Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey: Welcome Home (2002)

Robert Spencer

CD/DVD Reviewer since 1997

Recent articles (267 total)

Published: December 1, 1999

The Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey is a funky jazz group featuring trumpeter Kyle Wright, trombonist Matt Leland, Rhodes man Brian Haas, bassist Reed Mathis, drummer Sean Layton, guitarist Dove McHargue, and percussionist Matthew Edwards. Of these eight originals, Wright wrote three, Leland one, Layton one, and Haas one. Plus there's one by the mysterious Jacob Fred himself, who is never identified, at least on this disc.

Bassist Mathis and drummer Layton are turned way up in the mix, and everything else emanates from the power they lay out. Haas is a funky player, and together they set out power funk for the horns, who respond in kind. There's a lot of tight ensemble work, and the soloists acquit themselves well.

Wright's trumpet is clearest and strongest in the middle range; Leland's 'bone is as powerful as is required by this music, but he tends to play more fastidiously in general than he might be able to get away with. But for the funk imperative of this music, he certainly adds power.

Capable jazz-funk.

Personnel:

Kyle Wright, tpt; Matt Leland, tbn; Brian Haas, Rhodes p; Dove McHargue, g, d (#2); Reed Mathis, b; Matthew Edwards, perc; Sean Layton, d, perc (#2), vcl (#5); Lee Clark, turntables (#'s 1 & 6).

Track listing: Seven Inch Six / Muskogee Smalls / MMW / Mountain Scream / Stomp / Welcome Home / Seventh Greenbelt / Road to Emmaus.

Record Label: Accurate Records
Style: Fusion/Progressive Rock