December 1999

Kali Z. Fasteau
Camaraderie
Flying Note Records

By Ron Welburn

Camaraderie features two bands: Fasteau and Bobby Few with percussionist Michael Wimberly; Fasteau and Noah Howard with Warren Smith, Joe McPhee, and the under-recorded pianist Sonelius Smith (this music doesn't showcase his talents very well) who generate collective excitement on "Transpersonal" and the playful "Bayou Dream." Here and on "Tender Optimism" the tenor in the soundscape and Sonelius' more romantic inclinations help their tracks build within a disciplined spontaneity.