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Scott Amendola Trio: Lift
ByAmendola announces the beginning of Lift with a regal one-minute drum solo that builds into "Tudo De Bom," a danceable mid-tempo Latin tune that sets the tone of the album. While each track has a unique feel, almost all have funky underpinnings, helping to make Lift a strong, cohesive set. Amendola's melodies are strong and also keep the record together thematically. That tracks like the bluesy "Lima Bean," and the textural, effects-laden swirl of "Cascade," fit so nicely on the same album is a testament to the composer's melodic sensibility.
Jeff Parker takes strong solos throughout Lift. On "Death By Flower," a modern fusion throw-down that is the album's heaviest track, Parker plays an aggressive noise solo that twists through the rhythmic maelstrom created by Shifflett and Amendola. He manages to be tasteful, and his ideas are clear as the he shifts tones while hurling frantic lines of chaos. "Tudo De Bom" finds Parker playing a more stylistically jazz solo that sits deep in the pocket, and his vintage tremolo-effected solo on "The Knife" rocks over the pounding, straight-eighth rhythm.
Shifflett and Amendola have a deep rhythmic relationship. The drummer drives the band forward with his singular rhythmic vocabulary, while the bassist helps provide a subtle intensity. Shifflett is a utilitarian player who keeps his bass deep in the pocket, providing a powerful counterpart to Amendola's drumming. His solo that opens "Blues for Istanbul" is melodic and moving, and his bluesy solo on "The Knife" is strong and commanding.
Lift is another great example of Amendola's significant talent as a drummer, composer, and bandleader. He has created an album of strong tunes with great band mates and drives the record with his masterful drumming.
Track Listing
Tudo De Bom; Cascade; Blues For Istanbul; Death By Flower; Lift; Lima Bean; The Knife; Lullaby For Sascha.
Personnel
Scott Amendola
drumsJeff Parker: guitar; John Shifflett: bass; Scott Amendola: drums, percussion, electronics.
Album information
Title: Lift | Year Released: 2010 | Record Label: Sazi Records
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Scott Amendola Trio
CD/LP/Track Review
Scott Amendola
Nick Millevoi
Fully Altered Media
Sazi Records
United States
Nels Cline
Jeff Parker
Lift
Concerts
Apr
27
Sat
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