Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Next Order: Live-Powered Nexus

389

Next Order: Live-Powered Nexus

By

Sign in to view read count
Next Order: Live-Powered Nexus
With this US debut, the Japanese twin-guitar progressive/fusion band Next Order shows just how small the world has become. Reflecting influences from Jeff Beck and John Scofield to Canterbury bands like Phil Miller's In Cahoots, Next Order still retains its own voice, largely due to the divergent styles of guitarists Yuji Muto and Takumo Seino.

Of the two, Muto is the more raucous player, with a more overdriven tone, occasional reliance on a whammy bar, and a style that, along with those already mentioned, derives from King Crimson co-founder Robert Fripp—especially in his lengthy chordal attack during solo on the metal-meets-swing of "Deadline Pressure." While Muto is not unfamiliar with the language of jazz, Seino's playing is cleaner—think Scofield with a more progressive edge—and explores a deeper vernacular.

It's no surprise that Muto wrote the opening "Aggressive Continuity." Beginning with a rapid-fire phrase that moves into heavy Red-era Crimson territory, it ultimately opens into an up-tempo solo spot that's pure Canterbury, though Muto is a less opaque player than Phil Miller. But he's not averse to shifting gears mid-tune to a fast swing, where bassist Atsumo Ishigaki and drummer Hiroshi "Gori" Matsuda play lithely behind Seino's almost bop solo.

What's encouraging about this group of young players is their restraint in a context that almost begs for excess. That's not to say there isn't a lot of high-octane playing here—there's plenty of proof of that on the funky "Hanadi" and "The Dragon," where Matsuda's opening drum solo has the groove and flexibility of Steve Gadd.

But the echo-laden opening to the eighteen-minute closer, "Blue Stone," is atmospheric and elastic. Seino's playing clearly references Scofield's early Blue Note years, despite Next Order's more electric vibe overall—until, that is, the group notches things up into a free-flying exchange of raw abandon. A powerful drum solo from Matsuda takes things to eleven, and the original theme returns, but in a considerably more aggressive and ear-splitting fashion.

Next Order may not be revolutionary, but with its own blend of influences and the marked stylistic differences between Muto and Seino, which keeps the tension high throughout, Live-Powered Nexus is worth more than a passing glance by fans of any of the group's reference points.

Track Listing

Aggressive Continuity; Deadline Pressure; Hanadi; Insomnia; The Dragon; Blue Stone.

Personnel

Yuji Muto: guitar, right channel; Takumi Seino: guitar, left channel; Atsumo Ishigaki: bass; Hiroshi "Gori" Matsuda: drums.

Album information

Title: Live-Powered Nexus | Year Released: 2006 | Record Label: Order Tone 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

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

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