In The Key Of The Universe

Reviewed: 2018-01-30
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none
Review: On his adventurous new album, master organist Francesco turns his musical attentions to his spiritual side, tapping into a strain of metaphysical jazz that’s fueled sonic searchers for more than half a century. Joey D calls upon disciples and missionaries of jazz to join him in paving the way to enlightenment, while rocking on a bop framework
If You Like: brother Jack McDuff, Jimmy Smith, Pharoah Sanders, Charles Lloyd
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
*1/ Inner Being (5:18) - shaking percussion starts> slow jam builds to uptempo> sax solo> organ solo> uptempo jam> crescendo end
*2/ Vibrations In Blue (6:42) – sitar-like sound starts> midtempo jam> sax solo> swinging organ solo> uptempo jam> slow fade & sitar sound
3/ Awake And Blissed (3:01) – organ starts> uptempo jam> pause uptempo jam> sax solo> organ solo> fast jam> crescendo end
*4/ It Swung Wide Open (3:54) – full band starts> fast tempo jam> organ solo> sizzling sax solo> fast jam> drum solo> fast jam> crescendo & quick stop
5/ In The key Of The Universe (5:05) – gong starts> midtempo jam> sax solo> organ solo> midtempo jam> crescendo, drum roll, & gong end
**6/ The Creator Has A Master Plan (11:00) – sax starts slow jam builds in volume> pause> bass starts> melody shift> slow jam with sax up front> singing joins> sax solo> slow jam> scat singing> slow jam> slow fade
*7/ And So it Is (7:52) – organ starts> slow jam> sax solo swings into midtempo jam> slow fade
8/ Soul Perspective (5:30) - organ starts> midtempo jam> sax solo swings uptempo> uptempo jam> organ solo> uptempo jam> slow fade
9/ A Path Through The Noise (4:47) – sax starts> mellow slow jam> sax solo> organ solo> slow jam> slow fade
*10/ Easier To Be (5:15) - bells/organ start> midtempo jam> sax solo> organ solo> midtempo jam> slow fade