Uri Caine: Bedrock (2002)

C. MICHAEL BAILEY,

C. Michael Bailey

Senior Contributor since 1997

...wants to know if Gene Harris is playing "Summertime" in Heaven...

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Published: September 1, 2002

The Electric Trio...

Released the same day as Solitaire and Rio, Bedrock is a flip side electric trio recording to 1999's acoustic Blue Wail. Every bit as iconoclastic as Blue Wail, Bedrock is an investigation of rhythms and ideas, electrically presented. Mr. Caine employs the Fender Rhodes electric piano almost exclusively and draws from it all of its celestial charm and bombast. Bassist Tim Lefebvre and Drummer Zach Danzinger join Caine for the festivities with turntablist DJ Logic sliding in on "Red Eye" and "Root Canal."

This music sounds like the love child of In A Silent Way and Medeski, Martin, and Wood. It is not jam-band fodder, but it does have improvised elements and ample places for the principles to stretch out and ride. The music produced seems like that, which would be revealed while under hypnosis, atmospheric and often feverish. I do not believe that Mr. Caine can make too much muck like that contained on this or its sister discs.

Track Listing: Our Hour; Nymphomania; Fang; Humphry Pass My Way; Flagrant Fragrant; Toe Jam; Red Eye; Lobby Daze; J. Edgar Hoover in A Dress; Root Canal (Total Time: 60:18).

Personnel: Uri Caine: keyboards, Tim Lefebvre: bass; Zach Danzinger: drums, percussion. Guests DJ Logic: turntables; Jessie System: vocals.

Record Label: Winter & Winter
Style: Beyond Jazz