Customer Reviews

South Delta Space Age

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

 

 

Since I first heard James Blood Ulmer playing with Ornette Coleman, I decided the harmolodic guitarist was worth keeping an eye on. Unfortunately most of his stuff is either too eccentric for me, or to banal. However, every once in a while, the marvelously skilled musician get's it right, and it's an impressive thing when he does. I recently found this one hiding out in a used bin under Ulmer's name and looked at the other players-- I had never heard of Amina Claudine Myers, but when I saw the names of ubiquitous bassist Bill Laswell, the always funky Bernie Worrell, and Ziggy Modeliste of the Meters, I gave this one a try, and I'm glad I did. Third Rail, as they called themselves, move effortlessly back and forth between funk, jazz and blues-rock as well as anyone since Miles Davis' "Tribute to Jack Johnson," but adding their own distinctive voices to the style. If you've somehow managed to find this page, please do yourself the favor of buying this album, and spread the word. Maybe someday this combo will reunite.

One off from some of the best in the business. Rock,soul,funk and jazz, it's all here. Fans of newer jam bands such as MMW, Soulive and especially Galactic would do well to hunt this down. You will not be disappointed. Bill Laswell's bass on "In The Name Of" particularly got me groovin', but there's something on each track that can hit you like that. I agree with the previous reviewer in that it's a shame more people don't know about this.

This is a beautiful CD from a group of excellent musicians functioning at peak level. Even if you only wanted to hear Bernie Worrell's playing, this CD is well worth the price. For me, James Blood Ulmer is synonymous with great music, so this was an easy thing to buy. But James Blood with Zig Modeliste and Worrell! The interaction of these guys is so musical and so satisfying, that I would guess anyone who likes funk or jazz or rock or any combination of those would find this CD fantastic. Buy it. Listen to it. Give thanks and praise.

Aaaaaareak goioid! Reminds me of the day, when as a wee nipper, I manhandled a mower, myself and a catcher over a locked and cocked gate into someone's backyard, the owner having forgotten it was the day for the lawn wallah. I was listening to Black Rock by James Blood Ulmer throughout at face mincing volume.
This is a lot less extreme, with a funky swings that swings out of time sometimes. The keys are too far down in the mix throughout, particularly when the keys player solos. Blood's distinctive voice and spiky guitar is at the fore as is Bill's Big Bad Bass, with Zigaboo playing a sophisticated timekeeper rather than an Art Blakey soloist. The several instrumentals are Booker T hyped-up to date and Blood name checks JB and G Clinton (who famously takes Viagra to get through his stage act) on one track. No paradigm breaker, but a deep black funk record. Blood's playing is less harmolodic and more bluesy. I guess that age catches up with all of us. Didn't he get a a Grammy for a blues album recently? But Grammys are useless. Ask Homer J.

Trying to get into Ulmer's music because I was intrigued by his eccentricity. This cd is an improvement over Blues Preacher and Live at the Bayerischer Hof, but the material is still two-dimensional, simplistic and uninspired. This band does have decent musicians (like Bill Laswell who played with the likes of everybody from Mick Jagger to Pharoah Sanders and Sonny Sharrock), but their material lacks distinction and inspiration. Furthermore, Ulmer is still wandering in the wilderness when it comes to intelligent improvisation, if you ask me. How can he lead a band if he doesn't know where he's going?