Evolution - Stefon Harris & Blackout > Reviews > Not enough good vibes

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Lacking inspiration
Lyrics	Not applicable
Quality and consistency of tracks	Mixed
Value for Money	Satisfactory

Advantages:	Quality of playing by Harris and the guest musicians
Disadvantages:	The overuse of electric keyboards

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Stefon Harris has brought jazz vibes playing into the 21st Century, and for that he deserves some credit, especially since he has done so as a leader and not merely in a decorative background role.

On this recording with the group Blackout, he mixes jazz with material calculated to appeal to a wider audience. This is reflected in his choice of cover material: Sting's "Until" and George Gershwin's evergreen "Summertime" are here along with fellow vibist Bobby Hutcherson's "Montara".

It has to be said the mix is not an entire success. The CD begins well, and there are pleasant exchanges between the tuned percussion and the guest musicians, particularly Anne Drummond on flute, on the early tracks. "For Him, For Her" is the best example of this, and there's also some clever piano work to ensure that the version of "Until" is a success.

Unfortunately it seems to lose its way around the middle, and it's "Summertime" which kicks this off. Harris predictably takes the vocal line himself, but neither he nor the group go anywhere with it, and the whole thing comes perilously close to background muzak.

It's Blackout who have to take some responsibility. Their playing, though competent, is never really inspiring or inspired, and there are times when the electric keyboards are allowed to get totally out of control, bringing back unpleasant memories of the gormless disco and rock fusion projects of the 1970s jazz recession. Equally annoyingly, the group use their co-credit as an excuse to indulge in some gratuitous urban posturing for the booklet photographs, which is not a pretty sight.

There's no denying Harris' talents as a player. But what's also clear from this CD is that he's yet to find his niche. He would surely be better advised to stick to smaller, purely acoustic projects where those gifts would have better chance to shine.