December 2000

Ron Braggs Bassology
Imagination
Reckless DC

By Harvey Siders

First of all, the piano is out of tune. Sadly, so is singer Ron Braggs. The studio at New Haven University can correct the former; the latter is more difficult. Bottom line: this effort to present a cross section of a dozen good standards is seriously flawed. Were it not for the efforts of saxophonist Will Bartlett and pianist Noah Baerman, the project would be a total wash. Braggs is an adequate drummer (wonder why he calls his group Bassology?) and has well-intentioned vocal ideas, but he lacks the chops to realize them.