Search - MVP :: Centrifugal Funk

Always in my cd player since 1991

Jazzcat | Genoa, Italy Italy | 05/26/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I can't say thanxs enough to this record and to its creators. This is an album which is always been near me and my cd player since 1991. Today it is always in my car cd charger. 12 years of enjoyment. And more to come. It means that this album is among the best purchases I did in all my life considering everything I bought. Centrifugal funk contains extremely underrated music in my opinion. Most people I know consider this album a mere unusuful display of virtuosity. Wrong. Of course virtuosity is all around in this album but the music that comes out of my speakers talks about magic. There's nothing wrong in virtuosity if the music is good. Expecially if you talk about Jazz. I consider Centrifugal funk a Jazz album. There are thousands Jazz records out there built around the concept theme/blowing choruses/theme. Why no one critizise those albums? Probably because it is cool to love those album. They are universally considered cool. It is an attitude thing. No one today consider cool an obscure hard album from the eighties, the day of long haired guitarists. Trends: there are not such stupid things as trends. The right perspective with music is history not trends. Anyway Jazz classics of course are great albums . Because the concept theme/choruses/theme is THE concept behind Jazz! Jazz is almost always based on this concept. And is a great simple concept of course. Centifugal funk has the same concept. So it is a Jazz album. and as a Jazz album should be considered and judged. Jazz fusion to be accurate because the sounds are modern, electronic sounds. Here we have synth, distorted and clean guitars, funky slapped bass, heavy drums, synth and natural sax. I mean there is not a wrong note in this entire album. Tension and inspiration are always high, there is variety, there is groove, there is a lack of any commercial hooks here. Tracks are Jazz fusion standards with funky rhythm. I don't even want to talk about the single musicians because this is a who's who of hard Jazz fusion. Shawn Lane, Frank Gambale, Brett Garsed, Jimmy Earl, Joe Heredia ... I mean, unbelievable. It is a master class in musicianship. Solos are beyond imagination, and the rhythm section can blew any other section on the planet. This is a record built around expression, not around communication as the most of jazz records are based upon. Free expression, free displays of personality through the language of music. Tracks are from Marcus Miller, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock. It is a jazz record donkey journalists!! Not a contemporary elevator record. I say this because I'm tired to read everywhere bad snob reviews of this masterpiece. Don't believe them. It is truly a gem. It deserves to be put near Steps "Smoking in the Pit" and near few other immortal fusion recordings. Sure it is a very intense listening experience. If you are not familiar with Jazz or fusion and with the language of improvisation or if you are a very easy shockable person, stay away from this nuclear record. Otherwise, find it, (it's not easy) and become like me one of its loyal defenders."