Mercury (featuring Carter Beauford and Dave Matthews)

Dawn Thompson

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 28, 2001)
• Original Release Date: July 17, 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Cosmology
• ASIN: B00005MK3V
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #320,710 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Moment by Moment

2. Mercury Man

3. Ether

4. Darkness

5. Parallel Lines

6. Harmony

7. ATCG/Call Back the Time

8. Momentary Band Jam

Editorial Reviews

nancies.org (Dave Matthews Band fan site) by Waldo Jaquith

It seems entirely possible that Mercury is simply the newest evolution of jazz, and Thompson-D'earth is on the leading edge.

Product Description

MERCURY is the new CD released by vocalist/songwriter Dawn Thompson and trumpeter/composer John D'earth on their own Cosmology label. The CD features Dave Matthews Band drummer Carter Beauford on all tracks and a special appearance by Dave Matthews who sings lead on Stewart Copeland's Darkness. The CD also features pianist Wells Hanley, guitarist Jamal Millner, saxophonist Bobby Read, bassist Pete Spaar and percussionists Howard Curtis and Robert Jospe. Greg Howard is the producer. With titles like Moment by Moment, Mercury Man, Harmony and Call Back the Time, MERCURY revels in a unique sonic landscape that evokes all the musical influences that have informed the work of these amazing musicians: rock, jazz, pop, Latin, the musics of the African diaspora and classical music as well. Just released, MERCURY provides a new alchemy between a group of long-time musical collaborators that gives free rein to their collective and individual talents.

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mercury - An excellent record, September 7, 2001

By	Scott (Charlottesville, VA) - See all my reviews

Besides giving me his wonderful gift of his own music, Dave Matthews has opened the door to a whole section of music that I was missing out on. Upon entering graduate school at UVa I've made the journey to the downtown mall a handfull of times to check out John D'earth at Miller's. I had always heard about this magical musical place, and let me tell you they were right, John, and Dawn Thompson, and Jamal Milner, and Greg Howard, all the names I had heard so many great things about, are just that, they're great great musicians. Thursday nights have never been so fun. This new record features some incredible jazz, I can't turn off Moment by Moment or Ether. You can feel Carter the whole record, his explosive percussion is a phenomenal backing to this record. For the Dave fan in me the haunting lead on Copeland's Darkness is very cool. Both the Live Thursday Night and Mercury records have taken their place alongside the rest of my expansive DMB collection on the top shelf. Explore these musicians and these two records, you won't regret it.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's not your ordinary jazz, February 24, 2004

By A Customer

Some people think that jazz has already reached its peak and that it's been steadily declining since the 1960s. These people have not listened to Thompson D'earth. "Mercury" is a great example of how Jazz Fusion is the wave of the future. These guys blend swing, bebop, Free and avant-garde, creating not your typical type of jazz. They keep your foot tapping and your mind guessing. To fuse it even more they throw in a splash of pop rock with the angelic voice of Dave Matthews on Copeland's "Darkness", and Carter Beauford on drums throughout the entire album.
This album has become a permanent fixture in my cd player, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys good music. If you want to go a little more raw, check out "Live at Millers" - you'll be blown away.

8 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Please don't waste your time..., August 24, 2001

By A Customer

Now, I'm into Jazz. I appreciate Jazz as an art form and enjoy its merits. I bought this album, and it is horrible. Here was an ablum featuring one of the motivating musical forces in the life of Dave Matthews and a taste of the music scene in Charlottesville, VA. Who wouldn't be interested? Sadly, what I experienced as I listened was pretentious, badly written "jam jazz." The tracks could not even be saved by the incredible talent of Carter Beauford on percussion, whose abilities seemed "caged" throughout. Don't buy this CD expecting Matthews' minimal involvement and Carter's talent to make it a good CD, because it isn't. Don't waste your time on this one.