Rating:
Genre:
Jazz
Release Date: 07/15/2008
Jeff Coffin's work with
Béla Fleck's
Flecktones has only been somewhat reflective of his efforts as a leader. The saxophonist/composer is quite able in a more progressive, accessibly contemporary style to express his personalized music, which is in many ways substantive and cleverly rendered. While recent efforts have veered toward a commercialized approach, this CD with his
Mu'tet bears distinct elements of the
Jazz Crusaders and the first bands of
Derek Trucks. No doubt the addition of a stout horn section on a few selections, and collaboration with the keyboardist and flute player
Kofi Burbridge -- well known for his work with the
Trucks band -- has a lot to do with how this group reacts and responds. All in all, there's some very hip music here, ranging from the 7/4 funk with dual electric bass guitarists on
"Al's Greens" including a banjo solo from boss man
Fleck, to
"Move Your Rug" with varying beats in six and seven mixing up the complicated and simplistic horns with a New Orleans beat. The outstanding, developed, dramatic, Middle Eastern flavored
"L'Esperance" is introduced by
Coffin's resplendent, floating mbira, then his tenor sax and flute foreshadowed
Burbridge's desert-to-jungle flute solo.
"Turiya" is a calm, serene, and beautiful tribute to the late
Alice Coltrane with
Coffin on soprano sax and
Burbridge on acoustic grand piano. The molasses slow
"Sweet Magnolias" offers a legitimate blues framework for
Coffin's legato tenor, and a bonus track,
"Emma Ya," is a soul deep, light reggae tune. Trombonists
Barry Green or
Roy Agee are added for the funk-with-a twist track
"Tag" or the
Stax style soul pop cut
"One In, One Out" respectively, with
Burbridge jammin' on the Hammond B-3 organ.
Agee, trumpeter
Rod McGaha, and sousaphonist
Joe Murphy expand the horizons of
"Move Your Rug." Also present is electric bass guitarist
Felix Pastorius, one of the twin sons of the legendary
Jaco Pastorius, and fellow
Flecktone, drummer
Roy "Future Man" Wooten. The collective energy, team work, and top-drawer ability of
Coffin, not to mention the diversity of the recording, is hard to deny. This might be the best effort yet for the
Mu'tet, top to bottom.
~Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide
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