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Rare Blend: Infinity
ByStrongest cuts are "Blue Samba," "Z'hadum," "Blue Diamond," "Funky Ovulation Shuffle," and "Kitchen Cinque." You will hear Santana and the little-known A. Mouzon, L. Ritenour, T. Bolin project Mind Transplant on portions of the above. Funk undercurrents are strong with rock drive and full jazz sensitivities in Rare Blend. If more fusion-fired unison lines, (bassist Scott knows the formula), widely variant time sigs, and less boogie-down grooves are used in this group's future releases they might even echo such acclaimed jazz fusionists as Tribal Tech, 5 After 4, and F-5.
I hear very strong potential in Rare Blend. Notably on "Time Upon A Time" they really wowed me in the piece's first 3:10 with a unique compositional voice but thereafter they fell back into bland lounge jazz standards for the duration. Avoidance of been-there-done-that, jazzy breaks and groove-a-thons will only serve to better Rare Blend. I'm a firm believer in "comfortable jamming territory" for a musician tends to lose listener interest rapidly. Being good at the expected is laudable but not excellent. Overall, Rare Blend's Infinity is a decent CD, outdoing their earlier EP.
Reprinted with the permission of John Collinge and Progression Magazine .
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Rare Blend
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Title: Infinity | Year Released: 2000 | Record Label: TSM Productions
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