IBRAHIM ELECTRIC MEETS RAY ANDERSON

[JSngry]

http://www.dustygroove.com/cgi-sys/cgiwrap...22&issearch=yes

Open-ended Danish Organ trio meets eccentric American trombone master in an open ended & eccentric program recorded live. Little bit of everything on here: a Fela cover (titled after, but not credited to him, btw, and that kinda bugs me), off-kilter funk, an atmospheric testural ballad, a hard hitting shuffle, and yeah. Sounds like a splendid time was had by all, and unless you're always put off by Anderson's tromboinstical freakishness (I'm on a case-by-case basis w/him, this one being one of the good ones for me), most likely to appeal.

Currently out-of-stock at The Bassards http://www.dustygroove.com/cgi-sys/cgiwrap...22&issearch=yes but stay tunes, as it is a brand new release.

Quoth the blastards:

Free-thinking electric funk from this groovy Scandinavian trio -- made even better by some great guest work from trombonist Ray Anderson! The core Ibrahim Electric group have a sound that rivals that of Soulive or Medeski Martin & Wood -- a tight blend of Hammond organ, guitar, and drums -- cooked up with classic soul jazz influences, but brought to the table with a freer, wider, more open groove that's really great. Like MMW, the group's not afraid to go a bit outside if they need to -- nor are they shy about sitting back for a bit, and letting the mood take over the groove. But they can also really jam at the best times too -- as on the album's killer leadoff track "Fela", or the skittishly rhythmic "Pet Pettostan". Anderson turns out to be a great addition to the group on the set too -- pushing their sound even more with an inventive approach to the trombone that's very nice -- and helping round out the style on a set of extended tracks that also includes "The Tuxen Shuffle", "Choppers", and "Formula".

Translated, that means that this is a group (and record) that is "modern" in concept, but ain't afraid to go back to the basics when they feel like it, and one that covers both ends of the spectrum more than merely respectable.

Worth a listen or three by many here, I'm guessing. I know I dug it.

[Rooster_Ties]

Found an audio clip HERE (scroll down, just below the album cover).

Me likey!!!!

Edit: Forget "clip" -- make that a full-length tune, 10+ minutes in length!!

Edited February 28, 2005 by Rooster_Ties

[JohnS]

Thanks for that link, love Ray Anderson. Good to hear something new from him.

[Rooster_Ties]

Found an audio clip HERE (scroll down, just below the album cover).

Me likey!!!!

Edit: Forget "clip" -- make that a full-length tune, 10+ minutes in length!!

FYI, at the same link I posted back in 2005, there's more from this same combo -- with Ray Anderson too...

(Rediscovered this thread searching for something else. And man, that audio clip (full-length 10-minute clip) from the album Jim posted about in the first place -- still REALLY burns. )

Edited March 12, 2008 by Rooster_Ties

[AllenLowe]

well, it's good, but it's no Hot Dog -

[Shawn]

well, it's good, but it's no Hot Dog -

I think you shared your opinion of Hot Dog to the nth degree in the other thread, might want to give it a rest.

[AllenLowe]

sorry, not till the fat lady sings -

[AllenLowe]

but my petty battles aside, I think Ray Anderson is a great trombonist - but there's almost always some point in his solos where I think, all right, I get the point, NEXT -

Edited March 12, 2008 by AllenLowe

[jimi089]

Interesting to note that Ray and George Lewis, two of the preeminent practitioners on their instrument, grew up together and have known each other almost their entire lives. Must have been something in the water...

[AllenLowe]

there was a lot going on in Chicago at that time - that's also where Randy Sandke's from and he told me he always used to run into Braxton, whom he likes a lot: "he was always an independent spirit." Randy is also an old friend of Anderson's whom I believe is on some of his more recent recording(s).

Edited March 12, 2008 by AllenLowe

[JSngry]

I don't understand the school of thought that thinks of Anderson's playing as "gimmicky". I mean, yeah, he's gone there more than once, might even have owned a summer home there for a while, but damn, the guy can deal when he has to/wants to, so I'd feel better with another mindset than "gimmicky".

[AllenLowe]

I wouldn't call it gimmicky - just too much of an (almost) good thing - I used to know an alto player like that (actually fairly well known, but I don't want to get anybody else made at me right now; I need a rest) - played a great solo for the first 2 minutes, than started to go faster and faster, more chords more notes more scales more intervals more more more more more- as though building a solo meant getting faster and faster and faster and faster and faster -

I found it exhausting to play with AND listen to the guy. He could play rings around me but he lacked taste. Anderson is a good player, but gives me similar problems -

Edited March 12, 2008 by AllenLowe

[king ubu]

I've wondered about that already when this thread was started, but what's the relation of this band to Abdullah Ibrahim? Or did they just pick a bad name and weren't aware of him?

And just for the record: I like Ray Anderson a lot!

[JSngry]

"Ibrahim" is simply a variant of "Abraham". What they mean by that, I don't know.

[mikefok]

I love this album.

[king ubu]

"Ibrahim" is simply a variant of "Abraham". What they mean by that, I don't know.

Hm, I guess I just did too much free associating, but then I can't help it...

[mikeweil]

No idea why they named themselves like that - maybe it's just the combination of old and new. Ibrahim is the Arabic variant of Abraham.

JPC currently offers the first disc with Ray Anderson as well as a trio disc Absinthe at half price, so I pulled the trigger. They are more a rock organ than jazz organ trio, but they hit a nice groove, and there are no annoying rock singers noodling silly lyrics, so I can dig it. Their unrehearsed jam with Anderson is remarkable.

http://www.myspace.com/ibrahimelectric

Edited March 21, 2008 by mikeweil