Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Charnett Moffett: Planet Home

136

Charnett Moffett: Planet Home

By

Sign in to view read count
Charnett Moffett: Planet Home
Released in 1995, Charnett Moffett's Planet Home represents a tremendous musical accomplishment. Coming from a successful musical family, Moffett has been playing the bass since early childhood, and he has been recognized on the scene for quite some time as a master of the instrument. What Moffett had yet to do prior to Planet Home was delineate just what he was going to do with all the technique and experience he'd accumulated at such a young age. Evidently, he intends to create.

With the assistance of Geoff Keezer on piano/synthesizer and Victor Lewis on drums, Moffett creates not only individually moving compositions, but a total work of poise and clarity. This is musicianship at its finest: devoid of genre constraints, fluid, innovative, and dedicated to that finest of all artistic traits, free expression. Moffett's compositions range from the solemn solo opening track "Aura" to the harder, fusion-funk oriented "Peace within the Struggle" to the almost classically expressionistic piece "Free Your Mind." Moffett ends the album with a tremendous and bold interpretation of "The Star Spangled Banner," the only track on Planet Home he did not compose.

Quoted in the liner notes, Moffett explains, "I know I can play the bass. Now I just want to concentrate on making strong musical statements, not just as a soloist but as a conceptualist as well." Certainly, with Planet Home Moffett demonstrates his mastery of technique, but he also attains his own aspirations, proving himself a composer capable of a cohesive, challenging, and deeply stirring musical statement.

For the listener totally unaware of Moffett's work, this album will definitely surprise and enchant, but for those already familiar with either his previous work or his later live performance, this recording deserves close scrutiny.

Track Listing

Aura; Brothers & Sisters; Planet Home; Peace Within the Struggle; The Jam; Free Your Mind; Parade; Touch Tone; Last Run; Star Spangled Banner.

Personnel

Charnett Moffett: acoustic, fretless and piccolo basses; Geoff Keezer: piano, synthesizer; Victor Lewis: drums.

Album information

Title: Planet Home | Year Released: 2003 | Record Label: Evidence Music

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.