Stanley Clarke: 1,2, To The Bass (2003)

Philadelphia-born bassist Stanley Clarke is a first-generation fusionist who burst on the scene with Return to Forever in the '70s. From then to now, he recorded a number of critically-acclaimed recordings that encompassed jazz, rock, r&b, and funk with George Duke, Al DiMeola, and Lenny White. On this CD, Clarke is joined by Duke, guitarist Joe Satriani, saxophonist Everette Harp, flautist Hubert Laws, violinist Dr. L Subramaniam, and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta. The title track features the hip-hop contributions of Q-Tip, while "Just Cruzin'" is Clarke's straight-ahead, piccolo bass shout to Wes Montgomery. "I Shall Not Be Moved" is a spiritual piece co-produced by Quincy Jones, featuring Oprah Winfrey reciting lines from a Maya Angelou poem. But "About the Bass" is Clarke's eight-minute long tour-de-force where he reminds everybody, in no uncertain terms, that he's still king of the lower frequencies. --Eugene Holley, Jr.

Tracklist:
1. 1, 2, To the Bass (featuring Q-Tip) 5:57  
2. Simply Said 4:34  
3. Where Is The Love (featuring Glenn Lewis & Amel Larrieux) 4:06
4. Anna (She Loves The Good Life) 5:01
5. Los Caballos (The Horses) 4:41 
6. Just Cruizin' 4:26 
7. 'Bout the Bass 7:32 
8. Hair 5:14
9. Touch 6:03  
10. Todos Los Ninos (All the Children) 4:57 
11. I Shall Not Be Moved 6:37 
12. Shanti, Peace, Paz 5:53
Personnel:
Stanley Clarke – Electric Bass, Acoustic Bass, Tenor Bass, Piano, Vocals
Q-Tip - Spoken Word, Co-producer (track #1)
John "J.R." Robinson - Drums
Doug Webb - Saxophone
Michael Hart Thompson - Guitar
Amel Larrieux - Vocals
Reggie C. Young - Trombone
Myron McKinley - Keyboards
Oprah Winfrey - Spoken Word
Gerry "The Gov" Brown - Drums
Glenn Lewis - Vocals
Doctor L. Subramaniam - Violin
James Earl - Bass
Vinnie Colaiuta - Drums
Reggie Hamilton - Bass
Everette Harp - Saxophone, Sax (Soprano), Sax (Alto)
Michael Hunter - Trumpet
Paul Jackson, Jr. - Guitar
Bob Leatherbarrow - Vibraphone
Armand Sabal-Lecco - Bass
Joe Satriani - Guitar
George Duke - Keyboards, Wurlitzer
Hubert Laws - Flute
Dre and Vidal – Co-producer (track #3)
Quincy Jones – Co-producer (track #11)
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Danny Gottlieb: Aquamarine (1987)

For a while there in the late 1980s there was a short-lived fusion comeback. The Chick Corea Electrik Band was having some success. The new Mahavishnu band was attracting attention. Musicians such as saxophonist Bill Evans, drummer Dennis Chambers, keyboardist Clifford Carter, bassist Mark Egan and others began to develop a following. Guitarist Allan Holdsworth was making a mark. Soon, however, the record companies clamped down on any creativity coming from this branch of jazz in favor of the now burgeoning "smooth jazz" movement. (Pardon me; I need a moment to gag.) Recording contracts and promotional funds evaporated faster than a bubble on a gas burner.

Danny Gottlieb was among those shortchanged by this corporate attitude. Gottlieb had been part of the very popular Pat Metheny Group and later the reformed Mahavishnu. Along with his musical partner, the wonderful bassist Mark Egan, he had formed the very impressive band Elements. Unfortunately, Aquamarine became one of his few bites of the apple. It is nonetheless a delicious bite.

An infectious semi-Caribbean percussive riff opens the title cut, which is a pleasing ballad powered by the sailing guitar synthesizer of John Abercrombie, Doug Hall's keyboards and Gottlieb's backbeat. Its beautiful melody even makes "Aquamarine" a potential smooth jazz vehicle. (Pardon me; I need another moment to gag.) Luckily, thanks to the players' advanced improvising, that terrible fate does not befall this memorable melody, and in time the ingratiating opening riff returns to keep everything afloat. This isn't deep-sea diving. But a little scuba in the coral reef can make for an exciting outing. The rest of the album ain't chum either.

Tracklist:
1. Aquamarine 
2. Monterey 
3. The Aviary 
4. Alaska 
5. Waterfall 
6. Being 
7. Duet 
8. Upon A Time. 
9. Peace Of Mind 

Personnel: Danny Gottlieb (drums), Doug Hall (keyboards, rhythm guitar), John Abercrombie (guitar synthesizer), Cafe (percussion), John McLaughlin, Steve Khan, Joe Satriani, Jeff Mironov (guitars), Mark Egan (bass), Mitchel Forman (keyboards), Bill Evans (sax), Dave Samuels (vibraphone)

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Sonny Landreth: Elemental Journey (2012)

Sonny Landreth is known for his brilliant Mississippi and Louisiana-styled slide guitar playing, and he's a pretty good songwriter as well, and he can sing just fine, and he has a strong sense of place and purpose, and he knows how to play the blues. But most of all, Landreth plays guitar, and he does it so elegantly and gracefully that it becomes a voice of its own. Elemental Journey is Landreth's 11th solo album, and it's his first all-instrumental outing, and folks, this isn't a blues album. It's a wonderfully bright, woven mesh of blues, strings, rock, zydeco, country, reggae, and jazz that shifts and turns and builds within each track, and all of it fits seamlessly together like a huge musical quilt made for guitar heaven. Track after track surprises and amazes here, from the opening "Gaia Tribe," which features guest Joe Satriani on guitar, through the stirring "Heavy Heart Rising" and the joyous "Wonderide" and "Passionola" (this one features Eric Johnson on guitar) to the Caribbean shuffle of "Forgotten Story," complete with steel drums from Robert Greenidge. Members of the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra are here, too, and the touches of violins, cellos, and violas that appear and fade appropriately throughout these tracks keep everything fresh, and there's always some new guitar line coming in. This is a wonderfully bright album, stirring and impressive. This man can play guitar, and while his one-of-a-kind slide playing may always be his bread and butter, he shows clearly in these tracks that he can play the instrument in a thousand different ways. This isn't a typical Landreth album by any means, at least not to date, but it is one of his best.

Tracklist:
01. Sonny Landreth - Gaia Tribe (5:09)
02. Sonny Landreth - For You And Forever (4:03)
03. Sonny Landreth - Heavy Heart Rising (4:03)
04. Sonny Landreth - Wonderide (3:33)
05. Sonny Landreth - Passionola (5:23)
06. Sonny Landreth - Letting Go (3:24)
07. Sonny Landreth - Elemental Journey (4:10)
08. Sonny Landreth - Brave New Girl (4:59)
09. Sonny Landreth - Forgotten Story (3:35)
10. Sonny Landreth - Reckless Beauty (3:25)
11. Sonny Landreth - Opening Sky (3:50)
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[Re-Up] Chikenfoot: III (2011)

The sophomore effort, with the sophomoric title, Chickenfoot III, shows this super group, in the words of Sammy Hagar’s buddy, Chef Emeril Lagasse, kicking it up a notch. While the band, which features Hagar, along with guitar wizard Joe Satriani, bass player Michael Anthony and Red Hot Chili Pepper’s drummer Chad Smith, did well enough with their debut album to earn a Gold album for sales of over a half a million copies, they should go platinum this time around.

The album features better music, guitar solos and, yes, even lyrics, which was one of the major knocks on the first effort.

The band are still having a ton of fun and rocking their balls off, but they are very serious about the music they are pumping out. While the first album still had the stink of ‘experiment’ and ‘getting to know each other’, musically, this one fits like a glove. Chickenfoot are a band and this album proves that this is more than just a weekend recreation for the four talented musicians.

Tracklist:
1. Last Temptation
2. Alright, Alright
3. Different Devil
4. Up Next
5. Lighten Up
6. Come Closer
7. Three and a Half Letters
8. Big Foot
9. Dubai Blues
10. Something's Gone Wrong
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