Search - Charlie Peacock :: Love Press Ex-Curio

Charlie Peacock Returns to His First Musical Love!!!

Louie Bourland | Garden Grove CA | 10/16/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Charlie Peacock is a well-respected musician and producer within the Gospel and Christian music industry working with such well known artists such as DC Talk, Audio Adrenaline, Switchfoot and Amy Grant just to name a small few as well as being a solo artist in his own right.

With his latest release "Love Press Ex-Curio" (that's short for "Love's Pressure Exhibits Curiosity"), Peacock returns to his first musical love, Jazz. With some help from such acclaimed musicians like Kirk Whalum, Ralph Alessi, Victor Wooten, Jerry McPherson and Ravi Coltrane (son of John), Charlie Peacock has undoubtedly created an excellent album of instrumental music that fuses the mainstream acoustic Jazz of the '60s with '70s style fusion and the sonics of the 21st century.

The thing that stands out overall with this album is Peacock's and the musician's groove sensibility. Nearly every track on the album has a heavy funk groove to it which is not to far from the Jazz-rock experiments of Miles Davis ala "Bitches Brew" and band's like Weather Report. The improvisations on the album are unquestionably stellar especially from trumpeter Ralph Alessi who plays on the entire album as well as those from Kirk Whalum who appears on the opening track "When Diana Dances" and Ravi Coltrane who guests on the lengthy "Super Jet Service" and the closing track "All or Nothing Grace". Peacock himself lets loose with some excellent piano work throughout the album and even has two solo piano pieces here. "Dodo's Whim" is an an almost experimental style piece while "Frank The Marxist Memorial Gong Blues" begins agressively but decelerates into an almost atmospheric mood.

"Love Press Ex-Curio" is definitely a musician's album. There are some great musicians, great arrangements and great playing throughout the entire album. Charlie Peacock has definitely come up with one of the best Jazz albums of this year. It's one of those types of albums that comes in as a breath of fresh air in the midst of an endless stream of artists copying everyone else. The music is highly unique and original and above all, it's just plain great!!!"

AllAboutJazz.com Review by Mark F. Turner

AmericanGypsy | NYC | 11/19/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Like a sound chemist, Charlie Peacock mixes acoustic jazz with electronica to create some interesting music on Love Press Ex-Curio (Love's Pressure Exhibits Curiosity). The pop and gospel Grammy-winning producer/artist now proves his passion for jazz, and the results are impressive.



The recording features a list of jazz heavies including Ralph Alessi, Joey Baron, Jeff Coffin, Ravi Coltrane, James Genus, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Roger Smith, Kirk Whalum, Victor Wooten, and others. Add the techno wizardry of Tony Miracle on laptop synths and Jerry McPherson on guitar loops and treatments, and top it off with Peacock leading the project with clever writing and solid chops on piano and various keyboards-and it all comes together in a hip and satisfying package.



The music grabs your attention with a successful marriage of technology and musicianship. Yes it's been done before, but there's some serious substance here. The fun "Be Well Johnny Cash" incorporates everything from sound effects to big horns, spaced out guitars, and expressive solos held together by an upright bass and real drums.



Peacock is also a gifted pianist who brings his skills to bear throughout the project, but he showcases the solo pieces "Frank the Marxist Memorial Gong Blues" and "Dodo's Whim" with touches of blues and free expression. There are memorable performances by all of the musicians, proving the openness of these artists to experimentation. Other highlights include the cyclonic techno swing on "London Twist N Turn," the instrumental isolation on "Longing for Lewis," and the smooth flow of "All Or Nothing Grace." This juxtaposition of idioms works well, and music fans on both sides of the electro-acoustic equation should find something to enjoy." --Mark F. Turner, AllAboutJazz.com"

Brilliant muzak

Howard D. Fisher | Ohio, United States | 02/25/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I love Charlie Peacock's music. I think the man is a brilliant musician and an incredible producer.



This instrumental-jazz album showcases some of the man's more offbeat brilliance. The songs are interesting, quirky, experimental. Unfortunately, for all their inventiveness, the songs also come across a little muzak-ish. They're great for background music while I'm doing other things, but I don't feel the urge to pop in this CD and just listen to it like I do with "Strangelanguage" or "Everything That's on My Mind."



It's great that he's experimenting and going in directions unrestricted by the Christian-pop mainstream -- that's one of the things that's always made him stand out from the uninspired throng. For musical experimentation, this album is a winner. For musical enjoyment, this one might be a tad too experimental for me."