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| Value for Money | 6/10  |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | 7/10 |
Full review by
jfderry
on 25th Jun 2007
User Rating : 7
Respect :
0
Gary Husband, Steve Topping & Paul Carmichael, What It Is
Dynamo
Little Theatre
Tryst & Shout
What It Is
Heel Kicker
Fallow Land
The Train
Catch The Ball And Run
Aphorism
Steve Topping - Guitar
Paul Carmichael - Bass guitar
Gary Husband - Drums
Oh my, what is it? It's Mahavisnu moving into One Truth Band, that's what "What It Is", is. Seriously, you know that period that included the One Truth Band? When John McLaughlin came out of Shakti and went electric again on the cusp of his MIDI phase, he still had the rich raw Mahavishnu sound flavoured with limited electronic noodling, and he had also picked up an even broader appreciation of harmony. Well, if you like that jam-based spiritual jazz-rock then check out this almost unknown gem from power trio Husband, Topping and Carmichael. Carmichael keeps things simple like Henderson's remit for Miles, restrained blues-based progressions plus a few harmonic excursions from an otherwise deeply set bass cauldron that bubbles and boils with the lovely rounded tone somewhere between Chris Squire, Percy Jones and "Kashmir"-era John Paul Jones, with the heavy density of Jack Bruce. Husband crashes through a host of cymbal / snare combinations like the great drummer that he has proved to be, reliably driving the music forward at a blistering pace. Star of the show for McLaughlin and Holdsworth fans has to be Topping, on most of these tracks his attack and phrasing is indistinguishable from his early guitar hero McLaughlin, lacking only that micron of imagination and a certain finish that sets these guitar gods above the rest.
This recording has arisen like a phoenix from the ashes that were 80s jazz fusion. Husband has since gained international renown, fronting successful outfits such as Force Majeure, touring and recording with greats Randy Brecker, Jerry Goodman and John McLaughlin, and delivering essential solo projects like his interpretations of Holdsworth ("The Things I See") and McLaughlin compositions ("A Meeting Of Spirits"). In the true spirit of promiscuous jazz, Paul Carmichael recorded "I.O.U." with Holdsworth and Husband, toured with Ian Carr, sessioned in London's West End and now runs a corporate event music company and still leads his own touring group Flight. Topping has taken a little time to 'find himself', preferring patient study over prolific output, but in his own words is enjoying a 'late flowering' and now has two albums to his name, "Time and Distance" and "Late Flower" and the seeds of another planted. Long may he grow and blossom.
jfderry's review and ratings | 415 words
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