Post by TheWallsScreamedPoetry on Jan 5, 2011 18:01:34 GMT
The album itself is not bad with a couple of standouts such as The First Time (I Heard Coltrane) & Violet Love.
I'm no jazz fan but it is pleasant enough to listen to.
Musicianship is very good and it is well produced.
But JD never went anywhere with this which was a bit galling to fans who wanted to see the band.
Of all 3 surviving Doors he is the least set in the past considering his mates were then in a tribute band that would sink so far into the mire they had a bloke who could not remember the words then a real tribute band Jimalike.
1. Skytrails
2. Blues for Bali
3. La Tormenta
4. Vegetable Wizard
5. Orange Midnight
6. The First Time (I Heard Coltrane)
7. Piano (Interlude)
8. Lyria
9. Violet Love
10. Riders on the Storm
11. Violet Love
The Band
John Densmore Drums
Art Ellis flute),
Quinn Johnson Piano
Osama Affifi bass
Aziz Faye percussion
Marcel Adjibi percussion
Christina Berio percussion
About Tribaljazz
For thirty years I've been saying I was a jazz drummer before I got into The Doors. In the years since then, I still claim to be a jazz drummer. The problem is I've never actually made any jazz records. Finally I am putting my sticks where my mouth is. I soon joined forces with Art Ellis, A veteran jazz performer and composer. Art had been producing his original Afro/Jazz music with Jimmy Haslip of the Yellowjackets, as well as performing as opening act in festivals with Sting, King Sunny Ade, Milton Nascimento and many others. Forming the nucleus of what has become the Tribaljazz project, we began reworking the wonderfully melodic lines of Art's music into a synthesis of world rhythms and acoustic classic jazz that pleases us both. The result was the infusion of a "tribal" sound with accessible, heartfelt jazz tunes. With our concept in place, we decided to hit the studio. We needed a piano player that played classic jazz, but loved the energy of African, Latin and Brazilian grooves. Our prayers were soon answered when we met the bright, energetic young pianist Quinn Johnson. His shining and sometimes explosive solos lifted the tunes into new places. Then Art's long time upright bass player and collaborator Egyptian-bred Osama Affifi joined the mix and the groove struck "within two bars," to quote the glowing bassist. I then brought on Aziz Faye and Marcel Adjibi to add their amazing percussion skills and lay the ground work for a solid rhythm section. Finally rounding out the group, we added Christina Berio who brought her eighteen years of playing in Brazil to tighten the percussive tension. From the loping groove of "Blues for Bali" to a similar bossa nova beat I used for "Break On Through" and now giving it back to "Vegetable Wizard," to a tip of the hat to my old band with a salsa version of "Riders on the Storm." Tribal Jazz is the fulfillment of a longtime dream of mine, which is to evolve the driving hypnotic style of drumming I used in The Doors into a fresh, strongly melodic version of the classic jazz music I have loved for all these years. - By John Densmore
Hey fans of The Doors and Tribaljazz,
Tribaljazz will be touring around the country soon and would love your help spreading the word. If you would like to be a part of the Tribaljazz street team please email our street team manager Erik Koral at: (erikkoral@gmail.com) with your full name, best mailing address and best phone number and he will be in touch with you shortly. Please put Tribaljazz Street Team in the header. Free tickets and other Tribaljazz extras for helping out.
Tribaljazz certainly displays a lot of variety and versatility on their self-titled album from Hidden Beach. Some selections feature Art Ellis on alto playing hard bop, there are Afro-Cuban jazz numbers, a bit of folklyric music, and a couple of harmless rap pieces, including one that pays tribute to John Coltrane (with Ellis contributing some effective soprano-sax). Even Jim Morrison of the Doors makes a cameo appearance on "Riders on the Storm." In addition to Ellis, pianist Quinn Johnson takes a series of excellent solos, the percussionists are well featured, and the many vocalists do a fine job. Although not recommended to purists of any kind because there are several styles of music represented on Tribaljazz, sometimes on the same piece, everything they attempt works out. This CD is well worth checking out. ~ Scott Yanow Play.com