Reviewed: 2018-07-17
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none
Review: the saxophonist’s latest features Dixon fronting an all-star ensemble. Alternating between hard-hitting funk jams and soulful blues shuffles, this disc offers listeners a masterclass in groove-based jazz. On a side note: guitarist Hunter uses custom-made seven- and eight-string guitars, & developed a method of playing melodies, chords, and bass simultaneously. He then runs his guitar through a Fender Vibratone Leslie amplifier, which produces a tone eerily similar to the Hammond organ, which has a prominent feature here. When I mention organ or bass, it is really Hunter on guitar.
If You Like: Hank Crawford, Kirk Whalum, George Howard, Jimmy Smith, Trombone Shorty
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
*1/ Yo (5:45) – bass/drums start> midtempo funk jam> sax solo> midtempo jam> trombone solo> drum/bass duet> quick stop
2/ Memphis Bus Stop (5:30) – drums start> slow jam> sax solo> slow jam> guitar solo> midtempo jam> fade
*3/ Millions (5:29) – guitar starts> rocking uptempo jam> sax solo> trombone solo> uptempo jam> sax solo> uptempo jam> quick stop
*4/ California Love (6:29) – guitar with organ sound starts> slow jam, like a funeral dirge> organ solo> sax solo> slow hesitating jam slow fade
5/ San Leandro (5:15) – bass/drums start> uptempo funky jam> grooving sax solo> trombone solo> crescendo end & cymbals
*6/ Wishing Well (5:36) – gu7 builds to a midtempo funky jam with honking sax slows to slow crescendo & fades
7/ Black Mountain (4:58) – drums start> midtempo jam> sax solo> organ solo> quick fade & stop
*8/ Nag Champa (2;29) – drums start> uptempo funky jam> wailing sax solo> bass/drums duet> uptempo jam> quick stop
*9/ Flat Tire Blues (4:04) – organ starts> midtempo strutting jam> sax solo> midtempo jam> organ solo> organ/sax duet gets mellow> quick stop
*10/ 87 MPH (1:43) – organ starts quietly & fades in> rocking uptempo jam> crescendo end
11/ It Could Happen To You (2:39) – sax solo starts slow with cascading notes> slow solo & fade