JOSEPH
PATRICK MOORE'S DRUM & BASS SOCIETY
Volume 1
Blue
Canoe Records
With Spring just around the corner, the new
CD by Joseph Patrick Moore’s Drum & Bass Society,
Volume 1, is a welcome breath of fresh air and
warm tradewinds. Bassist Moore and his crack team of co-conspirators
in JPMDBS create a variety of moods.
The rhythms of the Carribean figure prominently
in the album’s first two tracks. The opener is a remake
of the Men at Work hit “Down Under.” Replacing
the stiffer rhythms of the original with a more organic,
fluid, and subtle calypso style, it makes you listen the
song in a whole new light. Vocalist Temple Passmore has
a pleasing voice, offering just the right hint of exotic
intrigue. Jerry Dammers’ “Ghost Town”
brings its reggae roots farther to the fore, but also offers
up a winning potpourri of mandolin, pedal steel guitar,
and flute to season its broth.
“Groove Messenger (The Story of Jazztronica)”
is a downtempo modal jam that sustains a nice, updated Kind
of Blue feel. Vance Thompson’s trumpet work offers
homage to Miles Davis, but retains a slight edge that is
all his own. “Jamband Express” is a straightup
fast funk tune that unfortunately recalled, for me, the
moment just before fusion completely flaked out and became
a bunch of guys noodling endlessly on synthesizers (and
other instruments as well). It’s a temporary setback,
though, as a cover of the Fixx’s “One Thing
Leads to Another” captures the tempo and nervous essence
of the original but is much spacier in terms of its arrangement.
Moore is always the primary rhythm section component, with
drums generally a bit more constrained. Fortunately he has
ample ideas to fill the role as his solo on this track demonstrates.
“Cheesefrog Funk” is a feature
for violinist Ziya Devietsah and provides a Middle Eastern
melody over a heavy funk-rock drum and solid-bottom bass
groove. “Rain Dance” features a trio comprised
of Moore on Fretless Bass, Larry Blewitt on a variety of
percussion instruments, and Kenneth Lovell on flute. The
results are surprisingly refreshing and devoid of many of
the clichés that can take over with jam bands playing
World Music grooves. “Creatures of Conscience,”
a Tony Williams composition from his last recording, 1992’s
overlooked Story of Neptune, is an interesting
choice of material. Jeff Sipe’s work on the drum set
provides the requisite energy to drive this piece, the third
movement of the Suite “Neptune.” It uses a device
heard before, which is to use the horns as a kind of comping
interlude that provides context for the drummer to creatively
fill the spaces, thus making the drums the lead instrument
as far as maintaining the listener’s interest. Percussion
by Larry Blewitt and congas by Count M’Butu provide
depth and layers to the rhythm.
“Datz It” is another somewhat
pedestrian fast funk jam over steady drums that sometimes
recall the sound of bass ‘n’ drum rhythm tracks.
“Herbie,” a Moore composition that pays tribute
to Herbie Hancock, finds the bassist featured on acoustic
bass while Adam Nitti plays electric 6 string bass. Alternating
between samba and swing sections, it’s a very pleasing
performance as the two bassists alternate ideas, bounce
off each other, and wind around each other’s playing.
Things come full circle, back to a distinct island sound
on the group’s cover of Phish’s “Heavy
Things.”
Volume 1 is released on Moore’s
recently launched Blue Canoe Records label, an independent
label that features jazz-related and progressive improvisational
music. Moore hopes to be able to help artists realize their
individual sounds and visions without the pressures to conform
to a mainstream sound often found at major labels. The label
has also released a successful CD by Moore’s trio,
the E.M.P. Project.
