Another Ride On The Elephant Slide

Reviewed: 2018-07-04
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none
Review: Big and swings to the avant-garde. Plenty of trumpets, clarinets, tenor and baritone sax, trombone, tuba, along with guitar, piano, bass, and drums, are used in Baba’s compositions, to not only rub a new shine on avant chamber music, but also mesh perfectly with big band and diverted gothic soundtrack. While not without an occasional sax attack, the music weaves like a large anaconda on the prowl for a meal. The pace recoils from a few seizures to creeping explorations, then off to jiffy trippy jazz parts
If You Like: Elton Dean’s Ninesense, Flat Earth Society, Art Zoyd, Univers Zero
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
*1/ 144 (4:06) – piano starts> uptempo jam> slows briefly> trumpet solo> tuba solo> uptempo jam> pause> tuba blasts> quick stop>
*2/ The Myth Of Sysphis/ Movement No. 1 (10:22) – tuba starts> midtempo jam, like an elephant party with conversation & arguments> slows in tempo as party winds down
3/ The Myth Of Sysphis/ Movement No. 2 (9:41) – piano starts slowly, elephants move on to another party> tempo picks up with full band & the party is in full swing> quick stop
4/ T.I.M.E. (The Immediate Measure (Of) Energy (10:46) bass starts> midtempo jam with intersecting solos> slows to a slow jam> quick stop
*5/ Zaa’tar (7:06) – horns start> slow jam with middle eastern vibe swings to midtempo> trumpet solo swings uptempo> quick fade
6/ Another Ride On The Elephant Slide (10:15) – drums start> midtempo jam like a New Orleans celebration> slows into guitar solo> slow off-kilter jam swings back up into New orleans party & slows again to fade