Search - Chester Thompson :: A Joyful Noise

Out of the Shadows

Budman | El Dorado Hills, CA United States | 06/23/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Chester Thompson has one impressive resume. Frank Zappa, Genesis, Carlos Santana, Steve Winwood, Phil Collins, Jaco Pastorius have all been more than ably backed by drummer extrodanaire Chester Thompson. One downside to backing so many diverse acts is being able to establish a sound of your own. On A Joyful Noise, Thompson attempts just that, with mixed results. No doubt, he is a skilled percussionist, but playing and writing music are two different things. Some of the tracks on A Joyful Noise are pure jazz joy, "Tropical Sunday", "So-Soka" and "Drums Are Loud" are feel-good, toe tapping cuts that survive repeated listenings. Other tracks lack a definitive sound to be tolerable for more than a few plays - the album ending version of "Amazing Grace", while tastefully done, does nothing to add to the legions of artists that have performed this old standard. I enjoy the album, but was looking for something more that gave spotlight to Thompson's kit prowess. Alas, this is a midde of the road, smooth jazz album that while pleasant enough, is not indicative of the musicianship Thompson has displayed in his previous associations."