Writing about instrumental music ain't easy. Especially exploratory, free-jazz-mind-fuck-fusion. Thus was my challenge when presented with the opportunity to cover and adequately express the music of Spectrum Road on paper. This supergroup of virtuosos has recently come together to pay homage to the inventor of Jazz-Rock, drummer Tony Williams, and the result is astounding.I caught this band in Oaktown on a Wednesday night, and they proceeded to blow the tiny room away with furious playing, heavy riffage, and cerebral excursions into the outer realms of improv. With this much talent on one stage, it could have easily turned into a battle of egos butting heads together, but the musicians played with sympathy respect for each other's strengths, resulting in a mind-blowing set of agile jazz-rock.
Here's my review of the show over at Jambase:
This is just a small example of the musical boundaries these guys were pushing all night. Warning: this is not for the faint of heart, or those with ADD...
But the real star of the show was Cindy Blackman-Santana, the goddess drummer in pearls. Here's a good example of what this woman is capable of with two sticks in her hands:
Posts
That's one serious group of bad asses.
ReplyDelete