Buzz

Allison, Ben/Medicine Wheel
Palmetto Records
Jazz | Jun 2004

Reviews

Craig Matsumoto
Reviewed 2004-06-10
Among mainstream jazz composers, Allison brings in some fresh compositional ideas while sticking to a relatively mellow aesthetic. The result is jazz that's very "nice," with a softness recalling the mellow side of '60s Blue Note acts.

Allison's writing style is solidly mainstream jazz but includes doses of interesting new ideas, such as the block-chords theme in (2).

1- Mysterious mid/fast drifting, with bright bluesy piano solo
2- Calm chords over hyper percussion, for a mildly tense feel
3- Playfully loungy. Midtempo and soft.
4- Tropical island vamp, a relaxed midtempo
5- Soft, gentle, with sparse wandering solo space
6- Gently perky, w/soft horns. Midtempo
7- Beatles cover: gentle, lonely; sparse but pretty. Sorry, I still say jazz versions of Beatles songs are hokey (and I *love* the Beatles)

Recent airplay

Mauritania, Green Al
Storytime! -- SummerAug 07, 2004
R&B Fantasy
Morning GloryAug 07, 2004
Respiration
No Cover, No MinimumJul 23, 2004
Respiration
Memory SelectJul 16, 2004
R&B Fantasy
Morning GloryJul 10, 2004
Green Al
Memory SelectJun 25, 2004

Charting

2004-06-07 — 2004-08-09 Jazz
Week EndingAirplays
Aug 8 2
Jul 25 1
Jul 18 1
Jul 11 1
Jun 27 2
Jun 20 1
Jun 13 1

Track listing

1. Respiration
2. Buzz
3. Green Al
4. Mauritania
5. Erato
6. R&B Fantasy
7. Across the Universe