Smokin' in the Pit [LIVE]

Steps Ahead

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 10, 1999)
• Original Release Date: August 10, 1999
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Live
• Label: NYC (New York City)
• ASIN: B00000JY6J
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #62,593 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  #18 in	Music > Jazz > Live Albums > Jazz Fusion
  #31 in	Music > Indie Music > Jazz > Jazz Fusion

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Five jazz super stars at their top ..., October 27, 1999

By A Customer

Mike Mainieri reissued this masterpiece adding 6 bonus tracks (3 additional compositions and 3 alternative takes) to the original double album. If you want to hear five jazz masters (Micheal Brecker, Steve Gadd, Mike Mainieri, Eddie Gomez and Don Grolnick) playing live at their top don't miss this. In my opinion it is the best thing Steps Ahead ever made.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mike Mainieri deserves wider recognition!, May 22, 2006

By	KD "kennydrums" (Southeastern Ohio) - See all my reviews

I arrived at this CD after hearing and adoring their later work. "Smokin' in the Pit" is a great CD, but "Modern Times" offers more exciting compositions - by that I mean drum lines that loop in a different meter, as well as some creative modern melodies.
Smokin' in the Pit differs, largely in my opinon, with the change in drummers. Steve Gadd on "Pit", and Peter Erskine on "Modern Times." Gadd plays well. His style is all his own. And I have to say he is one of my favorite drummers. But, Peter Erskine is more of a chameleon, choosing a styles that differ more for each song. The difference is most noticable on "Sara's Touch", a song of exquisite beauty composed by Mike Mainieri, the vibes player. I have the recording "Wanderlust" by Mike Mainieri with Peter Erskine on drums and Marcus Miller on bass (as I recall.) I consider this a much more sensitive version of the song.
Back to "Smokin' in the Pit" - It is nonetheless an exciting session by top notch musicians. Michael Brecker, Eddie Gomez and Don Grolnik round out the list. On this session a lot of jamming goes on. They can be long, but I hasten so say not too long. This is certainly not a flaw, just different. I just expected more of the ground breaking style of their later recordings.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Brecker - Gadd Show, January 10, 2005

By	hedged (NY United States) - See all my reviews

I consider this album as essentially an extended Michael Brecker and Steve Gadd duet. If you like explosive tenor sax solos and pure power jazz / funk drumming, these discs will be heaven. Gomez / Grolnick / Manieri provide fantastic backup; the group is obviously well-rehearsed and "smokin'" just as the title says.