Brownman Electryc Trio
Gravitation
Browntasauras
Records
(Contemporary Jazz)
4
out of 5
In
their second CD, and first studio album, Brownman Ali and his “electryc” trio
serve up some of the funkiest, forward thinking jazz which pays respect to past
innovators like Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, and Donald Byrd, while pushing
jazz into present and future tenses through its hip hop, funk, and Latin
influences.
On
paper, it may not seem much when a trio has a trumpet player, a bass player and
a drummer without any chordal support.
But when Brownman adds a few electric pedals, the bass to double on
chords, and a dose of high energy, it is a band which has a fuller, rounded
sound that is completely and distinctly their own.
The
CD opens off with three standards, Harry
Warren’s “There Will Never Be Another You”, Tadd Dameron’s “Lady Bird” and
Herbie Hancock’s “Cantaloupe Island”, being taken and transformed into intriguing
and different directions by the electric trio. “There Will Never Be Another You” is
treated with a funk backdrop that will get present day music lovers grooving to
a tried tested and true song. “Lady
Bird”, starts off with a sample of Miles Davis introducing the tune from an old
recording before giving a present day funk treatment that brings bebop to the
present day. “Cantaloupe Island” is
given quite the workout through intense soloing by Brownman, bassist Tyler
Emond (out of six featured in the CD) and trading between drummer Colin
Kingsmore.
This
CD also showcases Brownman’s skills as a challenging composer through using odd
time signatures not usually employed in funk settings. For instance, “Chocalet Citeh” uses a 7/4
time signature which provides some intense rhythms and solos while making it
pretty groovy and danceable for the average listener. One of my favourites of the album, the
aptly titled “Catholic School Girls” infuses complexity, intensity, and
electronic wizardry admist a 10/8 backdrop and hip hop sampling.
“Gravitation”
is a jazz CD that definitely has something for everyone who loves forward
thinking jazz and tight grooves. For
the jazz aficionado, the standards and compositions are a breath of fresh air
to show that jazz is an art form that is ever evolving and growing from every
year that passes by. Brownman breathes
new life and personality into the jazz idiom, maintaining a voice that is
uniquely fresh and uniquely his own as a result of this highly exciting and
enthralling release. Thanks to people
like Brownman, jazz in the 21st century is moving forward and going
stronger as time goes on.
OFFICIAL BROWNMAN WEB SITE:
(Brownman Electryc Trio Performing "Irrational Funktions")
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