Compass Records
It must be difficult for Jeff Coffin. In almost any other band, his prowess on
a variety of reed instruments would propel him into a leadership role. But in
Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, he's surrounded by three other supremely
gifted musicians and rarely gets the praise he should be garnering.
With the Mu'tet, Coffin gets to run the show. The group consists of Coffin on
saxophones (tenor, alto and soprano), clarinet and flutes, Tom Giampietro on
drums and percussion, Chris Walters on piano and accordion and Derek Jones on
bass, but are joined by a special guest on nearly every track.
The Mu'Tet is a contemporary jazz ensemble that charters a vast terrain of
music. There's the middle-eastern influence of the opening Intro/Tuesday's
Waterloo where the six string viola of Tracy Silverman provides a great foil
to Coffin's soprano and tenor work. Tall and Lanky is throttled by a New
Orleans second-line parade beat and is the funkiest track on the disc.
Playin’ the Worm is traditional modern jazz in the John Coltrane-to-Branford Marsalis continuum. The group’s diversity is its biggest asset.
Coffin is regal when playing ballads. His blowing is monumental on the simple
melody of Zuleikka. He’s equally triumphant on As in the Beginning,
possibly the strongest tune on the disc, and Only Love, a dedication to his
wife.
The influence of Ornette Coleman and Dewey Redman is evident on Coffin's
compositions, which are solid. However, the disc would benefit from the
familiarity factor of a standard or two.
"Go-Round" is solid proof that there's so much more to modern jazz than the
lite stuff aimed at pop-radio audiences. It's also a strong testament to
Coffin's abilities, which lie somewhat hidden in the Flecktones.
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