One of the premier drummers in both jazz and rock, Steve Smith shows what his recent incarnation of Vital Information is capable of on this recent release. The album has a “live” feel, and justifiably so, as most of the tunes make up the band’s setlist when they tour around. The long time associates of Janek Gwizdala/eb and Manuel Valera/p-key-synth play with telepathic communication, with the sounds ranging from acoustic post bop to fusion. The width and depth is displayed on a couple of selections from Smith’s “other” band, Journey, as “Don’t Stop Believing” has a Weather Report flash with Valera’s keys, while “Open Arms’ is an acoustic delight guided by Valera’s piano.
Smith’s mastering of the Indian vocal percussion of konnakol is displayed on the fascinatingly tricky “Eight Five” and the synth splashy “Charukeshi Express” with the leader’s sticks swirling and stirring. Michael Brecker’s “Sumo” has a hard fusion edge, while a dash of Return to Forever has Valera in frenzied form on “Josef The Alchemist”. I don’t know what else you’re looking for in a drummer, but you’re going to find it here.