Rhodes Ahead is an album that slipped out late last year with little American promotion. Seems Cary was afraid the jazz police would fire at him for daring to dabble in drum ‘n’ bass and Fender Rhodes fusion. He need not worry; Rhodes Ahead is a fine effort, in the mold of LTJ Bukem and other ambient dance artists, with more than a touch of Thrust-era Herbie Hancock. Mateen helps out on bass and Roy Hargrove even adds some syrupy vocals on one track that prove that as a singer he’s a great trumpeter.
Still, appreciate Rhodes Ahead for what it is: another compelling side to Cary’s multifaceted musical personality. May he continue to be so fruitfully schizophrenic.
Marc Cary: Rhodes Ahead: Volume One
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