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Tony Adamo: Was Out Jazz Zone Mad
ByIt helps immeasurably that Adamo regales such tales in the company of musicians expert in organ-guitar combo, small-club, greasy instrumental funk, led by drummer Mike Clark of (Herbie Hancock and) the Headhunters and featuring drummer Lenny White, organist Mike LeDonne, percussionist Bill Summers, guitarists Elias Lucero and Jack Wilkins, and saxophonist Donald Harrison. Their grooves are low-down and for real funky in the best possible way.
Thus inspired, Adamo's lyrical material is often magisterial. His description of saxophonist Joe "Sonic Henderson" cuts as sharp and bright and quick as lightning, and crosses from writing about jazz into writing that IS jazz: "Always diggin' into the hot-cool vocabulary of jazz to come up with notes that aren't always obvious but always fit...floating, thought-provoking sounds that were at times hard liquor jazz mixed with mad sex music..." All the while, this set's core triodrummer Clark, LeDonne on organ, and guitarist Wilkinstwist up the accompaniment in thick rhythmic knots, with Wilkins playing Melvin Sparks to LeDonne's Charles Earland in their respective solos.
"Gale Blowin' High" honors jazz activist and trumpeter Eddie Gale. Saxophone and trumpet help create a fuller, larger ensemble sound very much like late-1960s recordings by Sun Ra and his Arkestra, Pharoah Sanders or like-minded wayfarers. Exploratory solos by Harrison (suggesting Sanders on alto), Wolff (suggesting Ra on piano) and White (suggesting no one but himself) pull and poke at the edges of this tune alongside Adamo's restless vocal.
In "Too Funky to Flush," Adamo unravels the best jazz tale of them allthe story of the city of New Orleans. Standing hip deep awash in a trio groove that's as deep and broad and powerful as the mighty Mississippi River, he sings the praises of Dr. John, Professor Longhair, Irving Mayfield and other denizens of the Crescent City's musical pantheon. (A local soul food kitchen's lunch and dinner menu specials make surprisingly good lyrics, too.)
Track Listing
Rain Man; Sonic Henderson; B.B. King Blues Oh Fire; Birth Of The Cool; General T; Boogaloo The Funky Beat; Card Dealer; Gale Blowin High; To Funky To Flush; Jax Bulldog Priest; I'm Out The Door; Let The Devil Pay My Way; Fly Jump Or Die.
Personnel
Tony Adamo
vocalsMike Clark
drumsDonald Harrison
saxophone, altoBill Summers
percussionLenny White
drumsMichael Wolff
pianoRichie Goods
bassTim Ouimette
trumpetMike LeDonne
organ, Hammond B3Jack Wilkins
guitarChris Pimentel
guitarWayne DeLaCruz
organ, Hammond B3Delbert Bump
organ, Hammond B3Elias Lucero
guitarRoger Smith
organ, Hammond B3Kyron Kirby
drumsAlbum information
Title: Was Out Jazz Zone Mad | Year Released: 2018 | Record Label: Ropeadope Records
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Clark Herbie Hancock Headhunters Lenny White Mike LeDonne Bill Summers Jack Wilkins Donald Harrison Charles Earland Eddie Gale Sun Ra Arkestra Pharoah Sanders Dr. John Professor Longhair