IN CAHOOTS: ALL THAT

Guitarist Phil Miller's solid fusion ensemble with luminaries Pete Lemer on keys, Elton Dean on alto sax and saxello, as well as other top-notch players like Jim Dvorak (trumpet), Mark Fletcher (drums) and Fred Baker (bass) spewing thoroughly enjoyable tight-but-loose English jazz rock at its best. When artists of this caliber create together, the result is usually good. In this case, here is a group of guys that could be shooting pool together one minute and ripping the lid off a local jazz club the next.

'Black Cat', the melodic cooker that opens this CD, simmers for over twelve minutes and exhibits the chemistry and dynamics Miller's boys have. 'Big Dick' ups the ante and provides a platform for Peter Lemer's slippery ivories and the trance-like state this band can reach. Arabesque and street-wise 'Inca' saunters with funkadelic flavor and has some very cool horn arrangements and guitar-horn harmonies. These fellas dominate their musical space but don't overwhelm with flash or contrivance... it would be unnecessary. The delicious 'Sleight of Hand' swirls with odd times, John Coltrane old-school jazz expressions, causing you to smell the smoke, liquor and sex of the small jazz club atmosphere it conjures. 'Out There' has a Latin theme and is a quiet refrain before the great finale, the racing synth-jazzer 'Your Root 2', a prog rock diamond in the rough and a high note to close on for a completely satisfying session.