Customer Reviews

Monkeyworks

5 star:		(3)
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Warm earthy melodies, yet the music still maintains an edgy quality even in the most mellow passages. The CD takes the listener on a tour from the most serene African skylines through the canals of Venice, to the desert plains of the middle east, to the lower east side of New York City. Basically the music is all over the map, with excellent playing by the seven piece ensemble.

this recording features the eclectic composition stylings of guitarist ian smit. within these tunes contains cutting-edge improvisation, brilliantly arranged horn sections played by trumpeter jim stagnito and steve peckman, a tighter than tight rhythm section featuring drummer alan camlet and percussionist steve meltzer, along with the under-lining ambience and textures created by jeff eldridge's accordion and ian's mesmerizing live-looping techniques. from jazz/fusion blow outs to beautifully crafted tunes with world folk influence, this is a must-have for anyone.

This album is a must-have for any serious aficionado of quality music. The group (though now disbanded, apparently) has a unique sound and is tremendously talented. The standout track for me is Dancing Under the Acacia Tree but there are no duds on this disc.