Back In Time

Jazz | Dec 2005

Reviews

Craig Matsumoto
Reviewed 2006-02-10
Bluesy guitarist JAMES "BLOOD" ULMER in a trio with a violin (!) and drums, stretching beyond just blues into jazz, psych rock and surprising country/folk zones. With a great scratchy violin sound that accompanies the guitar just right, and of course lots of guitar licks from Ulmer. Mostly instrumental with lots of one-chord jam feeling which, I'll admit, creates some sameness to the tracks. Vocals on 4,9.

Some tracks have a direct blues feel (1,9) while others show you why Ulmer is often associated with free/experimental jazz types (10). Great stuff either way -- Ulmer's methods are derived from Ornette Coleman's harmelodics, so they say, but the results are quite accessible and come across as straight jazzy blues.

This is a reunion date of sorts -- the band recorded once before, in 1983 for the album "Odyssey" on Columbia.

1- A low evil groove, mid/fast and fun.
2- Psych-rock jam, fairly fast. Starts free/crazy
3- Folky/Celtic! Light, easygoing, nice.
4- Backwoods country w/vocals. Midtempo and catchy.
5- Country funk! With twang and everything. Midtempo.
6- Slow, tense rock/blues. Tasty.
7- Uptempo jam. Some clever turns later on.
8- Midtempo minor key. Slinky, sneaky... like 6 but faster
9- A slow slow blues, about a marriage contract. Kinda funny.
10- Free jam. A slow feel and heavy hand, with psych elements.

Recent airplay

Open Doors
Umami Jazz ProgramApr 18, 2006
Happy Time
Memory SelectMar 31, 2006
Love Nest
Memory SelectMar 17, 2006
Last One
Memory SelectMar 10, 2006
Water Tree
Memory SelectMar 03, 2006
Let's Get Married
No Cover, No MinimumMar 03, 2006

Charting

2006-02-12 — 2006-04-16 Jazz
Week EndingAirplays
Apr 2 1
Mar 19 1
Mar 12 1
Mar 5 2
Feb 26 3
Feb 19 3

Track listing

1. Last One
2. Open Doors
3. Happy Time
4. Little Red House
5. Water Tree
6. Love Nest
7. Woman Coming
8. Channel One
9. Let's Get Married
10. Free For Three