Scott Farr Electric Son

Scott Farr has a big grin and listening to his short-but-sweet CD Electric Son I understand why. You see, it's his guitar playing. Very JM from Lifetime / Mahavishnu Orchestra days. The opener, Izra's Dex is a tad more rock than jazz-rock at first and then the solo rips in true Mahavishnu style. Building, searching, yearning. Back into the theme and the guitar takes on a conventional remote tone more associated with modern fusion bands.

A bit more of the chorus effect takes us through the next track, Eeoween Deeoween with Jimmy Page-like filler runs, and then a very familiar intro announces the next track, One Word what a beauty! Perfectly executed with an incredible arrangement. Rhythm on a 7-string archtop gorgeously embellished by a robust euphonium, that then becomes part of a trinity with electric solidbody and female vocals, earnest aching of a collective goal. Set on repeat and give thanks that someone has finally covered a Lifetime song. Other than this, I only know of Emergency appearing on Javon Jackson's Good People.

Mr. Switch is as Mahavishnu Orchestra as you can get without a violin, replete with funky Fender Rhodes, and breathtakingly fast and furious unison runs. The frenzy is calmed with a cute rendition of My Foolish Heart (wrongly credited to Bill Evans in the liner notes! Victor Young, music; Ned Washington, lyrics) before the tongue-in-cheek Blues. Think the opening of Emergency and throw in some of the bluesiness of Via the Spectrum Road. Yeah - it's that good.

The album could only be improved with a bit more jazz chops in places. For example, the otherwise excellent Blues is let down by seguing into a straight blues rather than digging deeper into fusion territory. Also 22:55 minutes just isn't enough of this magic.