Customer Reviews

Free Ride

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This album opened up the world of jazz for me. It was a perfect transition from rock/funk. The guitarist, Wah Wah Watson, will get you off your booty and have you dancing. The album gave me pleasant flashbacks to the 70s police/detective shows. Lalo Schifrin's arranging is smooth usually sitting in a dorian mode and not flipping through keys. It is essential for any music lover's collection. "Fire Dance" is exactly that; it pumps with a funky groove. Wah Wah Watson's solo is magical. Wah Wah's playing has also influenced many hip hoppers. It's a real winner!

The pre-bop swing of dizzy's trumpet and the trademark shout-scats of his melodic-roaring voice is something that you will NOT find on this album. After penning the masterpiece "Gillespiana" for Dizzy in the 60s, famed Brazillian composer-pianist Lalo Schiffrin decided to take Dizzy's sounds to a new level, ushered mostly due to the soul-jazz and the street funk of the 70s, Schiffrin pens FUNK compositions for Dizzy. There are some strong funky tracks in there that caught me by total surprise, however the album has its weak moments too, thanks in most part due to the poor diluted funk that fences on the side of disco (sic!) than funk. Ray Parker Jr. (yeah, the same dude who penned "ghostbusters" in the 80s) and Wah-Wah Watson give us some traditional funk licks floating on thumping fender basslines. On the whole, a disappointment for "purists" bred on swing-n-bop....BUT possibly an outlet for hip-hop DJ samplers!

This is no classic, but I see nothing wrong in a guy the status of Dizzy Gillespie going out on a limb every once in a while. Critics hate this album because it is so out of character, especially paired with the magnificent Lalo Shifrin. Let me tell you, when you feel like a little pick-me-up, this is the CD to play. Funky rhythms blend with Dizzy's trumpet to create its own beat. Check out "Unicorn," "Free Ride," "Incantation," and "The Last Stroke of Midnight." Oh, and it's loaded with talent too.

If you think the music from CHiPS is groovy you are gonna love this. It is beyond cliche. Drop a track in your chill electronica mix at your next martini party.