Groove Collective: It's All In Your Mind

Nu-Jazz/Acid jazz/Lounge Jazz
premiera polska: 2002-09-09
kontynent: Ameryka Północna
kraj: USA
opakowanie: Jewelcaseowe etui
opis:
Hi Fi I Muzyka; 2001-05
Acid jazz nigdy nie zdobył w Polsce wielkiej popularności. Być może dlatego, że muzyka to zawsze związana buła ściśle z tzw. clubbingoem (lub klabingiem, znowu otrzymaliśmy anglosaskiego potwora językowego). Zjawisko to dopiero od niedawna zaczyna pojawiać się w naszych miastach w swojej pełnej zachodniej formie. Niestety, dlatego czasu sztywna formuła najambitniejszej muzyki tanecznej zdążyła się już zupełnie wypalić

Grupa Groove Collective uważna jest przez znawców za jedną z najwybitniejszych przedstawicielek "acidowego" grania. Mieszanka soulu i disco z wczesnych lat 80. z jazzowymi improwizacjami jest wprawdzie mało odkrywcza, ale może być niezwykle atrakcyjna. Niestety album "It's All in your Mind" atrakcyjny nie jest. Broni się tylko pierwszy numer. "Time Pilot" to zwiewny, sympatyczny kawałek utrzymany w nieco trip - hopowej konwencji z domieszką psychodelii. Reszta to tylko świetnie wykonane. mocno zrytmizowane, ale bardzo podobne do siebie przegadane wypełniacze. Każdy z nich mógłby z powodzeniem znaleźć się na którymś poprzednich krążków zespołu. Grupa stoi w miejscu, jak i cały reprezentowany przez nią nurt.

Muzyka z najnowszej płyty Groove Collective bardziej nadaje się do tańca niż do słuchania. Gdzieś około piątego numeru zawartość zaczęła mnie po prostu irytować. No cóż. nie od dziś wiadomo, że aby "przykuć" słuchacza do fotela trzeba oprócz warsztatowych umiejętności, mieć jeszcze pomysł na muzykę. Niestety formacja Groove Collective pomysłu takiego nie ma.
autor: Rafał Pliszka


Machina; 2001-04
Jazz dla hedonistów
Nowojorski zespół dobrze wie, że aby robić dobry pop trzeba być o pół kroku za modą. Ich nowa płyta streszcza wszystko, co było trendem w minionym sezonie. Ton nadają jej: fuzja tradycji elektrycznego jazzu z house i latyno oraz psychodeliczne brzmienia analogowych syntezatorów. Atutem tych nagrań są smacznie aranżowane partie żywej sekcji dętej. Solidna muzyka rozrywkowa ukazująca dość pomyślną ewolucję acid jazzu.
autor: Rafał Księżyk

Editor's Info
For nearly a decade, Groove Collective has been transcending categories with one goal in mind: to move listeners' minds and feet. Long before the term "jam band" hit the scene, this crew of New York City-based stylistic adventurers was laying down grooves that buzzed with funk, jazz, house, Latin and every party-inducing sound in between. Jam? These guys helped shape the modern definition.

"We're from all around the world-- different countries, different backrounds--you name it," explains drummer and producer Genji Siraisi, "but when the group plays together, life becomes simple again--we want our music to be lush, undeniable, beautiful, and of course, danceable." "Its All In Your Mind," their latest record on Shanachie, takes Groove Collective's mission to the next level. It's not only pleasing to the ear, it reaffirms the band's status as serious, immensely talented musicians who understand that entertaining music demands substance in order to stand the test of time.

From the airy and cinematic "Time Pilot," to the band's simmering tribute to the late Nigerian Afrobeat superstar Fela Kuti, "Ransome", it's immediately clear that originality will inform this LP. The insistent disco-funk rhythms of "Dance with You," then take over, followed by the gritty, indiginous funk brought forth by the kalimba, berimbau and wooden flutes of "Earth to Earth," and the sunny, Brazilian-tinged trippiness of "You're Stepping on my Daisy."

Cuban piano legend Chucho Valdes joins the collective on "Stargazer", a latin-jazz throwdown staggering in its intensity. Groove Collective's reedman Jay Rodriguez, often featured in Valdes' own quartet, wrote "Stargazer " with Chucho in mind. Chucho's presence can be felt from the very first
note, but it's his solo that's guaranteed to make your head spin.

With "Winner", vibraphonist Bill Ware gives the funky nod to Steely Dan, with whom he played, while the schizophrenic hip-hop instru-mental "All In Your Mind" takes the listener on a journey from sublime to raucous and straight back again. "Ocean Floor" is jazz funk fusion a la Roy Ayers aimed at the dance-classic lover that lurks within each of us, while the band's ultra-global reach is demonstrated yet again with "Priye," where Afro-house and Dominican folklore meet. Though mindblowing in its diversity, this CD has a cohesive and completely logical flow, ending with "Demon Chaser," which serves as the band's psychedelic exit theme: gently self-reflective at its beginning, full-on anthem to finish.

Honing this latest crop of songs in their expansive live shows, the seven core members of Groove Collective paint a richly colored canvas of sound that dips into funk, psychedelia, hip-hop, Afrobeat, disco-house, cuban rhythms and stone-cold jazz improvising. This is a band that can really stretch. Today, the band is comprised of Chris Theberge (congas, percussion), Richard Worth (flutes, kalimba, vocals), Genji Siraisi (drums, vocals), Jonathan Maron (bass), Jay Rodriguez (saxophones, vocals), Uli Geissendoerfer (Fender rhodes, synthesizers) and Bill Ware (vibes,
percussion, vocals).

The roots of the Groove Collective took hold more than nine years ago in the basement of Manhattan's Metropolis Cafe, at the now legendary weekly party, "Giant Step." Here the specialties of the house were the impromptu dancefloor compositions created by DJ's Jazzy Nice and Smash along with Groove Collective members--everyone improvising together to keep the dancers moving. Shortly thereafter, the Collective found itself a home in New York City's late night dance scene as a band unto itself.

Since that time, Groove Collective has performed all over the U.S., Europe and Japan at international jazz festivals, theatres, clubs and steamy after- hours spots alike--sometimes combining two such events in a single evening. They've opened for James Brown, Parliament-Funkadelic as well as the Dave Matthews Band and Widespread Panic. As a group, they've backed up Tupac Shakur, Natalie Merchant, the Pharcyde and Pharoah Sanders, and individually, GC members have performed and recorded with Elvis Costello, Maxwell, Prince, D'Angelo, Blondie, David Byrne, Nuyorican Soul, Digital Underground and Jewel, just to name a few. Underground, where it all really starts, club DJ's and producers can attest to the many records on which the collective's presence can be felt: Masters at Work, Naked Music, Ron Trent...the list goes on.

The group occasionally still has to shrug off concerns about not being "a radio band," but the astounding number of listener-friendly choices on "It's All In Your Mind" should settle that issue once and for all. While it's liberating for Groove Collective to not be squeezed into any stylistic box, they're still able to transfer that freewheeling spirit - along with the electricity of their live show - onto CD.

Catch the Groove Collective's 21st Century sound of surprise live --or slide in "It's All In Your Mind" and let those same grooves carry you into the musical world they helped pioneer.

muzycy:
Genji Siraisi (vocals, acoustic guitar, drums, programming)
Richard Worth (vocals, flute, piccolo, recorder, kalimba)
Bill Ware (vocals, Fender Rhodes piano, synthesizer, vibraphone, percussion, programming)
Jonathan Maron (electric guitar, synthesizer, bass guitar, programming)
Barney McAll (recorder, piano, Fender Rhodes piano, Wurlitzer organ, synthesizer)
Jay Rodriguez (alto saxophone)
Chucho Valdés (piano)
Chris Theberge (congas)
Gordon "Nappy G" Clay (bongos, bells). Groove Collective: Genji Siraisi (vocals, acoustic guitar, drums, programming)
Richard Worth (vocals, flute, piccolo, recorder, kalimba)
Bill Ware (vocals, Fender Rhodes, synthesizer, vibraphone, programming)
Chris Theberge (vocals, timbales, congas, percussion)
Johnathan Maron (electric guitar, synthesizer, bass, programming)
Jay Rodriguez (flute, Bonsuri flute, Flauta De Milo, soprano, alto, tenor & baritone saxophones, gaitas)
Barney McAll (recorder, Wurlitzer piano, Fender Rhodes, synthesizer)
Chucho Valdes (piano)
Gordon "Nappy G" Clay (bongos, bell)

utwory:
1. Time Pilot
2. Ransome
3. Dance With You
4. Earth to Earth
5. You're Stepping On My Daisy
6. Stargazer
7. Winner
8. In Your Mind
9. Ocean Floor
10. Priye
11. Skye
12. Comparsa Tunina
13. Demon Chaser
14. (Untitled Track)

total time - 70:40
wydano: 2001
more info: www.shanachie.com