Cory Wong (Guitar); Kevin Gastonguay
(Keyboards); Yohannes Tona (Bass); Petar
Janjic (Drums).
(Review by Steve H)
Foreign Motion is a band formed and led by
guitarist, New York Minnesota Ethiopia
and drummer, Petar Janjic, from Serbia
The album kicks off with the self explanatory The Funk Underground giving us a great
feel for what this band is all about.
Until It Falls is a mellow piano led number. The bass of Tona takes over
for The U N Assembly a real
funkadelic number. This is followed by Ellie,
my favourite track on the album, a beautiful central melody accompanied by some storming backing which
had me leaping around the kitchen with joy. Kaleidiscope,
another appropriately named song,
conjures up the multi layered effects of
its title. Drift has a gentle
guitar intro and is a very elegant melodic piece. Kings, unlike its mellow predecessor, is an energetic burner with
guitar, bass and drums all letting loose with gay abandon before Gastonguay
injects some funky electronics into the mix but it is the percussion
that rules on this one. Pass The Plate is a straight ahead jazz
number. Rise Above reminds me of Chic
Corea’s Return to Forever group of the 70’s, Tona’s bass echoing that of the great Stanley Clarke some 30
years ago. One is a slow soothing
almost classical piece building gently and atmospherically before bowing out in
an equal and opposite direction. Flee
is a strident uplifting rumbustious effort. The final and title track In Flight is also the shortest piece
which takes the listener out in an uptempo manner.
This debut album is thoroughly enjoyably. The original compositions are top quality and
the playing by all band members ebullient. I look forward to future offerings
from this outfit and imagine they would be even better seen live
Steve H.
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