CAB - CAB 4


Year of Release: 2003
Label: Mascot Records
Catalog Number: M 7079-2
Format: CD
Total Time: 66:57:00

It is often said that jazz and fusion sell so bad that the musicians involved have to deliver almost an album each month in order to survive. Of course, you can look at it that way, but you can also look at the genre as a huge melting pot of talent where everyone helps each other out not only because they're friends but mainly because they complement each other beyond your wildest imagination! Take bass player Bunny Brunel who played alongside superb musicians such as Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Tony Williams, Al Jarreau, Natalie Cole, Larry Coryell, Al DiMeola, Mike Stern, Joe Farrell, Chick Corea, in fact a list too numerous to mention. Bunny also released a string of solo albums before founding the rousing CAB. The band's second album was nominated for a Grammy, proof of the quality that is to be found all over the music. The understanding between bass and drums is always a very important cornerstone to a band, which is why Bunny teams up with Dennis Chambers (Niacin) here . Starting out at the tender age of four (!), Chambers is more of a funky drummer having played with Parliament, Funkadelic, George Duke, Stanley Clarke, Santana, and many others. His wonderful sense of groove is already very dominant during the opening song "Hold On," which also contains some tasty bass lines. Although drums and bass will mainly dominate this album, guitarist Tony MacAlpine (Planet X) steps in as well although adding a fair amount of keyboards, too. On "One For The Road" he plays a mean Hammond whilst it's the sympathetic Patrice Rushen who delivers the jazzy piano solo. Rushen has recorded with Prince and Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, Jean-Luc Ponty and Tom Jones which fully illustrates her versatality. The final part of this "Cab" is the immortal Brian Auger and his incredible B3. Known throughout the world for his Brian Auger's Oblivion Express and collaborations with Julie Driscoll, Auger remains one of the few sixties icons that still sounds as fresh today as when he recorded his parts for the very first time.

Governed by percussion loops as programmed by Bernie Torell, "Tony Mac" is indeed a tour de force of MacAlpine delivering the goods as if he was a second DiMeola. The rhythm continues whilst Patrice Rushen delivers some wonderful Fender Rhodes sounds, taking away the attention from the guitar. No doubt Cab is Burnel's festive season with fretless and fretted basses alternating during "Bass Ackward" whilst Chambers has a field day. "Cloud 10" gets an "airy" element injected by means of some tasty steel drums that kind of counterbalance MacAlpine's guitar parts. Although it's mainly Patrice Rushen delivering the Fender Rhodes goods, on "Alphonse" it's Brian Auger alternating the Rhodes with his favourite B3. Great 3/4 tune as a tribute to the great Weather Report drummer Alphonse Mouzon. "Jam & Toast" is indeed the fusing of different approaches -- the authentic jazz courtesy of Patrice Rushen's piano, the more proggy bit with Auger on B3, the rock approach of Tony, whilst bass and drums deliver that funky beat as a constant heartbeat. Although already recorded on an earlier album by Burnel, the final track "Dede" really sums up what the entire Cab project stands for: a perfect marriage between technical highlights and songs.

Contrary to a lot of "look mama, no hands" albums, Cab delivers individual prowess without losing the melodic structure. In the end the album is there to be enjoyed both by the musician who marvels at the high quality of musicianship as well as the lover of good instrumental fusion.


Tracklisting:
Hold On / One For The Road / Shizuka / Tony Mac / Raymond / BB's Rhumba / Bass Ackward / Cloud 10 / Alphonse / Jam & Toast / Dede

Musicians:
Tony MacAlpine ? guitar, keyboards
Bunny Brunel - bass, keyboards, percussion loops
Brian Auger - B3 organ, keyboards (1, 4, 9, 10, 11)
Patrice Rushen - piano (2, 5, 10), keyboards (7), Rhodes (4)
Dennis Chambers ? drums

Discography:
Cab (2000)
Cab2 (2001)
Cab4 (2003)
Live! (2005)
Theatre De Marionettes (2009)

Live - The Original Band Set 1 (2005)
Live - The Original Band Set 2 (2005)
Live! (2005)

Genre: Jazz/Jazz Fusion

Origin US

Added: June 15th 2003
Reviewer: John "Bobo" Bollenberg

Artist website: www.cabband.com
Hits: 2824
Language: english

  

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