November 2007

James Carney Group
Green-Wood
Songlines

By Forrest Dylan Bryant

The eight compositions presented here are meticulously crafted but hard to pin down, passing through an eclectic series of modernist riffs and unusual grooves, funky rhythms and moody meditations. Pianist/keyboardist Carney and a crack team of improvisers glide easily between themes and take small diversions into free playing, but it all sounds precisely plotted and thoroughly rehearsed. That it is neither is a testament to both the band’s skill and the cohesion underlying Carney’s expansive vision.