Recorded live in the studio, all but one of the tracks are written by locals (John Key, the New Loungehead's Godfrey DeGrut, chart-topper Martin Winch among them) or expats (Dave McRae, four from Alan Broadbent).
They formed the set which this long-running outfitplayed at an international association of jazz educators in Chicago in January 97. And helpfully, charts are also available for most of the tracks.
Good idea, and good music, too.
Fox's big-hearted Where's What sets up a walking blues bass line and leaves things wide open for Andrew Baker's brusque baritone, Fox's muted trombone and Brian Henderson's swinging piano.
Martin Winch's offering is a bright Latin bounce dedicated to trumpeter Claudio Roditi which allows Fox and DeGrut's soprano plenty of clear sky ahead.
Broadbent ambitiously orchestrates The Long White Cloud with daring density, texture and not a little majesty which gives way to Chris White's relaxed tenor.
Some musical distances travelled here, too. Broadbent's Love in Silent Amber sounds straight off a romantic soundtrack from the late 50s and Steve Sherriff's Scream is a punchy off-beat slice of 70s funk.
The brash intensity which Fox used to drive his bands is notably absent and the whole sounds better for the more personable, fatter approach to fine compositions.* * *
MEDESKI MARTIN & WOOD
Combusticatiod
(Blue Note/EMI)
Here's half a very good album from a jazz trio who have previously been prime figures in the Hammond-is-hip movement.
The better half, regrettably, comes after much studio-noodle of the kind any self-respecting jazz musician -- or record company for that matter -- would have the dignity to reject.
Half-baked musical ideas are no better for a little gratuitous scratching and sampling. Or some sub-Waitsean clank'n'ambience on Nocturne.
Get past that, if you can be bothered, and you'll find increasing interest in some quirky Hammond organ and handclaps (Hey-Hee-Hi-Ho), a try-too-hard evocation of the bebop spirit through a spoken word track with Steve Cannon which simply peters out.
Their tentative move into free jazz should take their clubland audience with them (Latin Shuffle), an aimless attempt at a soulful reworking of Sly Stone's Everyday People and the addictive funk-lite Coconut Boogaloo. Church of Logic is amusingly minimal, No Ke Ano Ahiahi mock-Hawaiian and finally the slightly psychedelic
