An Honest Tune, June/2001 Review by Bryan Irby New BlueGround UnderGrass bassist Joseph Moore (ex-Col. Bruce Hampton and the FijiMariners/Planet Zambee) has just released a second solo album on his own independent label MMP. SOULCLOUD continues in the same contemporary jazz vein as his 1996 release NEVER NEVER LAND. While much of this material is a bit too smooth for my jazz tastes there are some definite funky highlights like ASHES TO ASHES, MUMPHIS COSANOSTRA, and DATZ IT, all 3 which feature Yonrico Scott (Derek Trucks Band) on drums and Jimmy Herring on guitar. The simpler, bass-centric tunes on the album are also among the best tracks. Pause #3 is a bass, sitar & drum free-jazz piece dedicated to Miles Davis Drummer Tony Williams (Pause 1 and 2 on NEVER NEVER LAND were dedicated to Miles Davis and Jaco Pastorius). BIG BUTT BASS is exactly that: in-yer-face solo slap bass, and there’s a nice bass & saxophone take on Led Zepplin‘s GOING TO CALIFORNIA. These tunes and the hidden track ANOTHER DAY ANOTHER TIME ( a beautiful rainy-day-in-Memphis piece) outshine the title track and a cover of DUST IN THE WIND which I find unlistenable. Catch Joseph Patrick Moore on tour with BlueGround UnderGrass or his own group. |
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