Lucas Pickford & Steve Hunt Blown Fuse

Lucas Pickford is clearly an excellent musician. Other than being recognisable as a long-term contributor of transcripts to Massimo Morrone's When Blues Turn Gold pages, he has finally completed this long awaited project with co-leader Steve Hunt.

Steve Hunt has an impressive history with Allan Holdsworth, Stanley Clarke and Billy Cobham. Together Pickford and Hunt have mined such great depths of creativity for Blown Fuse, that it defies belief that you're not listening to a supergroup of yesteryear. Surrounded by a bevy of superb instrumentalists, the vast array of playing voices at their disposal is used to bring us a diversity of fusion whose influence spans the last 3 decades. The compositions included on the new CD are so good that they are as close as you can possibly get to any favorite Weather Report, Herbie Hancock, Shakti, Allan Holdsworth, Tribal Tech or Mahavishnu III cut, and so diverse that Lucas's bubbling bass style is one of the few constants. Here's what's on the album

1. Mysterious Passage (Lucas Pickford)

Lucas Pickford (basses) Steve Hunt (synths, programming) Charles Haynes, (drums)

The groove is all important here as the journey begins with what could be a long lost classic by Weather Report. Shorter is sadly missed but the spirit of Alphonso Johnson or Jaco make a welcome return whilst Hunt's synth and programming work breaths life back into one of the all time great lineups.

2. Ikshvaku (Lucas Pickford and Steve Hunt)

Lucas Pickford (bass) Steve Hunt (synths, programming) Vinay Kantak (tablas, djembe, vocals)

Zawinul's influence on World Music is suitably recognised as the exotic rhythms of the next track open. Subtlety in the bass gives way to John McLaughlin acoustic guitar solos repleat with bluesy humour and stratospheric synth lines leading up to a unison bridge before a run of konnakol and close to fade. An Ikshvaku Dynasty indeed.

3. Croaker (Lucas Pickford)

Lucas Pickford (bass) Steve Hunt, (synths) Tim Miller (guitar) Steve Michaud (drums)

Michaud's solo introduces this rollercoaster funk. The drums settle into a skipping backbeat, synths cement the fabric and Miller's disconnected guitar line is a Holdsworthian joy. Keyboards and guitar trade lead breaks over the thumping Headhunters bassline.

4. Arjuna Speaks (Lucas Pickford)

Lucas Pickford (bass) Tim Miller (acoustic guitar) Steve Hunt (synths, programming, acoustic piano solo) Vinay Kantak (tablas)

Shakti, with a twist. Tabla herald another exotic rhythm, funked up but relaxed. But the bass is the main instrument, an oozy melody to compliment the spice of a flitting keyboard as the secrets to this Gita's message are gradually revealed.

5. Mr. Crum (Steve Hunt)

Lucas Pickford (bass) Steve Hunt, (synths, acoustic piano) Tim Miller (guitar) Steve Michaud (drums)

A rockier piece worthy of The Heart Of Things or Tribal Tech. A potent head, repeated, puntuated with thoughtful piano and guitar exploration. Contemporary fusion composition at it's best.

6. Panic Attack (Lucas Pickford)

Lucas Pickford (basses) Dow Brain (keyboards, Fender Rhodes solo) Steve Hunt (synth solo) Steve Michaud (drums)

A similar style to the last, but pacier, opening up solo space for (no doubt) 6-string bass and Fender Rhodes. A catchy hook and incredible soloing showing that Lucas is quite the all-rounder.

7. Smatter (Steve Hunt)

Lucas Pickford (bass) Steve Hunt (synths, programming) Charles Haynes (drums)

It's Herbie Hancock again. Wonderful interplay in the rhythm section between bass and drums in this authentic sexy funk from the heart of the 70's, employing recognisable structures; a placid bridge between two funky halves and that famous two beat finale - can't help but move.

8. Peck It (Steve Hunt)

Lucas Pickford (bass) Steve Hunt (synths, electric guitar, programming)

Next stop, Disco. Perhaps hailing from the worst era for jazz fusion, this track's programmed drum sequences are the lowest point on the whole album, surprising given the excellent drummers that appear on every other track, bar one. It is also like no other track, however, for whatever reason it is included, as a piece it is consistant within itself. The electric 80's dance sound lends itself perfectly to the wailing rock guitar, power chords and steel drums, but the bass sounds bored.

9. The Wish (John McLaughlin)

Lucas Pickford (bass, sarod) Steve Hunt (synths, programming) Vinay Kantak (tablas, tambourine, shaker)

A superb verson of this John McLaughlin piece, faithful to the original but employing a quite different arrangement gives it a lift. The theme is stated by sarod and bass before each take solos spots. The bass solos are thoughtful and you can sense the understanding of beat shared with the tabla. The other electronics, synths and programming, are minimal and sensitive such that the piece retains an acoustic feel. Kantak's tabla playing is faultless wherever it appears throughout the album, but it can be heard no better than here.

10. Hot Shot (Lucas Pickford)

Lucas Pickford (bass) Dow Brain (keyboards, Rhodes solo, programming)

Excellent Eddie Henderson-like claustrophobic funk with William Burroughs voiceover providing the main focus but the floating Fender Rhodes and solid descending bass line make all the running.

So, in a word Blown Fuse is "funky". In another it's also "brilliant". This is a professional product equal to any other modern day fusion release. In one way I feel sorry for Lucas. Having produced such a superb album that is influenced by the best of jazz fusion over the last 30 years, he is now faced with trying to sell it, but to whom? The jazz market has changed in the course of that time. The poignant moments may appeal to the Quiet Storm brigade whilst the Indojazz will curry favour with Remember Shakti-ophiles, but are there enough retrofusion fans and funksters out there to bring this album the popular success it deserves? I hope so. If you have an ear for jazz fusion or funk then Blown Fuse is a must buy.