Customer Reviews

Vital Tech Tone 2

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Vital Tech Tones play fusion the way it was intended to be played, with adventurousness, humor, and astonishing virtuosity. The band is tight and telepathic. Guitarist Scott Henderson is a musical alchemist, combining jazzy harmonic sophistication, screaming bluespower, and pure shred into an electric stew hot enough to melt rocks. The rhythm section of drummer Steve Smith and Victor Wooten alternately funks up the beat and subdivides it into complex rhythmic algebra. High points include "Sub Zero" and the extended jam "Chakmool Ti". Henderson's playing is a little rawer than it is on most of his Tribal Tech work, but it is no less stunning. Bassist Wooten is a formidable technician, but still leaves room for the funk. Drummer Smith's style on this CD is reminiscent of fusion titan Billy Cobham. All in all, an excellent sophmore effort from these excellent musicians. One only hopes that they take it on the road.

After listening to the first CD and loving ever minute of it, I couldn't wait for them to put out their next volume. After listening to it I was very impressed with what I heard!

Not knowing what to expect out of this CD, hoping it wouldn't be a rip off of the first one with the same sounding songs, I wasn't disappointed. Being different from the first CD, the song styles and sound were different which made this CD not being a replica of the first.

Starting off with the intro of the band was nice, needed in the first album, but better off in this one than none. Then upon hearing Sub Zero was incredible, being in my opinion the most impressive song on the disk with the different timing and the solos. I did notice in this CD, the drummer didn't get the "spot light" as much as he did in the first CD, and Wooten did different effects and had different (and more) solos in this disk than he did in the first one, which is very good, because I love Wooten's playing, but don't get me wrong, Smith was incredible also showing his diversity in playing.

Overall, if you are a musician, or just love instrumental music like this, like the first volume, this one is a must in your collection.

Not afraid to take chances, these players push each other into new territory. The result is a very satisfying musical experience. This music scorches out of the gates and doesn't let up from start to finish. Some great "in your face" solo efforts. I'd love to hear an extended version of "catch me if u can". The give and take between Scott and Victor is awesome. Looking forward to the next recording from these great players.

Absolutely the best Jazz/Fusion project I've heard in years, Scott is a killer. This has got to be the strongest colaboration he's been in to date, I bow down to this trio. It's incredible listening to Scott and hearing so many of his influences come to the surface on this set, from Trane to Shorter to Jeff Beck. On the track the "The Litigants" I came away feeling that had Beck stayed in the Jazz/Fusion arena this is what he would have wanted to sound like. Please don't let this be the last time you guy get together, you are the future.

Someone please light a match to smooth jazz so we can finally see it go up in smoke.

Curious stuff for the fusion, jazz enthusiast, who wants to know how big the real musicians can play. Every guy in the trio here is a fusion superstar, Henderson of Tribal Tech fame, Smith actually drummer for Vital Information, Wooten coming from Bela Fleck and his Flecktones. The results displayed here are not easy to categorizise. Nothing wrong from a technical point of view, but the focus often lacks as in many recordings of this kind. There are great moments but also moments when you sure can properly ask yourself "what the h..l am I listening to?" Very extraterrestrial, alien, outside sounding fusion, very exploral, forward kind of music. It is a very interesting listening for the music student (I am) because there is a lot of material for the brain. But apart from this at the end of the cd I always find myself asking for more structures, more emotions, more ... real "music". The title of the track "Catch me if you can" ... probably tells the whole story behind this music. But in the end as a fan of music in general I find this efforts curious enough to pay attention to them.

This is a great album! The more I listen, the more I like. All three players are astounding, the sound is superb, and the music covers everything from blues to funk to rock to Weather Report, to... This is a recording that deserves some quality listening time and is well worth it.

If you heard the band's debut album, "Vital Tech Tones [Vol.1]", and liked it, you are going to love this album! These are musicians at the very peak of their musical career, yet, they do not take themselves too seriously. This is indicated perfectly on the opening track when Victor plays a little tongue-in-cheek piece introducing the band. This is what VTT are all about, having fun playing. Victor is a remarkable bass player. Unlike many fusion players these days, he still plays a 4 string bass. What he does on this instrument is quite frankly bewildering! His rhythmically complex patterns suggest to me that he must have had tabla lessons at some point! Such is his brilliance. Later, on the album, he switches to fretless bass, taking some fantastic solos on that as well! However, VTT is not just about solos, it's about every aspect of the music.

There are tunes where only Victor and Steve play. Their interaction as a rhythm section is phenomenal. Yet there's still an element of humour throughout this album, as well as some excellent compositions and improvising. Every musician gets their own space to display their awesome talents to the full - without it ever becoming just showing off. It is perfectly balanced.

If you're a Steve Smith fan, this is him at his best. Once again, it's not all about solos. Steve lays down some really groovy beats as well, which set up Victor with the perfect forum to add his own magic. Scott, I feel, has finally shook off all those awful comparisons with other guitarists, and found his own unique voice on the guitar. He has an edge to his playing, while also still able to outplay most guitarists in the technique department. Yet, he doesn't overdo it. He is varied in his approach and writing style.

This is a band that shows how fusion should be played - with fun! Moreover, it certainly comes across in both their albums. They simply enjoy playing together as a band. They have it all - excellent compositions/improvising/interaction, all the criteria required to produce such a wonderful product.

The outstanding track for me is the very last one, "Chakmool-Ti", which is the band's showcase composition - simply wonderful. A MUST BUY for anyone interested in hearing musicians actually having FUN playing. VTT is the best band I've heard in ages.

Yanek

I have a lot of trouble finding fusion bands that I like, because usually they border way too close to smooth jazz what with the saxophones, synth, and gross guitar tones. So I usually don't venture too far outside of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Miles Davis, and Herbie Hancock. Even a lot of the Flecktones stuff I find way too smooth. Fortunately for me, though, a friend of mine lent me this cd, and it is unbelievably good. Just guitar, bass, and drums. And they are such a powerful combination. They are all probably some of the best musicians in the world (Victor Wooten is probably THE best bass player in the world, just watch any of his dvds), but instead of pretentious, disparate, solo wankery (*COUGH* planet x *COUGH*), you have a very flawless three-piece band that actually sounds like a band, not just three stellar musicians playing together. All in all, this is a fantastic album. If you're a fan of music and hearing how a band works together to play something unique, you will most likely enjoy this very much. The only reason I gave it four stars instead of five, is because Scott Henderson's hair is just so painfully bad in the pictures. His hair can actually bring down the quality of this album, just look at the front cover. What was he thinking?

As others have said, this album is incredible in many ways. I only want to add that in Chakmool-Ti, Henderson's playing, and in particular, the outro solo, is among the best improvisations I've ever heard. His phrasing, tone, and melodic constructions are superb, along with his fantastic structuring of the solo.

I was a recording student (and a bass player) in LA at the time, and being a part of this project, even in some small way, was a formative experience for me. I've never seen an album come together in the way this one did. Here's what was unique about this particular session: Scott Henderson did all of his parts in one take, refusing to do them again, and saying "That was my best stuff, I couldn't do it again." And he was probably right, whereas Victor would redo his overdubs 30 or 40 times until it was perfect. It was amazing. You could actually see Victor do each take a little better than the last one. He would astound everyone in the room, and say "I can do it better." And then he would. Again. 30 or 40 times. And yes, each take would get progressively better than the last. This session was one of those moments that made me the musician I am today.