March 2010 Music Reviews
Branford Marsalis Quartet
Braggtown
Rounder Select Japan
Sometimes you just have to wait for good things to happen. In the case of this release by the Marsalis family iconoclast, it has only been about three years, more than enough time for the sound to simmer and reach its savoury prime so that the listener derives maximun aural pleasure. Braggtown offers up another helping of the rich, distinctive, post-bop fusion that has helped elevate Branford Marsalis to that tier of the jazz world that only the best inhabit. With a powerful, never-derivative assortment of musical influences that bring together various strains of jazz, funk, swing, classical (a dynamic re-interpretation of Purcell’s “O Solitude”), and even a dash of offbeat nativist soul (“Black Elk Speaks”), Marsalis continues to explore the themes drawn from the vagaries of everyday life that make his work so compelling. It’s not always easy listening; while the opening track “Jack Baker” steams ahead with an obvious Coltrane-style delivery, a couple of tracks, most notably “Blackzilla” and “Fate” reach almost to the edge of discordance—although they never quite step over the line. This is due in no small part to the rhythm section keeping it all together in a tight, confident manner, with Jeff Watts especially solid on the drums. Serious jazz, and a total listening experience.
Audiosauce
Soul Fiesta
Tempest Recordings
No, not Audioslave…Audiosauce! This is the third and latest album from Wellington, New Zealand musician Miles Tilly who follows up Divercity, his well-received debut from 2002, and Continental Drift (2004) with a more kaleidoscopic take on a wide range of styles and sub-genres nestled in the bosom of the electronic scene. While one could quibble over the exact terminology, it’s certainly possible to allude to the elements of trip-hop, ambient, nu-jazz, and drum and bass, now combined with a latin/jazz infusion to produce a heady brew of contemporary electronica. Coming from “windy Wellington,” it seems appropriate that this album blows forth with gusts of fresh sounds and beats that provide even more evidence (if any were needed) of the artistic vibrancy of the current NZ music scene. “Afrosambossa” opens the album with a punchy, infectious thump, and things just keep hopping from there. With all tunes around six minutes in length, the listener gets to delve deep into the rhythm and let go. “Stereotypical,” “El Verano del Alma,” and “Lady Counter” are all faves, but any listener is sure to find even more to enjoy. Keeping the vibe alive, indeed!
Ronnie Earl & Duke Robillard
The Duke Meets the Earl
Stony Plain Records
Stony Plain Music–out of Edmonton, Canada, no less–has long been one of the finest purveyors of blues music anywhere. They have kept the faith and continue to support and promote some of the finest names in the genre long after the big boys of music production have left the field. This resilience is once again epitomized by the release of The Duke Meets the Earl, an album that catches two of the genre’s finest electric blues exponents working their mojo oh-so-well as Jimmy McGriff sits in on a Hammond B-3. Right from the get-go, with the tasty Texas blues of “West Side Shuffle,” the listener gets on board the blues train for a ride smack dab into the heart of the genre. Another thing that sets this album apart from many of its contemporaries is the extended length of the compositions, which serves not only to provide a delightful feast of guitar prowess, but also allows both players to express themselves in a more fulsome manner. Both men are longtime friends from the New England blues scene and often played together in Boston and Cambridge; their familiarity shines through on every track. With outstanding re-workings of blues classics from artists like T-Bone Walker, Walter Price and Eddie Taylor, as well as Ronnie Earl’s powerful and haunting “A Soul That’s Been Abused” as benchmarks, there’s not a sub-par tune on the album. Outstanding stuff!
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