Grooves
December 2003 By John Murph
Electrojazz at Club Blue Note
George V
Perhaps one of the most dated sounding jazz/hip-hop projects of late is Electrojazz at Club Blue Note (George V), mixed by Ravin and Carlos Campos. The two opening tracks, Helmut Hattler's "New I.D. (preMX)" and Break 4 Jazz's "Break 4 Jazz," sport canned...
December 2003 By John Murph
Center:Level:Roar
Ozone
The Youngblood Brass Band, which hails out of Wisconsin, not the Crescent City, has been making considerable noise with their lively blend of rap with New Orleans second-line groove. Led by sousaphonist Nat McIntosh, Youngblood gives up the funk, remarkably...
December 2003 By John Murph
Is This a Machine?
Bean Pie
Gnappy boasts such an energetic, infectious, groove-driven vibe that it's easy to ignore their compositional shortcomings. On their new CD, Is This a Machine? (Bean Pie), Gnappy deliver that type of high-octane funk you'd want to hear at an outdoor festival...
December 2003 By John Murph
Apothecary Rx
Giant Step Records
In the late-'90s, spoken word artist Carl Hancock Rux was hailed in some corners as one of the most important new artists, one who would help usher in the new century. He's made some noise here and there but has yet to deliver on the promise. His sophomore...
July/August 2002 By Tony Green
1995
Live!
Fuzelicious Morsels
The Screaming Headless Torsos, a terribly destructive five piece fronted by outre ax slinger Dave Fiuczynski, is considerably more edgy-compositionally and improv-wise-than your average rock-funk-fusion band. That's one reason their two recent discs-one...
July/August 2002 By Tony Green
Interplanetary Funk
Angel Magic Music
In this cybergroove era, A.J. Love's funk can't really be termed spatial, despite the title of his latest, Interplanetary Funk (Angel Magic Music). In fact, this is a fairly lo-fi slice of guitar-centered rock-jazz blowing. While Love's metallic wah-wah...
July/August 2002 By Tony Green
Live Encounter
First World Music
The Trey Gunn Band's Live Encounter (First World) is a guitarist's dream group-three guitarists and one percussionist/drummer, manned by stringsmen who are savvy and skilled enough to make the lack of a bassist and keyboardist seem positively moot. This...
July/August 2002 By Tony Green
Jing Chi
Tone Center
Robben Ford comes to fusion by way of the blues, which partially explains why Ford, Vinnie Colaiuta and Jimmy Haslip's Jing Chi (Tone Center) is easier on the ears than a lot of guitar-led fusion efforts. Ford walks a tasteful line between the two spheres...
July/August 2002 By Tony Green
Split Decision
Magna Carta Records
As the frontman for the seminal Dixie Dregs, Steve Morse has been in the fusion game longer than some of his more youthful contemporaries have been alive. And after more than two decades on the scene, his playing maintains its distinctive rock/country edge...
July/August 2002 By Tony Green
Show 'Em Where You Live
Intuition Music
Vital Information is guitar shredmeister Frank Gambale and drummer Steve Smith with bassist Baron Browne and keyboard monster Tom Coster. Gambale has a cleaner, more boppish tone with Vital Information than he does in some other more rock-oriented projects...
