Kotikoski & Kleutgens Cave Men

Some drummers get you rocking back and forth. You can't help it. The snare and hi-hat are making you move involuntarily. And so it is on the opening track of Cave Men. You would be excused for thinking that Vinnie Colaiuta always played comparatively straight, sitting quietly in the Zappa background. Here he takes on a different mantle and does the deed in fine style. Fluttering rhythms driven hard in the groove while the gnarly whisps of this Tribal Tech angularity send you dancing sidestep; Bouncin' off-a the wall, 'N work the floor, 'N work the pipe, 'N work the wall some more.

Not content with producing some fine contemporary fusion, Vinnie and his pals also turn their hands to hip-hop. The mix is heavy. An underworld of darkness. Modern music has such a clear heritage owed to On The Corner, Dark Magus, etc.

To hear great drumming on hip-hop, seek Clive Deamer (Roni Size & Reprazent - New Forms). While not able to create the same hypnotic frenzy, Vinnie comes close. The different forms work to slightly unbalance the album; Tribal Tech, Zappa, Rush, garage, hip-hop. Eclectic, energetic, exciting music.