Centrifugal Funk

MVP | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 24, 2004)
• Original Release Date: 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Tone Center
• ASIN: B0000YTP20
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #371,255 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Actual Proof

2. So What

3. Hey Tee Bone

4. Tokyo Blue

5. Splatch

6. Elegant People

7. Love Struck

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Legato records other fusion classic, March 2, 2004

By 

Jeff Arenson (Colorado Springs, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Centrifugal Funk (Audio CD)

"Centrifugal Funk" is the follow up to "Truth in Shredding". This is the other Legato Records fusion fantasy that was released over a decade ago. Tone Center has reissued this recording as well as "Truth..". More of the same formula; Take some virtuoso guitarists, this time Shawn Lane, Frank Gambale, and Brett Garsed; have them backed up by a solid rhythm section; Jimmy Earl on bass and Joey Heredia on drums, and Mike O'Neill on rhythm guitar; add a keyboardist, Freddy Ravel and Saxophonist, Steve Tavaglione to break up guitar redundance and have them perform jazz standards delivered with rock energy. It worked on "Truth.." and it works here. Frank Gambale is amazing as is the late great Shawn Lane (who wasn't too happy with this) and so is Brett Garsed. All of them play solos that are heavy on notes and virtuostic indulgence. The songs are covers by jazz musicians such as Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock and Marcus Miller. The songs sound more like Rock/Fusion than jazz on this recording. Frank Gambale is featured the most and appears on every song except "Lane's Blitz" which is a 30 second Shawn Lane solo, and "Hey Tee Bone". "Hey Tee Bone" is a funky piece which features Brett and an unreal solo by Shawn Lane. Shawn's solo was the first thing that I ever heard by him and, although it isn't melodic, if you like fast guitar playing this will freak you out. Shawn and Brett have both grown as musicians/guitarists since this recording and display the ability to phrase, play over chord changes, etc. My guess is that Varney, the producer, told them to play that way and it sounds fine on a recording of this nature. "Tokyo Blue" and "Elegant People" are more mellow and feature Frank and Steve. Both tunes contain well phrased solos that aren't just shred and 'Tokyo Blue' finds Frank playing acoustic. Some great playing on these two and a welcome break from non-stop madness. These 2 songs are closer to Jazz/Fusion than the Rock/Funk/Fusion of the others and are examples of how to build-up a solo instead of just going nuts the whole time. "Actual Proof" features Frank, Freddy and Steve and also sounds closer to Jazz than Rock. "So What" and "Love Struck" feature all 3 guitarists and is a return to the note heavy guitar fest. "Splatch" features Steve Tavaglione on sax and ewi and then Shawn and Frank do their thing. This is a Marcus Miller tune and is the funkiest that this disc gets. Great stuff over a great groove.
The only major problem with this recording is that it is obvious that all 3 of these guys weren't in the same room and the solos are just punched in. It would have been great to hear interplay between these 3 and a very good disc could be unreal. Still, more shred done right. The inclusion of 'Tokyo Blue' and 'Elegant People' provide welcome breaks from the shred-fest. If you like the tone-center releases, any of these 3 guitarists or like guitar-indulgent recordings, then this is for you. If this was 1991, I'd give it 5 stars; However, it isn't and my tastes have changed a bit, so I give it 4. Never-the-less, this is still a very strong fusion outing and another precursor to the tone center 'all-star' band recordings that are being released in abundance now. Thank god someone gives fusion fans what they want.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Slammin! Ahead of it's Time - I'm so glad this has been reissued!, October 12, 2006

By 

Jeffrey M. Papineau "Tech Lover" (San Jose, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Centrifugal Funk (Audio CD)

This is very funky, rock laced, fusion jazz.

AMAZING STUFF

First time I heard it, I related to it instantly. No having to listen a few times to get it (Holdsworth, Prince). Just put it on and groove. Very approachable for the ininitiated. Everyone, anyone will like this music. It's just so groovy. Elegant People, track 6 is my favorite.

Earl is a fantastic bassist, and on track 6, I swear it was Marcus playing, so he is very influenced by Marcus (who isn't?). Earl is just outrageous (can you tell I'm a bass player?). I put this CD on when I want to show people what the best fusion funky jazz is all about. It's an education. I will listen to track 6 a few times in the car on the way home from work, and then I can't get it out of my head for hours.

Sax work is lovely, as are the all the musicians. Guitar? This is just jazz to me; the guitars don't stand out as if it was a guitarists album so much. This is a great mesh of players and if you didn't tell me, I wouldn't know it was a Franky album. His albums are so much more of an ego fest than this... and that's not a slam. Frank is the best there is, tho he shares his throne with Alan, Scott, and a few others.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Always in my cd player since 1991, May 26, 2003

By 

Jazzcat "stef" (Genoa, Italy Italy) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Centrifugal Funk (Audio CD)

I can't say thanxs enough to this record and to its creators. This is an album which is always been near me and my cd player since 1991. Today it is always in my car cd charger. 12 years of enjoyment. And more to come. It means that this album is among the best purchases I did in all my life considering everything I bought. Centrifugal funk contains extremely underrated music in my opinion. Most people I know consider this album a mere unusuful display of virtuosity. Wrong. Of course virtuosity is all around in this album but the music that comes out of my speakers talks about magic. There's nothing wrong in virtuosity if the music is good. Expecially if you talk about Jazz. I consider Centrifugal funk a Jazz album. There are thousands Jazz records out there built around the concept theme/blowing choruses/theme. Why no one critizise those albums? Probably because it is cool to love those album. They are universally considered cool. It is an attitude thing. No one today consider cool an obscure hard album from the eighties, the day of long haired guitarists. Trends: there are not such stupid things as trends. The right perspective with music is history not trends. Anyway Jazz classics of course are great albums . Because the concept theme/choruses/theme is THE concept behind Jazz! Jazz is almost always based on this concept. And is a great simple concept of course. Centifugal funk has the same concept. So it is a Jazz album. and as a Jazz album should be considered and judged. Jazz fusion to be accurate because the sounds are modern, electronic sounds. Here we have synth, distorted and clean guitars, funky slapped bass, heavy drums, synth and natural sax. I mean there is not a wrong note in this entire album. Tension and inspiration are always high, there is variety, there is groove, there is a lack of any commercial hooks here. Tracks are Jazz fusion standards with funky rhythm. I don't even want to talk about the single musicians because this is a who's who of hard Jazz fusion. Shawn Lane, Frank Gambale, Brett Garsed, Jimmy Earl, Joe Heredia ... I mean, unbelievable. It is a master class in musicianship. Solos are beyond imagination, and the rhythm section can blew any other section on the planet. This is a record built around expression, not around communication as the most of jazz records are based upon. Free expression, free displays of personality through the language of music. Tracks are from Marcus Miller, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock. It is a jazz record donkey journalists!! Not a contemporary elevator record. I say this because I'm tired to read everywhere bad snob reviews of this masterpiece. Don't believe them. It is truly a gem. It deserves to be put near Steps "Smoking in the Pit" and near few other immortal fusion recordings. Sure it is a very intense listening experience. If you are not familiar with Jazz or fusion and with the language of improvisation or if you are a very easy shockable person, stay away from this nuclear record. Otherwise, find it, (it's not easy) and become like me one of its loyal defenders.