Michael Feinberg (Bass/ Bass guitar); Godwin Louis (Alto);
Billy Buss (Tpt); Julian Shore (Pno);
Terreon Gully (dms); Jacob Deacon (Gtr on 1 track).
(Review by Dave Brownlow).
This album
offers us a “Glimpse of Jazz’s Future” featuring six original compositions by
bassist/composer Michael Feinberg (who also leads The Elvin Jones Project in the
U.S.) played by an up and coming group of young musicians on the New York scene.
The opener, Tutuola is based on a relentless motif –
the energetic solos, driven by explosive drummer Gully, hover around a repeated
single-note bass pedal point. Puncher’s
Chance is built around a bass-led ostinato where the alto and trumpet seem
to trade phrases as boxers trade punches. Pianist Shore
But the Sound is a longer
three-part suite moving to and from extremes of mood. It starts quietly and
atmospherically out-of-tempo with challenging harsh harmonies. The middle
section has the trumpet and alto improvising solos together clashing with many
dissonances. This leads to pleasant flowing alto and piano solos followed by a
reprise of the out-of-tempo section to conclude.
Duckface is a blues with
altered chord changes which joyfully charges along in a “down-home” groove with
heated solos from alto and trumpet. A ballad, Untitled 2 follows – again constructed from a bass-led figure. This
features gentle solos from Shore and guitarist Deacon who appears on this one
track.
Finally the
title track Humblebrag is reminiscent
of some of Miles Davis’s early electric-fusion work. Following the theme
statement, there is a fine “Jarrett-esque” piano interlude and a melodic
bass-guitar solo leading to a final out-chorus well thrashed by drummer Gully.
As you can
imagine in a bassist-led album, the sound of the bass is well to the fore in
the sonic mix. This is a useful thing for the listener, as it helps one to
focus on “where you are” in the structure of the pieces and the solos.
Due out on May 6,
“Humblebrag” is available at Amazon.com, iTunes and at www.humblebrag_band.com
Dave B.
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