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Smith/Goodman/Levy/Burbridge, The Stranger's Hand (51:19); TC-40052
Tone Center Records
P.O. Box P
Novato, CA 94948
Phone: 510-658-6267 (Michael Bloom, publicist)
E-mail: embee@sirius.com
Cyberhome: www.vitalinformation.com
A common shortcoming of today's chops-oriented fusion is its tendency
to playfully mimic every musical style under the sun without ever
articulating a coherent, genuine style of its own. Such is the case
with this fusion supergroup, of which drummer Steve Smith of Vital
Information and Steps Ahead is the leader. He's joined by violinist
Jerry Goodman of early Mahavishnu Orchestra fame, keyboard/harmonica
monster Howard Levy of Bela Fleck & The Flecktones, and bassist Oteil
Burbridge of Aquarium Rescue Unit and the reconstituted Allman
Brothers Band.
We're dealing with fusion of the virtuosic variety, so the
fact that the playing is flawless is unsurprising and somehow beside
the point. Burbridge's bass solos do the most for me, but that's
largely because I grow tired of the sound of heavily electrified
violin and harmonica. Funk predominates on "Brick Chicken," "Pinky's
Revenge," and the metrically dizzying "Four Four and More." Levy's
"Moonchild" is one of the more satisfying tracks, with acoustic piano
backing a nicely crafted violin melody. Best by far is "Caliente," a
samba in 7/8 featuring Levy on the refreshingly low-tech Fender
Rhodes.
Beyond that, The Stranger's Hand is a bore. "Going
Up!" is a forgettable foray into straightahead swing. Goodman's
"Glimmer of Hope" so closely resembles early Mahavishnu that it
practically constitutes a copyright violation. "Elvin" is a
predictable tribute to you-know-who, complete with Jones's trademark
slow-boiling 3/4 groove. The title track begins promisingly with
interesting sounds from Levy's pennywhistle and ocarina, but it
quickly deteriorates into trite fusion maneuvers. And "Sufferin'
Catfish," a cajun shuffle with moments of jazz waltz thrown in for no
apparent reason, is the clearest example of the aimless stylistic
patchwork to which I alluded above.
~David R. Adler
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