Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Don't call it a sell-out..., September 20, 2002
By A Customer
Joshua Redman appeared on the scene in the early 1990's, receiving much critical acclaim as a 'be-bop' revivalist of sorts. Jazz guitar legend Pat Metheny was amongst those who, early on, sang his praises (Metheny also wrote and performed on some of Redman's early records). Those early CDs revealed Joshua Redman to be an extraordinarily gifted (albeit somewhat imitative) tenor sax player with his feet firmly planted in the 'bop' tradition.But Redman's work of late has been evolving to some degree... which has some jazz critics (and some 'purists') crying foul. They say he has abandoned the straight-ahead 'be-bop' that characterised his first efforts. That may well be true; but to me this is a good thing. After a decade of making records (many of them highly praised) he has already proven he has the jazz 'chops'... so maybe he felt it was time to try something a little different. On his latest, 'Elastic' he is working with Sam Yahel (piano, keyboards, organ) and jazz drummer extraordinaire, Mr. Brian Blade. Brian Blade alone would be worth the price of admission here. His drumming on 'Elastic' is even more energetic and adventurous than on his own albums. He handles his drum kit like a gladiator... snare drums snap... cymbals sizzle... and the bass drum booms like THUNDER ! Brian Blade doesn't just play his drums... he actually makes them DANCE and SING ! Meanwhile, Sam Yahel's groove-oriented Hammond organ playing keeps things moving along nicely... both on the slow, soulful ballads and also the more up-tempo funk numbers. As for Joshua Redman, he still displays the same dazzling technique and the rich 'earthy' tone he's become famous for. His saxophone swoops and swirls over the funky grooves laid down by his bandmates Yahel and Blade. He seems to be content to share the spotlight here... and he also genuinely seems to be enjoying himself within this trio setting. Joshua Redman fans who have not listened since his 'be-bop' days will be in for a little surprise on this one. But I do wish to emphasize that this new record is NOT a "smooth jazz" type of CD. There are no sequencers or other studio gimmicks here. And the music itself is far too sophisticated to be tossed in with the 'smooth jazz' crowd. Instead, what we have here are three jazz musicians who KNOW HOW TO PLAY making real live jazz music... but in a slightly skewered (and more listener-friendly) groove-oriented style. This one is great for music fans who like intelligent, yet funky & accessible jazz music. Excellent... HIGHLY RECOMMENDED !!
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12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
THIS IS NOT SMOOTH JAZZ!!, October 23, 2002
"Elastic" by the new Joshua Redman trio is not a smooth jazz disc. It has more musicianship and creativity than any smooth jazz collection. Calling this CD smooth jazz is like calling your wife an acquaintance of yours.I admit, this CD is a departure of what I've come to expect from Redman. Actually, that's not true because one thing that impresses me about Redman is his music is organic and always changing. What I should say is the texture and direction of this CD really surprised me when I first listened to it. Now, three days after I bought it, I've listened to it about a dozen times. The highlights for me are "Jazz Crimes", "Can a Good Thing Last Forever", and "Still Pushin' That Rock". However, today, I discovered new flourishes, grooves, and nuances in "The Birthday Song" that have made those two tracks my new favorites on the CD. You won't be disappointed if you buy this CD.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Look behind the funk!, October 25, 2005
Because I couldn't decide about giving this album 4 or 5 stars I listened to it very closely. With an album that's pretty funky that's not something I do very often. That kind of music must get to you, without paying too much attention.
Elastic proved that attitude to be wrong. This jazz/funk/fusion-album yields it's hidden secrets when you really start to listen.
Two important reasons for the five stars I decided to give:
1. There's a combination of some of the worlds finest musicians in jazz on this album: Redman, Yahel and Brian Blade (I know there are some other descent musicians on the face of the earth, but they just don't play on this album...). They play together very well, great breaks and accents, shared solo's, drumsolo's in the break etc. For those who miss the bassplayer easily when he's not around: the organ takes over the bassplaying, sometimes sounding like Marcus Miller or T.O.P.
Joshua Redman's playing has two sides: he can be fast and his virtuosity is great but his personal style is a bit slow (by a guitarist that's called a slowhand?). Sometimes that keeps the swing/funk from getting loose. Good or bad? Decide for yourself.
Sam Yahel plays piano, Hammond, Fender Rhodes etc. on this album. He really isn't a dull player, wich sometimes happens when there is an organ involved. Where he starts playing, solo or background, there's something good going on. He uses a lot of different sounds.
Brian Blade is maybe the best drummer I've seen play live. He can do almost everything with his drums and he can really fill every space the rythm of a tune gives him. What he does here is a bit different: he's not so very prominently prescent. I believe that's an important quality for a drummer, Blade has shown before with his own Fellowship, where he leaves a lot of space for composition and other players.
2. The composition of the songs on the album and the way they build up is very good. The only song that's not really working for me is the first one. It's a typical fusion-thang with a big slow theme that get's repeated over and over. The second song (Jazz Crimes) is a six star tune tough. It starts of with a fast and freaky riddle being in contrast with the second, sentimental, part of the theme. After Yahel's solo runs smoothly over into the theme again, Blade and Redman go for it! At the end of the tune the organ has slowly filled up all the space around Redman's saxophone. But where not there yet. Between fast breaks there's some space for a short drum-thing and than the theme starts over again. It get's a little freaky and...it stops.
The third song is a ballad that evolves into something different than a ballad. The organ's from outher space here and Redman does some good things on his saxophone. At the end there's not so much left of the ballad.
Omou is song number four and it's an intelligent little thing that start of with sax and organ but suddenly Blade rolls a very nice beat under it. I don't know why, but this tune fascinates me. Maybe because at the end of the short tune it let's itself roll away slowly to dissapear into nothing.
Still Pushin' That Rock has a lot to offer, but what I really like is that after a few minutes the song collapses. In a lot of songs that's not good. Here it's done very good. There's less going on for a little while, but it sounds like there's still something building up.
Can A Good Thing Last Forever starts of with a poppy-piano. Once again there's a big theme and it builds up to climax, but the song is a little boring, but very usefull as a last song for the break for popbands wanting to steal the show with an instrumental.
In the seventh song (Boogielastic) to the duel or team-work (I cannot decide) between the sax and the organ. There's some great breaks in this song.
Unknowing has something special. Maybe the way the drums are recorded and definitly because of the sudden ending.
Number nine hits the T.O.P.-bass. The way it get's silent after the 'storm' is done very good!
The ballad Letting Go builds up very very very subtlely and slowly builds up and stops exactly at the climax.
At the end of the album there's a little freeness running into somewhat of a popsong that nicely ripples away.
Well, in conclusion: I would agree with a more critical review maybe. I know that sometimes there's too much theme and repeating without adding something and there are never real strange things happening but for a slowfunk/jazz-album there's so much going on here that it just wouldn't be fair to give less than 5 stars.
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