SNAKEHIPS ETCETERA

Ian Carr continues onward in his relentless pursuit of expanding the horizons of all that is possible from his grand idea of fusing elements and styles of various musics into the jazz-rock idiom.

1. "Rat's Bag" (5:51) a little "Space Race" blended with a little Cosby Kids funk into an Average White Band form. Great funk tune. (9.125/10)

2. "Alive And Kicking" (9:30) percussion play, saxophone play, with Moog bass and wordless vocalese coming from Bob Bertles provides two minutes of entertainment as Ian and the band "warm up." In the third minute the band emerges from the chaos and fog of the intro into a Marvin Gaye-like motif with horns, wah-wah rhythm guitar, congas and full- fretboard electric bass play all contributing to the dance-and-work-it pace and drive of this engaging tune. In the fifth minute, Ken Shaw is given the green light to launch into a solo that starts out kind of jazzy but becomes, over time, quite searing and soaring in its rock nature: Ken is really flying--urged on by the excellent support of bass, drums, percussion, Fender Rhodes and accenting horn section. The band moves back to the main theme in the eighth minute before a wild crash/crescendo of cacophonic choas is unleashed by all instruments, all at once, at the 8:00 mark. Out of this slowly, gradually, emerges a kind of minimalistic arpeggio weave from Ken with Ian soloing alone above it. A great tune. (18/20)

3. "Rachel's Tune" (7:05) a song with DEODATO-like charm and earworm grooves and riffs that sink in and won't let go, the funk, the jazz, the fusion, the radio-friendly AWB sound--they're all here. Bob Bertles gets the first solo on his soprano sax, then Geoff, Ken, and Ian. (13.5/15)

4. "Snakehips Etcetera" (10:32) a great, melodic bass line is accompanied by congas and simple drum play to help found that which will become a Bitches Brew-like motif. The level of creative inputs into this song by each musician is off-the-charts virtuosic. (17.75/20)

5. "Pussyfoot" (4:06) flute in the lead over the rollicking Jazz-funk-fest offered by this one. It sounds quite Freddie Hubbard or Laws Family-ish. Bob can really play the flute! And the full-band support is great (if less creative than that which will emerge on this lineup's next album, Alleycat.) (9.125/10)

6. "Heyday" (7:45) down-home country 12-string guitar play opens this one sounding like something from one of Britain's early Folk Rock musicians is joined in the second minute by folk-jazz traps, multi-octave bass and Fender Rhodes lines. At 2:12 Ian and Bob join in (using multiple tracks) to form another thread made up of two different horn section lines. Meanwhile, Ken continues his 12-string legato until 4:25 when the horns break up the song's momentum and everybody switches to a new, more New-Wave/R&B motif over which Bob Bertles solos on his alto sax. A very pleasant, almost Brian Auger-laid-back-like motif that also harkens back to the blues rockers and jazz-rockers of the 1960s (Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, the Memphis horns, Chicago, Blood, Sweat & Tears). Fun tune. (13.5/15)

Total Time: 44:49

Whilst a great album of individual performances and tons of creative experimentation, the band has yet to really gel into cohesive union; that would come with the next year's Alleycat. What I like best about this album is the comprehensive consistency from the rhythm section--especially Roger Sutton's excellent funk grooves, but the way they are all supported and enhanced by Roger Seller's drums, Geoff Castle's keys, and the ensemble's percussion contributions. It's a very consistent, high-level funk fest from opening note to the end of the penultimate song, "Pussyfoot." The two Rogers make one heck of a duo!

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of funky Jazz-Rock Fusion and a clear indicator of things that are to come.

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