isn't a Dylan masterpiece, but Nelson's treatment grants some new life to it.
The track Snakebit and the medley Visions Under the Moon/Penumbra showcase the best combination of songwriting and instrumental arrangement on the album. The former is a modern interpretation of the tale of deadly sins with a humorous twist or two thrown in. Siegel throws in varied MIDI sounds from his keyboard and Nelson's guitar lead wanders up and down the scale in a circular, rhythmic pattern, similar to the banjo-like style employed by the late Jerry Garcia. The band also accents the high points in the songs with well-timed licks. Laymon's bass vibe is most powerful on this track and Siegel and Sless also shine. Visions Under the Moon, the track that shares the album title, is the most well-rounded of the songs. Each band member contributes both in the composition of the tune and has prominent moments in the performance. The track reaches its peak in the Penumbra jam at the end.
Overall "Visions Under the Moon" has a lot to offer. Songs like Kerouac by Laymon prove that the band certainly hasn't lost memory of the influences that have driven them over the past 3 decades, both musically and otherwise. I certainly hope that the younger generation of music fans can appreciate these songs of wisdom. Those who do should also take the time to look back at New Riders albums and early Dead as well as Ratdog and Kingfish to put these musicians' accomplishments in perspective. This album alone isn't a giant killer, but the musicians involved have proven once again that they are capable of injecting creative energy into a variety of original folk tunes. I have more than a hunch that the Nelson Band puts on a good show live, too, so check them out when they come to your town.
"Terrapin" - Joe Gallant and Illuminati Which Records WH15656
by Dave Rioux
What happens when someone hands you a copy of your favorite album being performed by an unknown artist? Well, if you are like most people you listen with extreme prejudice. We all like to pretend we're open-minded when it comes to music. But in truth there is that darkly critical side to us that rears its ugly head when someone new records music we know by heart and feel to be a part of us.This was much the case when someone handed me a copy of "The Blues for Allah Project" by Joe Gallant and Illuminati. It was in Old Orchard Beach, Maine during the first Furthur Festival tour in the summer of '96. He threw the tape in the car stereo for a quick tailgate party sampling in the parking lot before the show. After an intriguing prelude the tape launched into Help on the Way with horns blasting, and the groove digging in! I was enthralled! I made sure I confiscated the tape for the ride home after the show, to further dissect in the privacy of my own car. That tape now sits shotgun next to my copy of the Dead's "Blues for Allah," and receives almost as many rotations around the tape deck.
Soon after, I heard that the band would be coming through my area to promote the release, and I vowed to go. On September 14th I finally got to see them perform at The Stone Coast Brewery in Portland, ME. It was a incredible show, with selections from the album, random Dead gems, and a variety of other tasty morsels.
I don't remember ever seeing performers so transfixed on the the performance as they were. When someone would take a solo the others would bow out with reverence, closing their eyes, swaying back and forth with the music. It was quite an experience. So, when Jambands asked me to review "Terrapin" the latest release by Joe Gallant and Illuminati, I jumped at the chance.
Being an avid jazz fan and a life-long Dead Head, I have come to expect great things from this ensemble after hearing only one release. I wasted no time tearing open the package and getting it into the CD player without even reading any of the liner notes.
I couldn't have asked for more surprises! After some screaming and chattering, Passenger erupted amid a flurry of percussion. At least it should have been Passenger, but what I was hearing bore no resemblance to the highly polished, and slightly sterile version the Dead released. No, what I was hearing was primal and rhythmic. The vocals then came in as a deep and interrogative spoken word ghost of the original. My first act of identification was toward Ken Nordine, but I couldn't have been more wrong! The voice was none other than that of long-time Dead friend, and Ex-Celtic: Bill Walton! A nice job too, I might add. Now, don't get me wrong; Walton shouldn't be trying to sing the remake of Sunrise on this release, but in this format his voice works. The result is a dark searching version, accented by a touch of musical whiplash as the chorus erupts into a jumping jazz piece with female vocals.
I was reminded of some of Frank Zappa's methods of creating a mood during the bridge to Dancin' in the Streets as Joe included some seemingly random studio banter, during which you could hear what appears to be a small radio playing Dancin' in the Streets in the studio. The smaller, tinny version proceeds to blend perfectly into a lively and more traditional version of the rock and roll staple. I've always felt that this song, in its countless forms by as many performers, embodies the spirit of dance that was born with the original "oldies" rock and roll. Here it is treated to much of the same spirit, but also with an extended jam at the end, decidedly more cosmic and exploratory. That, along with Ellen Christy's magnificent voice and some of the best sax playing on the album, make this version a keeper.
Due to the mere fact that I can't even pin down who is responsible for that saxophone playing, it's here that I should mention the sheer amount of talent that went into the construction of this release. A total of 71 performers were involved in the making. The inside of the CD case goes on for three pages with the credits. The percussion players and vocalists alone make up more than half of the total. Included in the extensive list are Dead relatives; Jorma Kaukonen, Buddy Cage, and Bob Bralove, to name a few. They, however, are only a small part of a greater whole.
As the end of Dancin' in the Streets starts to rise in waves of regression, a definite and recognizably fluid bass-line starts to emerge from the smoldering ashes. Estimated Prophet is born amid the strings and horns. Here again I had another pleasant surprise; the voice that started to sing was none other than that of Ike Willis; better known from the late Frank Zappa band. I found myself making the connection between his singing and the studio banter between songs at the beginning of the CD, and came to see it as a kind of Ode to Frank; whether it was or not remains to be seen, but I like to think of it that way. The horns and strings fit well within this framework, and although it took a while for the song to take-off, it always maintained a pleasant narcotic groove. However, it should be noted here is where I could hear Joe Gallant really showing his chops on the bass.
Lisa Shaw's vocals on Sunrise deserve honorable mention here. She is not only able to capture the feelings in the original recording, but also nails the vocal demands of the song with precision. I feel redundant mentioning the horn arrangement again, but I felt this took the song to another level. Making it seem like more of a performance in the spirit of Billie Holiday; jazzy and blue.
Unfortunately here is where they started to lose me. Samson and Delilah came and went without incident. And aside from being lively, held little fascination for me personally. This segued into the the Terrapin Station Suite for which I had the utmost expectations for, and felt it didn't measure up to them. (Then again, Star Wars: Episode 1 couldn't stand up to all the hype it received either, so maybe I am partially to blame here).
The Lady With A Fan section was somewhat thin and brassy. It seemed to lack that feeling of mystery I got from the original. The feeling that I was going be treated to some fabulous and rare yarn never really materialized. Instead the song disintegrated in a A Day in the Life kind of random rising of the orchestra as we down-shifted into Terrapin Station, and the entrance of some of the really intriguing parts of the suite.
From brass, strings and pomp the suite derails into a homey little bluegrass version of Terrapin Station which is very fun and well played. Rob Wolfson's vocals at first impression almost sounded like an aging Garcia during some of his more "wooden" performances. It is a fun and unique interpretation of the song, but doesn't really work for me with the rest of this format.
As it is broken down on the CD, the next stop is Region 1. A pseudo-industrial composition that could have well been a Tom Waits piece. As voices fade in and out, repeating some of the more memorable verse from At a Siding, we are again sidetracked a short orchestral recitation of the At a Siding refrain. Short being the operative word here, because in less than a minute the music regresses back to primal rhythms, accented by bagpipes. A lone trumpet bleats out the melody in response to the bagpipe call, until the whole orchestra rises up. A flurry of bagpipes then mark the entrance back into the lyrics of At A Siding. The desperate groan of Tuesday May's vocals backed by the cry of the string section and Joe's expertly desolate bass playing, paint the darkest corner of this craggy suite. The music takes a variety of twists and turns here getting blended with more and more effects, until we leave Terrapin Station to the sound of Pat Boone swinging up a storm on some loud speaker lost in the subway grating.
Each of the above stops on this trip were ingenious in their construction and performance, but the continuity of the suite was not always there for me. There was way too many back and forth extremes to keep the flow going. It made for an incredible listen, and left me in awe of the composer, but still lacked a certain draw.
I should mention in closing that there are a couple of bonus tracks included in the release. When I saw Joe Gallant and Illuminati at the The Stone Coast Brewery in the fall of '96 they played the most memorable version of China Doll. It featured nothing more than a beautiful female voice backed by the string section. It left me slack jawed, and I have since wished I could find a copy of it. Well, it is included here in all its beauty, along with a short but poignant bass solo by Joe called Jerome John. Both songs again highlight Mr. Gallant's compositional talents. He is nothing short of a true visionary.
"The Stranger's Hand" - Jerry Goodman, Steve Smith, Howard Levy, Oteil Burbridge
Tone Center TC-40052
by Jesse Jarnow
At one point or another - usually another - almost every music fan has fantasized about what jam sessions he'd like to see go down or what supergroups he'd love to hear in action. Legends abound of phantom sessions between Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis, the Beatles and the Stones, Dylan and... everybody. For a variety of reasons, when they do occur, they're rarely very good -- or, at least, not as good as their certain combination of talent would imply. "The Stranger's Hand" - featuring drummer Steve Smith, former Flecktones' harmonica ace Howard Levy, Mahavishnu Orchestra violinist Jerry Goodman, and played-with-everybody-and-yo-momma bassist Oteil Burbridge - presents an unlikely supergroup, a surprising combination if ever there was one. For precisely that reason, it seems that this conglomeration should work extraordinarily well together. And they do... sometimes. Most of the time, though, they add up to significantly less than their considerable parts. Even that lessness, though, can be exuberant at times. But it's more disappointing.
The usual problem that plagues supergroups is not necessarily ego, which is often put in check by other high-caliber musicians, but a melding of styles. Each musician - here, especially - is known for his individualized sound. In each case, this sound (and the technique surrounding it) is what a lot of people find special about the musician. Unfortunately, the sounds don't always blend with other virtuosos. When players do adapt to their new musical companions, watering down often results. It's a hard situation to beat, unfortunately. The solution, in many cases, is learning to play in an entirely new way. One place where this does work, for example, is "Surrender To The Air", the 1995 free jazz collaboration between Burbridge, his brother Kofi, Jon Fishman and Trey Anastasio from Phish, and a host of musicians for whom free jazz was their normal area. Like I said, it's not an ego thing - or a conscious ego thing - more a matter of putting an automatic style aside temporarily.
Given their prominent positions in the southern newgrass/jazz scene in the late 80s and early 90s - not to mention the fact that their respective bands shared several bills on the 1992 H.O.R.D.E. tour - it's surprising that Burbridge and Levy haven't crossed musical paths before. As members of the original lineups of theAquarium Rescue Unit and the Flecktones, the two honed their signature styles. In both cases, their sounds are instantly recognizable. In terms of the bands they were initially in, their traits blended perfectly because the bands were constructed with them in mind. The songs, too, were written with the styles at heart. In those cases, the styles, the bands' identities, and the songs' identities, were all part of the same thing. On "the Stranger's Hand", it seems that the songs never quite gain their own personalities. Instead, they remain something of a patchwork.
For example, check out the interplay between Burbridge and Smith on the opening Brick Chicken. Oteil's style, by definition, is most definitely frightenly fluid. Meanwhile, Smith's technique is muscular and momentum driven. Fusion drumming, as Smith plays, with its heavy - almost chaotic - melodic bent is more suited to free sheets of noise than it is to carefully controlled smoothness. Together, something's gotta give -- and, unfortunately, little does. Generally, it sounds clumsy and more than a little cluttered. It is only when Smith drops into delicate cymbal work - such as on the Stranger's Hand and parts of Sufferin' Catfish - do Burbridge and Smith's styles begin to meld.
The latter example is a new song by Levy, who has been sorely missed since his departure from the Flecktones more than five years ago. And the song, with its almost lumbering strut and sudden rhythm fills, seems like it was written with the Flecktones in mind. It's not the only place on the album where the other musicians sound like vague replacements of members' former partners. One joy to hear on the album is Burbridge's accompaniments to Goodman's flights of fancy. I'm not too sure which instrument is emulating what, but there are many times on the disc when Goodman's guitar-like violin tone sounds remarkably like Burbridge's Aquarium Rescue Unit bandmate Jimmy Herring's violin-like guitar tone. Not being too familiar with the previous work of Smith and Goodman, I'm not sure how it relates to their early bands' work.
Overall though, one is left with the impression of a series of lonely ex-lovers. Perhaps that interpretation of the disc's title is the best way to describe its sound -- by those who aren't there. When someone gets into a new relationship he plays to the needs of his previous lover. The stranger's hand is left to caress someone who isn't entirely accepting... yet.
"Forget About It" - Alison Krauss
Rounder Records 11661-0465-2
by Ali McDowellAlison Krauss is moving in a different musical direction. Commonly known as a bluegrass fiddle player with an excellent voice, Krauss has made half a dozen other albums prior to "Forget About It", her latest, that show off all of her talents as a musician. The new disc, however, illustrates less of her musical ability and focuses mainly on her voice. On top of that, the old bluegrass feel has been virtually replaced with a midtempo country style that is inescapable on all tracks.
First, there is the lack of mention of Union Station, her usual backing band. Second, it appears that she has changed her image. Rather than the down-home girl look she sported in previous years, her hair is now cropped short and dyed blonde, and gone are the long flowery dresses. She looks all-around more trendy these days. But, as we are reminded all the time, looks and image are not everything.
The album opens with the quiet Stay, instantly letting the listener in on her near heavenly voice. There is a subtle addition of strings in the background, but they function more as a low backdrop to the music than a supporting voice. While her voice floats beautifully through the melody, there is little more than sentimentality being touched on. Unfortunately, this feel continues throughout the rest of the album. The title track follows, opening with a smooth string arrangement, all played and arranged by Ms. Krauss herself. The image I conjured up while listening to this song is that of that scene you'd see in any movie where the protagonist female is driving her pickup truck freely down a deserted, sunflower-lined, country road. It has a somewhat nostalgic feel, mostly due to lyrics like, "Forget about those starlit nights/Laying by the fireside holding me tight/ I can't remember when I felt so right," but also contains a certain element of freedom.
Never Got Off the Ground is the closest this album can offer to a traditional bluegrass tune. Mandolin player Sam Bush plays a few impressive solo breaks, and Krauss' fiddle is featured more prominently here than on other tracks where it is subdued, such as Maybe. This is one track that seems to feature the band at its most relaxed and is not so over-produced as its companions on the album.
The last four cuts on the disc, It Don't Matter Now, That Kind of Love, Could You Lie, and Dreaming My Dreams With You are all drenched with a traditional country sound. It Don't Matter Now and Could You Lie offer the mid-tempo country sound that is the standard for the album. That Kind of Love and Dreaming My Dreams With You are slower ballads, the latter being a waltz that closes the album. All are clean-sounding tracks, but they are almost too clean in the sense that they have lost the bluegrass attitude of being a little rough around the edges.
Alison Krauss will always have a beautiful voice, and we can all rely on that for every album. It would have been more enjoyable, however, to also showcase her (and her band's) musical talents on this album, rather than using sparse arrangements as a background to her double-tracked vocals. Her efforts in maintaining her country sentimentality are indeed admirable, but this album does not fully illustrate her talents.
"Short Trip Home" - Edgar Meyer, Joshua Bell, Sam Bush, Mike Marshall
Sony Classical SK 60864
by Jesse JarnowIf one, usually me, walked into my friend Aaron's room last year, odds are the album "Uncommon Ritual" was playing -- it was the absolute soundtrack to the place. The 1997 disc, a collection of classical-bluegrass crossovers orchestrated by bassist Edgar Meyer with the assistance of the omnipresent banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck and David Grisman Quintet alum Mike Marshall on mandolin, was a gorgeously lush masterpiece. It was also the second in a series of albums put together by Meyer in that self-created subgenre (the first being 1995's "Appalachia Waltz" with Yo Yo Ma and Mark O'Connor). Earlier this fall, while browsing in a record store, Aaron discovered the third installment: "Short Trip Home", featuring classical violinist Joshua Bell, former Newgrass Revival mandolinist Sam Bush, and a return appearance by Marshall (primarily on guitar). He damn well rushed home with it. Shortly, I procured a copy for myself.
The album picks up on the general theme of the previous release: playing arrangements of original compositions - in this case, all by Meyer - that somehow have one foot planted firmly in traditional American music and one foot standing steadfastly in the classical convention. There are several approaches employed to achieve these ends. The first, and most prevalent throughout the first three quarters of the album, is to take one of Meyer's melodies - which all have that quality of sounding instantly familiar, like an instrumental version of some song you knew as a child - and running through them. In terms of content, the melodies lend themselves to intimate acquaintance but, via Meyer's (and Bell's) classical sensibilities, are transformed into mature themes and variations.
On the title track on the disc, for example - like Fleck's Big Country on "Uncommon Ritual" - the ensemble plays (perhaps unconscious) variations on the traditional tune Peggy-O. Here, Bell's violin creates a haunting lead while the rest of the group make a sparse bed beneath him. It is a perfect example of a new song sounding older than its years. By accessing something deeply ingrained in the musical consciousness of many Americans (of a certain background, to provide the politically correct disclaimer), the title of the song - and the album - perhaps refers to the mental journey the listener experiences while absorbing this music. While the artists, charts, and other specifics of the piece might be unknown to the listener, it doesn't take much of them to send him hurdling back to another time. At least, that's how it was for me.
For that reason - familiarity, plain 'n simple - this disc has a very high emotional content for me. Another reason for that is the sheer warmth of the recording -- both in terms of pure sonic ambiance and the chemistry between the musicians. Like it's immediate predecessor, the instruments blend exquisitely well. In most places, one can let all the components mesh into one while retaining the ability to pick out individual voices if he so chooses. This is probably a testament both to the recording and the players. The instruments occupy a very thorough range of frequencies -- from the bass at the extreme low end of the spectrum to the fiddle (er, uh, violin) at the very top with guitar and mando down the lower and upper middle, respectively. In some sense, it's the same warm mix that creates the best of the high, lonesome sound of bluegrass.
The extraordinarily big part in this warmth, though, is the relationship between the musicians. While all are obviously quite able improvisers, there's not a whole lot of jamming on this disc. That's perfectly okay. Throughout the disc, the four weave an extremely pleasing lush texture, members filling in each other's holes melodically, rhythmically, and tonally. Witness the interplay between Marshall and Bush on BT as the two of them move from the forefront of the arrangement to the back, accompanying Bell's lead. Mature minds - and hands, for that matter - are at work here.
There are definitely places where the album doesn't work, unfortunately. I mentioned multiple approaches to creating this kind of crossover. Another, almost a fall back, is to write a traditionally classical piece and let it be crossed over, as it were, simply by dint of the instrumentation of the arrangement or timbre of the instruments involved. For example, there are five duets on here between Meyer and Bell -- titled, creatively, Concert Duo, The Prequel and Concert Duo Movement(s) 1-4. Some of them - Movement 4, for example - function just fine. Others, though, seems to be trapped in the ether between two worlds: classical music with bluegrass intonations just for the hell of it. Still, it is one dull spot on an otherwise bright album.
"Diary Of A Fiddler" - Darol Anger
Compass Records 7-4275-2
by Christoper OrmanA while ago I ran across an article on Stuff Smith, a jazz violinist. Smith's dream was to create an album with only violins, no bass, no saxophones or any other "standard" jazz instrumentation. He was of the opinion that violins together could carry the percussive elements, and bass tones necessary to make a full jazz band sound. Much to our detriment, Verve records never allowed Smith the opportunity to create his dream. Still, it may be possible to gleam some insight into how it might have sounded via Darol Anger's latest release "Diary of the Fiddler".
There are some elements present in Anger's work, which naturally separate it from what Smith would have done. No question, Smith would not have tackled bluegrass, Cajun, Celtic, pop and psychedelic tunes. Thus, Anger's album is not just fulfilling Smith's vision, but it is pushing it to a logical extreme; if it can work for jazz why not all genres of music?
From the opening Meet the Teakettle the listener suddenly understands what Smith was referring to. Anger on this track is joined by Natalie MacMaster, and the two sound like a full band. Armed with a baritone violin (a violin that has thicker strings and is tuned down lower), Anger exhibits an impeccable ability to draw percussive feelings out of his strings, while at the same time carrying a deep melody (almost like a bass line). What happens is that the two fiddlers suddenly sound like two fiddles, bass and drums. Supposedly the true testament to the success of a trio are the number of layers they create. Cream, Hendrix Experience, and MMW are all praised for their ability to create the feeling of more than three people. If this is the case, what about a duo that accomplishes a similar task?
Maybe the most amazing and jaw dropping exhibition is Anger's (with Bruce Molsky) version of Jimi Hendrix's Voodoo Chile (slight return). Most listeners familiar with this tune are aware of the strange scratching noises that Hendrix gets out of his guitar. Anger, with amazing dexterity, is able to approximate the sound, all acoustically no less. Now, I am not saying that he is Hendrix on violin, but I don't think it is possible to put it past him. Another shock upon listening to Anger's version of Voodoo Chile (slight return), is once again the fullness. While I keep repeating this fact, it is done because this feature can not be commended enough. To take two violins and sound like the Hendrix Experience is something worth noting; period.
Which brings up a deserving point. E.H Gombrich wrote that he felt man often adds sounds or images that are not there but implied. So, someone staring at a painting of a city, yet one half of a building is missing, will via the brain, fill in the other half of the building. It may be these principles of interpretation that Anger and his friends are playing off of. On a constant basis, it sounds like a full band, yet it isn't. Clearly, my ears are deceived. I am either adding in the other elements, based on what I think should be there, or Anger is giving me one half of the puzzle, with my mind filling in the rest. Whatever the case it conspicuously works.
To return to the Smith argument, Anger's version here of Thelonious Monk's Bemsha Swing, may give the listener insight into what may have been Smith's end result. Anger, with Richard Greene and Michael Kott not only creates the song, but also reinvent it. When I was younger, I remember hearing a version of this song played by the Kronos Quartet. At first this track sounded like the Kronos Quartet (which left me thinking that Smith's accomplishment would have been to play music like Kronos does only forty years ahead), yet I am reminded by the fact that they did not improvise; a distinguishing matter. For jazz's main tenet is improvisation, which gives the player and listener freedom. Anger and his partners hold close to the notions and ideas of jazz. After stating the theme, they improvise within the structure, just like a swinging trio would. It may be what Smith had envisaged.
Reading a review of Gordon Stone, the reviewer made a comment about whether or not there are important artists, those that don't just play music, but become necessary and cherished by the music community. If this is true, Darol Anger is one of these musicians, and "Diary of the Fiddler" is proof. Not only is the album important, it is an enjoyable experience. Never once will the listener feel like the sound isn't full enough, or become bored. For me, it was an eye opening experience to the world of the fiddle, with the term world accentuated heavily.
"Welcome Home" - Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey
Accurate Records AC-5033
by Christopher OrmanMy hands quake with trepidation, as the words of Michel Foucault stare me in the face:
"In every society the production of discourse is at once controlled, selected, organized, and redistributed by a certain number of procedures whose role is to ward off its powers and dangers, to gain mastery over its chance events, to evade its ponderous, formidable materiality."
Suddenly I am reminded of the words of Brad Melhdau, concerning the last jazz critic who he knows for a fact refuses to understand he is in no way influenced by Bill Evans. That he believes critics are always wrong because they take into account too many biases and search too often for an answer based on social contexts; not musical movements.
The prospect of writing a review on an album like Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey's latest release "Welcome Home" leaves me in a territory that can only arouse fear. Suddenly in my hands I hold Septimus, or the plastic equivalent of Woolf's character and the ability to destroy and steal all of its freedom, to deny it its holy shroud of darkness. To remove from it its forests of strangeness, which D.H Lawrence spoke so eloquently. Instead I will try to protect "Welcome Home" here, in a hope to regain it some freedom it most certainly has lost along its arduous road of analysis and compartmentalization.
Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey has often been compared to Medeski Martin and Wood. Not a single comment could I find that did not include the two in the same sentence. Yet, one obvious problem arises: a divergence, which bares notice and decent attention. MMW tends to strike a groove. Moments of repetition and vamping get taken as improvisation by listeners with unsubtle ears, who claim it to be moments in which everyone is soloing. Sadly, few have heard Miles Davis' "Bitches Brew", which set the standard and the modus operandi for several fusion bands including Weather Report. The only way to explain the difference is to set someone down to listen to "Combustication" and "Bitches Brew". It is difficult to define, but some of the subtle points that separate are numerous layers, a call and response base between instruments and songs that are created out of spontaneous improvisations. Strong opponents of MMW can find moments that might adhere to this logic; and certainly it may "sound" like it is following this style. Yet it needs to be noted that music and art are about subtleties. A proper and succinct way to explain is that Vemeer and Rembrandt are not alike; despite their similar territoriality, Baconian principles and similar subject matter.) In this light, Jacob Fred stands closer to Miles Davis' "Bitches Brew", than to MMW.
For example, on the opening Seven Inch Six Jacob Fred's trumpet and trombone players (Kyle Wright and Matt Leland respectively), each play off of the others sounds: i.e. call and response. At the same time, Brian Haas on Rhodes plays lines that accentuate, rather than follow the leads of the horns. Layers upon layers of percussion underscore the whole formula. At the moment that the band appears to strike a noticeable groove, they suddenly act capriciously, Dostoveskian if you will, pushing the song via call and response to incomprehensible sites. Certainly, this is not the same territory which MMW operates, but rather the ephemeral lands conjured by Miles "the shaman", with his group of voodoo soloists creating paintings, not music, but art.
Some MMW fans will no doubt be hesitant to accept my analysis, pointing to Jacob Fred's track MMW as proof that this band feels it is in the same genre. In my opinion, this is just what Brad Melhdau speaks about. He plays a Thelonious Monk song and suddenly he is on equal terms to draw comparisons, no matter how crass. Maybe Jacob Fred did it as a tribute, but one listen to MMW will lead the listener to the realization that there are a plethora of subtleties at work; layers upon layers that create an indefinable experience.
To return to a comment made concerning art, that this music is art, maybe that is the only way to describe Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey's "Welcome Home" in a light which gives it freedom. Each song takes on the form of a painting rather than the banal song form. There are ebbs and flows in the songs, movements of tranquility, then flashes of crazed, maniacal noise; not unlike Pablo Picasso's "Guernica". Still, I end up in the situation of the hamster on the wheel spinning myself around endlessly. For now that I have found the equivalent to the music that emanates from my speakers, I have suddenly confined it. Is it now grasping for air, or am I still hyperventilating from Foucault's words on music? Or is it my fear that you the listener will gain little from this piece about Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey except letters and signs, resulting in something that can never replace that, which is frozen via laser on an optical disc? Probably all of the above
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