Once, long ago, on a planet far, far away…
Jazz was able to be clever, adventurous and also accessible. Somehow it lost its way, but bassist Dewayne Pate puts out an album to remind people that America’s classical music is still enjoyable and creative. He mixes and matches a ton of musicians including Dennis Chambers/dr, Robben Ford/g, Marc Russo/sax, David Garibaldi/g and Chris Cain/g and bringing in some guest vocalists as well.
With a horn section the band gets into a Famous Flame funk fest on “Iceman” , while a stripped down band has Pate teaming up with Chambers and saxist Norber Stachel on a hip “Oliver’s Twist”. Stache’s soprano grooves with Davie Kirk Mathews’ synths on a soulful “The 5 Of It” while Juan Luis Perez brings in an African chant with Ford’s guitar and Stachel’s flute on the fervent “Imperia Strut”. Pate snaps his bass into a tasty buildup on the ricocheting title track, and Amikaeyla Gasto preaches in on a lovely testimony of “People Get Ready with lovely drapery by Pate and percussionist Karl Perazzo. Enjoyable and enthusiastic.