JUGGERNAUTBrownman Electryc TrioIndie9-out-of-10
The Brownman Electryc Trio are a treat if you like jazz. Their recent show at the ANAVETs in Yorkton was likely the best jazz I have heard live in Yorkton, and that means in more than a couple of decades.
Now I will grant you Yorkton is not a jazz hotspot, so the number of shows over that 20-years is sadly very limited, but that in no way lessens what this trio did that night.
Brownman himself did a great job of explaining his own interest in taking familiar jazz standards and twisting them with latin undertones, R&B and hip hop, creating something that while comfortable because they were known pieces, were also fresh and exciting because of the bold new treatments.
On Juggernaut Brownman uses the same sensibilities. He is a creative man with the trumpet, and it shows. Jazz by nature is usually rather free form, often explorative. Brownman follows that tradition but always the music seems to have been thought out. He is taking some roads less traveled, but you know he's at least looked at the map before hand to get an idea of where he's going, and how best to get there.
Of course the trip is often a leisurely one. There are only six songs on Juggernaut, but there's still nearly an hour of suburb jazz.
Red Clay, the last song meanders through Brownman's creative mind for some 15 minutes. It's an excursion which really let's him be the creative artist he desires to be.
Brownman is joined by electric bassist Tyler Emond and drummer Colin Kingsmore on the disk.
I have to add the CD comes with copious liner notes, a throwback to the past, which is a nice touch, and the cover art is stunning. In talking to Brownman it was learned the artist was found through an online contest, which is a modern marvel of interaction via the 'Net.
Overall, just great. Buy it.Check it out at www.brownman.com- CALVIN DANIELS
SELF-TITLEDSeven Year RiotIndie9-out-of-10
Seven Year Riot must have read my mind in turns of hard rock when they headed to the recording studio to do this disk. I like heavy metal ... to a point. Once the vocalist feels the need to scream into the microphone I turn off in terms of interest.
But driving guitars and heavy rhythms are just fine, and that's exactly what you get with Seven Year Riot, well at least until they turn it down and give you a pretty rock number like Autumn Rain, which is a great cut. It's a strong vehicle for the vocals of Justin Forsyth.
Forsyth is joined by Jim O'Neil on guitar, Jarrod Oglan on bass and Jess Azer on drums in this Windsor, ON-based unit.
Of course they can crank it way up too and still hit the sweet spot. Stitched and Mended is great, and Headcase plane rocks.
Now yes, the CD comes with a parental advisory for explicit lyrics, so be warned, although on the comparative scale this is rather modest. Of course as we see on TV every show comes with a warning these days.
This is an exciting debut from a great new voice on the Canadian rock scene. Grab it and hold on.
Check them out at www.myspace.com/sevenyearriot- CALVIN DANIELS
Past reviews are archived online at http://calmardan.blogspot.com/
