montg Posted April 23, 2004 Report Posted April 23, 2004 Has anyone heard this yet? I'm kind of curious about it. I value the opinions on this board significantly more than the bought and paid for 'reviews' that seem to proliferate around major label new releases. from the blue note website: Stefon Harris is one of today’s brightest young jazz stars. Evolving from one project to the next, Stefon has gathered a new group of musicians, known as Blackout, to help document the music of today. With such personal arrangements and a mix between covers and original compositions, Stefon has produced a highly assessable record that everyone can sink their teeth into. From the Sting cover “Until” to the Latin infused original “Red-Bone, Netti-Bone” Stefon & Blackout has delivered one of the years best and highly anticipated releases of 2004. Blackout is: Stefon Harris: vibes Casey Benjamin: alto saxophone Darryl Hall: acoustic bass Terreon Gully: drums Marc Cary: Fender Rhodes, keyboards Quote
Eric Posted April 23, 2004 Report Posted April 23, 2004 I have it and I like it. Reminds me a bit of those mid-70s Bobby Hutcherson releases (View From The Inside, Waiting, etc.). Has a bit of a contemporary feel, but with bite. It does not sound forced - on the contrary, it sounds like these guys had fun putting this together. For once, I think the review at www.allaboutjazz.com actually does a pretty good job describing it too. Quote
Alexander Posted April 23, 2004 Report Posted April 23, 2004 I'm a big Harris fan, so I picked it up on Tuesday. It's quite good, but I must say that I was a little disappointed. I saw this group live last summer and they KICKED ASS. Particularly bassist Darryl Hall and drummer Terreon Gully. Hall was on electric bass at the time, and he has a beautiful PHAT liquid sound on that instrument. For some reason, Harris switched Hall to acoustic bass by the time they recorded this album, and the difference is audible. Moreover, Gully was a MONSTER live. He was all over the place. He's much more restrained on the album. When touring, Harris was trying out an electronic mallet instrument called a MalletKat which he was alternating with the vibes. By the time he recorded the album, he seems to have decided that he didn't like the MalletKat anymore, because he doesn't use it at all. While I think he could have used the MalletKat less in performance (it did get a little tired after a while), I would like for him to have used it for texture on the album in addition to vibes and marimba. I realize that these are all artistic choices that Harris made, and I respect that. It's just that the concert was so good, that I'd hoped the album would be a little...better. Still, I do enjoy it and I agree with the 70s Bobby Hutcherson vibe... My biggest complaint is the cover art...looks like someone went to town with Photoshop! Quote
rachel Posted April 23, 2004 Report Posted April 23, 2004 I haven't picked this one up yet but it's on my list. I'm anxious to get it. I agree that seeing them live really intensifies your expectations. They are just that great. Quote
Joe G Posted April 23, 2004 Report Posted April 23, 2004 Live is almost always going to be better. Quote
Guest akanalog Posted April 23, 2004 Report Posted April 23, 2004 i just listened to this album at the local barnes and noble. sounded a little cheesy to me-the beats and stuff, the keyboard sounds...i dunno... i wasn't impressed. maybe the production is too nice-i really like 70s bobby hutcherson (besides montara) though. however what was i listening to?-like 15 second samples of each song, so my opinion might be off... but everything sounded a bit cheesy-more cheesy to me than the newest terence blanchard which i expected to be cheesier. if i am going to listen to this new stephon harris album i might as well go back to the source and pick up some commercial 70s jazz fusion-perhaps roger glenn's "reachin". Quote
jack Posted April 26, 2004 Report Posted April 26, 2004 I'm a big Harris fan, so I picked it up on Tuesday. It's quite good, but I must say that I was a little disappointed. I saw this group live last summer and they KICKED ASS. Particularly bassist Darryl Hall and drummer Terreon Gully. Hall was on electric bass at the time, and he has a beautiful PHAT liquid sound on that instrument. For some reason, Harris switched Hall to acoustic bass by the time they recorded this album, and the difference is audible. Moreover, Gully was a MONSTER live. He was all over the place. He's much more restrained on the album. I haven't picked this one up yet. I saw Terreon Gully play with the Christian McBride Band a couple of years ago and he was too good for words. Now I'll have to pick this one up. Quote
Eric Posted April 26, 2004 Report Posted April 26, 2004 (edited) i just listened to this album at the local barnes and noble. sounded a little cheesy to me-the beats and stuff, the keyboard sounds...i dunno... i wasn't impressed. maybe the production is too nice-i really like 70s bobby hutcherson (besides montara) though. however what was i listening to?-like 15 second samples of each song, so my opinion might be off... but everything sounded a bit cheesy-more cheesy to me than the newest terence blanchard which i expected to be cheesier. if i am going to listen to this new stephon harris album i might as well go back to the source and pick up some commercial 70s jazz fusion-perhaps roger glenn's "reachin". I did the listening station thing too ... full CD seems to dial down the cheese factor to quite acceptable levels. There is a fair amount of adventurous stuff. Eric Edited April 26, 2004 by Eric Quote
Peter Johnson Posted April 26, 2004 Report Posted April 26, 2004 Love it. This guy has a serious ability to write "texture" into his arrangements. I like grand unification theory more, but this record brings the funk fo sho... Quote
Eric Posted April 27, 2004 Report Posted April 27, 2004 good discussion of this CD going on at the "other place" http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/showthread....20&pagenumber=1 Quote
ejp626 Posted April 28, 2004 Report Posted April 28, 2004 I like the album too. I thought Grand Unification Theory was admirably ambitious, but Harris himself sometimes got lost in the mix. He is featured more on Evolution. I liked the fact that there was a range of styles and tempos in the pieces. I haven't seen him lead a group live, though I've seen him in supporting roles. I may have to drive to Kalamazoo, since the tour is skipping Chicago! Quote
Joe M Posted May 13, 2004 Report Posted May 13, 2004 I really don't see this as being that much of a departure from his other albums, just some silly electronic sounds thrown in here and there. It's ok, but if he's going to do an "electronic" project, maybe he should take the idea and run with it a little more. I guess the title of the album tells the story though. Not bad, but I don't think it's close to great. Quote
RainyDay Posted May 13, 2004 Report Posted May 13, 2004 I was thinking about seeing him next month. You all recommend that? I saw him with someone else a couple years ago, can't remember with who (McCoy?). I did enjoy his playing. He's mostly electronic? Ear plugs recommended? Quote
sal Posted May 13, 2004 Report Posted May 13, 2004 I haven't seen him lead a group live, though I've seen him in supporting roles. I may have to drive to Kalamazoo, since the tour is skipping Chicago! Joe Segal probably wouldn't have him at the Showcase, with the electronics and all. You should have seen how pissed Joe was when Nicholas Payton showed up with Sonic Trance and they were using samplers and synthesizers! That was classic!! Quote
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