NOVEMBER 1998
Four kernels = hot buttered and fresh.
Three Kernels = hits the spot.
Two Kernels = nothing special.
One Kernel = stale stuff.
Spajazzy
(Self-produced)1/2
Genre: Jazz Fusion
Yellowjackets - Club Nocturne
(Warner Brothers 7599 47031 2)
Genre: Jazz Fusion
Spajazzy
There's a characteristic East Coast fusion sound -- a rugged blend of bop, funk, blues and rock -- that reflects the grandeur, grit and bustle of New York, Philadelphia and Boston. Mike Stern is a leading proponent of this brawny urban sound, which is markedly different from the sunny pop-jazz generated by West Coast fusioneers.Spajazzy is a new fusion outfit heavily influenced by this East Coast sound, and by Stern in particular. Funny thing about Spajazzy, its leaders do not hail from the cold Northeast, or even the United States.
Here's a hint: the name Spajazzy is derived from the word "spaghetti."
Yes, drummer Sergio Bellotti and bassist Tino D'Agostino are natives of Italy, but both attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston. These two talented amici are largely unknown in the States, but they deserve to become much better known based on the depth of this debut release. Their dynamic 55-minute CD also features guitar wizard Stern on three tracks, Berklee guitar professor Jim Kelly on four, Greg Burk on piano, Bill Vint on saxophone, and Patric Andren on keyboards.
The latter two musicians also play in the Sean Driscoll Group, a gifted ensemble whose second album Islands I reviewed in August. Spajazzy's debut is equally impressive, though its sound is far more boisterous. Aside from mellow interpretations of "Someday My Prince Will Come" and Bruno Martino's "Estate," this is chunky, angular, guitar-driven fusion that packs a powerful punch.
Stern fans will love this CD. Bellotti is a powerhouse drummer in the Dennis Chambers-Peter Erskine mold, while D'Agostino's work on electric bass seems influenced by Jaco Pastorius. The latter is a respected full-time jazz teacher, while Bellotti taught at Berklee even before he graduated. Vint also impresses with sax chops that compare favorably to East Coast blowers Bob Berg and Michael Brecker.
The three tracks with Stern are as good as anything he's done on his own releases. D'Agostino's "Son Finite Le Vergini" is a complex exercise in funky bop. Kelly's "Mr. Stern" is a funky-bluesy number that features a scintilating Stern solo. Vint's "Better Left Unsaid" is a majestic anthem that gathers steam as it progresses and showcases the saxophonist's clever blowing and Stern's sinewy guitar.
The other four tracks are equally engaging. "Estate" has a samba-like vibe, while Kelly's "Blue Caboose" is a loose blues jam featuring hot solos by every player. Bellotti's turn on the drum set is particularly explosive. "Six For Costas" has Vint establishing the melodic theme, Kelly delivering a fiery solo, and D'Agostino and Bellotti building the foundation with some elaborate polyrhythms. D'Agostino shows his lyrical side on "Someday My Prince Will Come," while Bellotti decorously dusts his skins.
After they hear Spajazzy, fusion fans will be shouting "Bravo!" and "Encore!" The CD can be ordered for $10 through the Spajazzy Web site, or by phoning 1-800-711-3627.
Yellowjackets - Club Nocturne
Ever since saxophonist Bob Mintzer joined the Yellowjackets in 1990, the band has been edging closer and closer to the jazz mainstream. Fortunately the 'jackets haven't foresaken the melodicsm that's been their hallmark for 17 years. Club Nocturne delivers jazzy bop, angular fusion, gospel, New Orleans second-line rhythms, smooth vocals, lush ballads and airy soundscapes. Every cut on this CD is appealing, but the ballads are especially fetching.The Yellowjackets have worked with a number of singers in the past, including Brenda Russell, Take 6, Michael Franks and Bobby McFerrin. Club Nocturne contains four collaborations with vocalists, and all are outstanding. The quartet provides beautiful accompaniment on two tracks featuring scat hipster Kurt Elling, one with South African singer-guitarist Jonathan Butler, and one with LA songstress Brenda Russell.
"Even the Pain" is a moving soul ballad sung in fervent fashion by Butler, who lends the song an African undertone. Elling penned "Up From New Orleans," a tune that's both a lesson in jazz history and a playful excursion in second-line bop. Elling also wrote the lyrics to Mintzer's "All is Quiet," a gorgeous impressionistic ballad. Russ Ferrante's keyboard atmospherics lend an orchestral quality to this cut, and also to my favorite vocal track, Russell's "Love and Paris Rain," a dreamy piece featuring Russell's graceful voice and a dulcet solo by Mintzer.
The instrumental tracks are equally effective. Spirit of the West is one of those spacious heartland-jazz concoctions that the Yellowjackets handle so effectively. "The Evening News" combines funk with bop and features some adroit syncopations by drummer Will Kennedy and funky support from bassist Jimmy Haslip. My favorite cut is "Twilight for Nancy," a lucid aural-painting of nightfall.
Ferrante's distinctive piano and Mintzer's soprano and tenor saxes lead the way on the instrumental tracks. Ferrante's electric keyboards are subtle and airy throughout, and they form the core of the Yellowjackets' characteristic sound.
Over the course of 14 albums, the Yellowjackets have gravitated from radio friendly rhythm-and-jazz to modern electric jazz that's more bop than pop. They continue to explore new creative territory while generating music that's both accessible and substantive. Club Nocturne is a mellow but captivating effort.
