Guitar Album Reviews
Brooke Sofferman - Modesty's OdysseyEvery once in a while, I'll be asked to review a CD that I immediately know will "enter into rotation" on my home stereo system. It's finding these CD's, and learning about these artists that make the reviewing process so worthwhile to me. Drummer Brooke Sofferman's Modesty's Odyssey is one of these recordings...
Sofferman's debut CD is a pleasurable listen, from beginning to end. For despite the intricacy of much of the music on Modesty's Odyssey, the mood remains light throughout. It is easy to hear that the musicians are enjoying themselves, which translates into great performances.
The music on Modesty's Odyssey is actually much more complex than it first appears, which speaks volumes about the sophistication and maturity of Sofferman's writing. Many tracks involve varying time signatures and form, yet due to strong melodies and coherent chord structures, remain surprisingly accessible.
The personnel of the CD are first-rate, and contribute strongly to Sofferman's vision. The inclusion of a vocalist, the remarkable Abby Aronson, is both a surprise and a delight. Aronson proves her worthiness almost immediately with a lovely interpretation of Sofferman's atmospheric bossa nova "Dry Season". The singer even contributes a (carefully) scatted solo over the harmonically tricky tune.
Guitarist Norm Zocher adds his versatile touch to many of the compositions on Modesty's Odyssey. At times, as on a highly inspired free-blowing solo on "I'm Sorry Blues", Zocher sounds positively ingenious. On the infectious "Shaodare" (a tune that offers a tip of the hat to the John Scofield/Joe Lovano collaborations) Zocher shows us his best "Sco", smattering the tune with broken phrases and chord fragments. Zocher's playing at other times rather strongly recalls both John Abercrombie and Pat Metheny. If he sounds a little faceless during a few moments on Modesty's Odyssey, Norm Zocher still brings an aggressive energy to the recording.
Recruiting the much heralded saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi for the recording date was clearly a wise choice. Bergonzi adds his signature raw muscle to the CD, tearing his way through the metrically confusing "Beef Ellington". At other times, though, as on the gentle "Autumn's Lullaby", Bergonzi shows admirable restraint (as guitarist John Abercrombie, who penned the liner notes for the CD, quipped "Jerry sounds so good on this, that I think the word Gonzian should be added to the jazz-vocab").
Brooke Sofferman's own musical contributions to the recording are noteworthy. While clearly a gifted writer, Sofferman certainly doesn't play "composer's drums". He plays with impressive intensity, even during some of the CD's quietest moments. Sofferman is a highly interactive drummer; implying varying feels over already difficult song structures, setting up rythmic false cadences, and generally creating a very stimulating musical environment within which the soloists can push themselves.
Modesty's Odyssey is a real treat for fans of progressive jazz music with strong melodic ties. Be on the lookout for more great things to come from Brooke Sofferman, both the drummer and songwriter.
Visit Brooke Sofferman's website to download an MP3 of "Beef Ellington".
Southern Gentlemen - Exotic Dancer Blues
Exotic Dancer Blues had the opportunity to be a much better CD than it ends up being. The ingredients were all there to make a very good hard rock album; a great guitarist, solid tunes, plus heavy dollops of rock n' roll attitude. Something seems to have been lost in the transition from concept to product, however.
The most glaring misdirection lies in the theme of the Southern Gentlemen CD. An album written about, and devoted to "all of the exotic dancers of the world" may have flown in the mid 1970's, but in 2000 feels awkward and somewhat tasteless.
The music throughout Exotic Dancer Blues showcases leader David T. Chastain's hard-edged guitar work. It's obvious that Chastain has shredder chops, yet he elects to play bluesy, gritty solos that really work well within the style of the tunes. His vocal work is slightly less impressive; Chastain sounds like a guitarist who sings, rather than the other way around. That said, Chastain's voice is certainly listenable throughout, and never becomes a distraction.
Something feels slightly unsettling in the production of Exotic Dancer Blues. Dennis Lesh's drumwork at times sounds almost improperly recorded. There are other moments when the instruments sounds miles away from one another, as if they were recorded at different times altogether (which may have been the case).
A producer with a firm hand could have made a world of difference in the final product of this CD. As it is, Exotic Dancer Blues (which is produced by Chastain himself) misses capitalizing on some good tunes and great guitar work.
