Customer Reviews

Rhythm of Soul

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The Dave Weckl Band has produced (as in created) an album of great tunes and outstanding technical display with an ability to cover a wide range of styles. DWB is larger than usual for Weckl, (known as his 'Rhythm of the Soul phase') but they produce a great sound matched with some excellent solos. It is good to see the drummer demonstrating an ability to simply keep time, such as in 'The Zone' and 'Song for Claire' rather than overlay the music with unnecessary chops. Nevertheless, outstanding technique is an essential part of music and can make or break a particular song - in the cases of 'Access Denied' and 'Big B Little B' the drummer's amazing chops make these particular songs the ones which you want to listen to over and over. That being said, there aren't really any songs on this offering that are overly cheesy and compel you to skip to the next track. However, there are some questionable artistic choices that are evident - such as the typified 'fade-out' that is the format that closes almost every song and the hugely disposable 30-second tailpiece 'Goodnight' . Personally, I think fade-outs are fine for pop songs when you have the repeated riffs going on or for a last chord or similar musical situation, but when one has almost been brought to orgasm (feel free to change that if its too offensive) whilst listening to Weckl attack his skins with manic aggression and suddenly it begins to fade out, one does feel suitably frustrated. Nevertheless, the band play some great songs, such as 'Rhythm Dance' and 'Mud Sauce', and there's excellent work from all the musicians. Its worth listening to every track (except for Good Night of course) and it surely is a great sound that they make. Easily recommended to all those who love fantastic drumming and good funky fusion.

This one is a hard to grade album in the Dave Weckl era. Great Drumming in and out in this album as you can imagine. This album definately is a turn off though. I hate to say it but Dave is gonna have to pull some strings to get back ontop. The song's on this album are as cheesy as they get. It doesn't even sound like something Dave weckl would put his time into. Access Denied is a great song but that is the only real turn on about the album. A very poor exhibition for great talent.

Dave has great chops as usual and assembles some great players, but the result is disappointing due to the the also-ran compositions. They are simply unmemorable and formulaic compared with his other material. Synergy or Masterplan are much, much better albums than this.

Frank Gambale does his signature amazing guitar solos (and they are amazing!) but they sound out of context with the rest of the band. I would much, much rather listen to Buzzy Feiten's funky quirky style - seems to suit Dave much better.

I consider this a Buzz Feiten album. When it comes to stature among guitarists, you just can't top Buzz. He graces most of the tracks on this disc, providing stark contrast with solos on some tracks by the less emotive Frank Gambale. I had the pleasure of seeing the band live while they were touring to support this disc and was floored not only by Buzz, but by the very capable ensemble Weckl has put together.

If you are a bass player, you must buy two CDs: This one ("Rhythm Of The Soul")and one from the mid-80's by Bill Connors, called "Step-It." The reason being that both feature Dave Weckl and Tom Kennedy.

When Dave and Tom play together, it is amazing! From what I have heard, the two played together a lot in college. It shows.

Tom Kennedy is the best and most fluid bass player I have ever heard. This is coming from a pretty good player, myself.

-Alan

Title says it all. Dave Weckl's cast of fellow musician are on another level entirely. Tom Anderson's bass work is HOT and lays down the groove in a deep pocket. Frank Gambale's guitar work has his signature sound, but he showcases a lot of depth and musicianship on a sitar solo as well. This is a FUN CD to listen to and has a great vibe throughout. I love Deve Weckls habit of including personal notes about each song in the liner notes. He talks about the inspiration for the song, the setting etc. Very cool. Well worth the price. Great CD!

This CD is one of my favorite of all the times.
Dave Weckl Band is on the top (maybe this CD is their best one; even if Synergy and Perpetual Motion are only a little bit lower).
If you like Chick Corea Elektric Band you'll love also Dave Weckl Band: great guitar, great keyboards, great bass and obviously the best drum from one of the greatest of the world. This CD is not only Jazz, is also Rock, Funky, Blues, Latin etc... in one world is Fusion at the top. I don't have a "favorite" song, each song have something special... Don't miss this CD!

This is the Dave Weckl Band's first CD. This CD is quite a change from Dave Weckl previous solo CDs. More emphasis is placed on the groove and musicality. This CD is so easy to listen to time after time, the groove is infectious. This is an incredibly talented band, led by a contemporary drumming icon.

Dave Weckl has done the job. He has the best chops in the business and uses them on this record. His writing and arranging are thoughtful and powerful. The choice of musicians was impeccable. I love Track #5. Guitarist extraordinaire Frank Gambale, plays an electric sitar solo that stirs my soul. Amazing record. Dave has it, hands down.

I've had this particlar album for a while now, and I can only say, EXCELLENT!!! One thing about this CD is that you don't hear all of the extravagent solos that we've all come to know and love, but it seems as though Dave has made up for them with the rest of the group. I liked Jay Oliver's raving synth solos and I especially loved Steve's mind blowing sax solos. If you liked Hard Wired, I think you'll like this one also. One last tidbit, contrary to popular opinion, I wasn't as impressed with Synergy as I was with Rhythms of the Soul. It just seemed too mellow for me. I respect all other opinions on this page(no disrespect! I promise!!!)