DAVE ASKREN — Dave Askren & Jeff Benedict Paraphernalia - Music Of Wayne Shorter (review)

DAVE ASKREN — Dave Askren & Jeff Benedict Paraphernalia - Music Of Wayne Shorter album cover Album · 2020 · Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
js
Dave Askren and Jeff Benedict are a guitar and sax duo who record together occasionally when they are not performing with other high profile artists. For their third album together, “Paraphernalia”, they enlisted Jonathan Pintoff on bass and Chris Garcia on percussion as they pay tribute to Wayne Shorter by recording ten of his compositions. They go for a nice variety of Wayne’s work by including tracks from his solo albums, plus his work with Miles, and one from Weather Report. Thankfully there is no attempt to emulate Shorter, the feel and rhythm for each song has been altered considerably, and Benedict’s sound and phrasing do not carry much similarity to Shorter either. Having a percussionist instead of a full trap set gives the music a light buoyant quality, this is west coast music, somewhat cerebral and laid back, but still very rhythmic and funky.

As mentioned earlier, the basic rhythms of these classic songs have been changed. “E.S.P.” has a relaxed hip-hop shuffle, “Yes and/or No” becomes a mambo and “Fall” is a 6/8 Afro-Cuban groove. Its interesting to notice that due to the abstract nature of Shorter’s melodies, some of his songs are not instantly familiar when the background has been altered. Considering how many times I heard “Heavy Weather” back in the day, “Harlequin” from that album almost slipped by me, barely recognizable without its original big electronic sound. Top track on here may be “Mahjong” with its propulsive drive and John Schofield flavored guitar scratching.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Symphonic Blues No. 6 Third Stream
CORKY SIEGEL
Buy this album from MMA partners
Recut Jazz Related Electronica/Hip-Hop
SKALPEL
Buy this album from MMA partners
Yuval Cohen Quartet : Winter Poems Post-Fusion Contemporary
YUVAL COHEN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Just Nu Jazz
JIM HART
Buy this album from MMA partners
Skrifum Post-Fusion Contemporary
JON BALKE
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

SOLSTICE album release • Duo Russo - Holst
PAOLO RUSSO
js· 114 minutes ago
Akiko Yano & Hiromi - Kawarushi (Official Audio)
HIROMI
js· 1 day ago
All I Want For Christmas Is You
DAVID HAZELTINE
js· 1 day ago
Chicken
QUATUOR EBÈNE
js· 2 days ago
Det er en egen lomme
THE LEIF
js· 2 days ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed