Reviewed: 2018-08-08
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none
Review: Grammy winner Isles’ debut disc lives up to its title. Mr. Isles has worked most often as a side musician for artists across hip-hop, jazz and R&B, and his own record manages to throw it all together — making room along the way for a few guest singers and rappers — while keeping a firm center.
If You Like: Miles Davis, Ambrose Akinmisure, Bernie Worrell, Eddie Harris,
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
*1/ Inception (1:48) – percussion starts> uptempo jam> quick stop
*2/ Laid Back (4:19) – piano starts> midtempo rap song> trumpet solo> midtempo song> piano solo to fade
3/ Find Your Light (5:36) – female vocal starts> midtempo song> pause> midtempo song> fade
*4/ Funkdafied (8:16) – bass starts> uptempo funky jam> trombone solo> trumpet solo> bass solo> uptempo jam with interjected bass riffs> organ solo> uptempo jam> quick stop
5/ Exchanging Pleasantries (8:25) – sax starts> midtempo jam> trumpet solo> sax solo> bass solo> midtempo jam> slow fade
6/ Sultriness (1:45) – synth starts> slow jam with flute out front> slow fade
**7/ Grab Her By The What?!*&#$!? (6:56) – synth starts in single notes> slow jam builds in intensity> off-kilter trumpet solo> guitar solo> slow jam with echoing repetitive spoken word> slow fade
**8/ Minute Pieces Of Wozzeck (7:07) – organ starts> midtempo jam with Moog morphs into funky uptempo jam> Moog/trumpet duet> trumpet solo> uptempo jam> quick fade
*9/ MelloD.E.M. (5:42) – organ starts hesitantly> slow jam including flute> flute solo> trumpet solo> slow jam> fade
*10/ Cubicle (6:45) – drums starts> uptempo jam> trumpet solo> sax solo> guitar solo> drum solo> uptempo jam> trumpet swings wild with band briefly & fades
11/ Jubilation For Closure (2:18) – organ starts slow, swings to midtempo jam with flute> slow fade
**12/ Pomponio (9:28) – horns start with big sound> uptempo jam> trumpet solo> sax solo swings to fast tempo> fast jam> trumpet solo> piano solo> drum solo> fast jam> fade
*13/ Strange Fruit (4:16) – piano starts> slow song with male vocal> brief trumpet solo> slow song interspersed with wailing trumpet & chorus> slow fade
14/ For The End (3:50) – trumpet starts> slow jam> bass solo> trumpet solo> fade