CD Review: John Funkhouser - Still.

John Funkhouser (pno); Phil Sargent (gtr); Greg Loughmans (bs); Mike Connors (dms); Aubrey Johnson (voice).

(Review by Lance)

Funkhouser is well named! Not that this is a funk album but he displays all the qualities of a funkster i.e. drive, dancy (at times), rocky with a touch of Indian Raga to spice things up. 

Complex rhythms, deep soulful moments, rock and passion and sensitivity. He explores many genres but the jazz element is always there.

At times it's like a syncopated Czerny study whilst at other times it's a beautiful ballad with a tenderness totally in tune with his interpretation of Rodgers and Hart's My Romance. After Loughmans' bass solo, Funkhouser plays a beautiful solo that could have been by Bill Evans, but was very much his own.

Then there's The House of the Rising Sun. The melody's stated by Loughmans' bass then taken up by the pianist. It's a dark, introspective mood accentuated by Loughmans once more moving (just) out of the shadows. Although it's melancholic, it gradually builds up in intensity with a groove perpetuated by Connors. Alan Price might even have approved - maybe not!

I think Monk may have liked the take on Little Rootie Tootie which has nice guitar work by Sargent.

Leda has Aubrey Johnson using her voice wordlessly to create an atmospheric mood. Who was Leda? Was she a Greek goddess? I seem to think she was. In my youthful shipyard days (by the way Sting I'm available for technical advice) I worked on a boat called Leda - a passenger vessel on the North Shields-Bergen run. As the other boats of the line were Venus and Jupiter I guess Leda was part of their celestial clique - you really wanted to know that! What you do need to know is that Ms Johnson has vocal qualities that are worthy of a goddess! I don't know why I delayed reviewing this - the loss was all mine!

John Funkhouser - Still is available on Jazsyzygy Records.

Lance.

PS: I love the booklet statement "Unauthorised duplication is morally dubious at best, and may be hazardous to your Karma."

Well, I don't want anyone messing with my Karma so if you want to hear samples go to www.johnfunkhouser.com.