Kai Eckhardt Honour Simplicity Respect the Flow

This outing from award-winning Jam / Jazz / Funk Band "Garaj Mahal"'s German-born bass player Kai Eckhardt-Karpeh de Camargo, also renowned for his work with John McLaughlin, Billy Cobham and fellow Naim music label artist Antonio Forcioni, was best summed up by a musician friend, who's opinion is worth noting, as "TECHNICAL LOUNGE LIZARDRY", in that it has an overly smooth feel largely in part because of Esen's lush and sweet keyboards on most tracks, but also due to the remoteness and lack of personality felt in the music. That's not to say that Ekhardt's and the others' playing isn't excellent - it is - rich in textures and genius in technique, but the compositions mostly fail to inspire the players and keep up with their playing, although there are a few stand-out tracks including "Mamba Point" where the group seems to momentarily spark to life and don a Weather Report guise on the inclusion of Courtney Pine and his searing blowing, and the magically worldly "Remember Yourself" again needing the injection of outsiders, Zakir Hussain's tabla and Sikiru Adepoju's talking drum, to beat a wake-up call. Eckhardt shows his Pastorius influence on other tracks too, particularly "Queen of Cups" which wanders into "Portrait of Tracy" territory, but inevitably lacks Jaco's emotional investment to be more than harmonic wallpaper. Pleasing enough to the ears whilst on your fourth dacari.

1. In the Pocket 6:36

2. Re-United 8:48

3. Captured Flow 4:43

4. Mamba Point 9:43

5. Road or the Avenue 5:51

6. Melting Pot 6:54

7. Queen of Cups 9:17

8. Into the Blue 2:44

9. Speak Without Words 8:41

10. Remember Yourself 4:52

Aydin Esen, Piano and Keys

Sean Rickman, Drums

Kai Eckhardt, Basses

Courtney Pine, Saxophones

Zakir Hussain, Tabla

Sikiru Adepoju, Talking Drum