Warren Wolf/Wolfpac - RAW

[JSngry]

http://cdbaby.com/cd/wolfpacmusic

http://www.dustygroove.com/item.php?id=x7g...p;ref=index.php

I did not really care for Mr. Wolf's previous album (Japan-only), outstanding playing but it was so "classic" that it didn't speak to me in terms of anything other than "product". My problem, not theirs.

but THIS one....

Ok, a few things are still kinda "classic" in tone, but they are few and they are not dominant. the rest is...well, it's like, if I have a chance to hear someth9ing before buying, as I did this one, the deciding factor for me if all else fails is whether or not I already have something in the archives that gives me the same thing. And this one, musically, is kinda reminiscent of those Cindy Blackman Muse sides of a while back, only with a few degrees more separation from a Tony Williams obsession (not necessarily a BAD thing, I'm just sayin'...), BUT what I got out of this that I don't have, couldn't have anywhere else is a sense of personality, personal energy, personal stories being told, albeit in a relatively older format. Hey, if you speak, SPEAK, and these folks SPEAK!

There IS an occasional Rhodes, btw. For some that's a deal breaker, but AFAIC, with this much WHOOOOOOSH going on, you NEED that fatness underneath it. I wish the whole thing had Rhodes!

Anyway - good stuff from some largely unfamiliar, younger names. Check 'em out & show 'em some love,

Edited May 24, 2009 by JSngry

[JSngry]

Up, for the power of conviction.

[funkogre]

Sounds like a cool CD. This guy is also in the new Christian McBride Quintet.

from Mack Avenue.com:

"In 2009, the 36-year-old, Grammy Award-winning McBride will make new strides on a variety of artistic fronts. He will issue his debut album for Mack Avenue Records Kind of Brown, with his new acoustic quintet Inside Straight, with pianist Eric Reed, vibraphonist Warren Wolf, alto saxophonist Steve Wilson and drummer Carl Allen. The album-his seventh as a leader-was recorded at the historic Fantasy Studio in Berkeley, Calif. in September 2008 and will be released on June 16, 2009.

McBride's new quintet was formed in June 2007 as a result of the bassist playing the Village Vanguard in New York for the first time in 10 years. While the group played material from McBride's earlier albums, the chemistry was right for future endeavors, including an appearance at the Monterey Jazz Festival in September 2008 shortly before the recording. "When we played at the Vanguard, everyone raved about the show," says McBride. "I had no intention of forming a future working band, but people kept telling me that the group had to be documented."

..."I was not interested in signing an old, classic recording contract," he said. "But Mack Avenue made it clear that it was not only excited about me joining its family of artists, but also wanted to give me the freedom to be creative and explore new models of distribution, which would be beneficial to both parties."

Kind of Brown will not only be released on CD and digitally, but it will also be released on vinyl and high-resolution 24-bit 96KHz digital downloads, both firsts for Mack Avenue.

The new quintet, which has only played at the Vanguard, Monterey and Brazil for one show, will begin touring in the U.S. in May."

Listen to samples here.

[JSngry]

Up, for the energy!

[JSngry]

Up - for people to buy. It's that good!

[relyles]

Okay Jim you got me. There are a few young musicians on the recording that I enjoy in addition to Wolf, so I ordered it.

[JSngry]

Ron, I think that you will be well-pleased.

Who else wants to be well-pleased?

[JSngry]

up AGIN!

[relyles]

I received the disc the other day, but have not had a chance to give it a listen yet.

[JSngry]

Back UP!

[relyles]

I have been listening to this in my car since yesterday. Admittedly, this is not the ideal environment to absorb any recording, but these days this is where much of my listening occurs. I have been enjoying it so far - although my response is probably a bit more muted than Jim's. It definately has a "classic" tone in that there is nothing overtly distinctive IMO about the structure of the music. However, there is a audible youthful energy to much of the playing that is appealing. I prefer Wolf on vibes as opposed to the tracks where he plays drums, but the rest of the participants are impressive - particularly Walter Smith who I think is a young tenor saxophonist worth watching and the pianist Lawrence Fields played some things that caught my attention while on the highway. Overall, definately worth hearing. Thanks for the recommendation Jim.

[JSngry]

Yeah, this one is definitely about the energy. It's at an "up-front" level that I don't hear that much these days, and I appreciate it.

And Walter simth (a Houston man, as I understand it) plays one solo that really got my attention.