The bedrock foundation of The All Rectangle's rhythm section grounds Ke Ala Mano. Derek Crawford's insistently thrusting drums push and prod the beat forward, drawing heavily from rock and fusion styles but rarely sticking in a specific groove for long. The addition of electronics (wielded by Brad Bowden) drenches the beat with thick textures, evolving effects, and plenty of distorted sounds. Rounding out the core trio, bassist Alana Rocklin often plays a surprisingly up-front melodic role, in addition to her vital efforts to thicken up the groove.

The opener, "The Body Language of a Race Horse," starts out gently with spooky ambient textures, then the bass and drums step in to add understated punctuation. Little by little, the music defines itself with a reverberant Eastern-sounding bass melody. Then, with a whisper, it's gone—and the next tune carries on. Like a locomotive, once the group gets up to speed, it's hard to stop. By the time electric trumpeter Mark Kirschenman (!) takes the stage, they're powering forward. Searing, distorted energy marks the peak; then, after a moment of reflection, the group ascends the mountain from a different angle.

Ke Ala Mano sounds like an updated fusion for the 21st century: elements of electronica, funk, rock, and improvised music balance each other out for a true union of styles. The special guests on this record each add a distinctive personal touch, but the core trio marches ever forward. The dominant force in this music is the beat, which is so thoroughly interlaced with Rocklin's bass lines that it becomes a fierce beast of its own. Don't expect any kind of swing or bossa nova—this is not lounge or parlor music—but The All Rectangle achieves a nice balance between rockin' structure and liberated improvisation. Ke Ala Mano stretches the boundaries of jazz, rock, funk, and electronica in fresh directions without the slightest bit of heavy-handedness.

Visit The All Rectangle on the web.

Track listing: The Body Language of a Race Horse; Little Friend; Dr. Such & Such; El Toro; Pinky Taun Taun; Dr. Such & Such (radio edit); Pinky Taun Taun (radio edit).

Personnel: Brad "Kali" Bowden: electronics, keyboards, bells, etc; Alana Rocklin: bass, bells, keyboards, etc.; Derek Crawford: drums; Mark Kirschenman: electric trumpet; Frank Catalano: saxophone; Fareed Haque: guitar; Spencer Bowden: bells, additional noise; Brutis Brockman: bells, additional noise.

Style: Modern Jazz
Published: September 01, 2001

Read more reviews of Ke Ala Mano (The Way of the Shark).

Discuss          

	Satoko Fujii Orchestra Nagoya Sanrei
	Massimo The Visionary
	Jeff Barone Open Up
	Vandermark / Kessler / McBride / Joode / Flaten Collected Fiction
	Louis Moholo-Moholo Duets With Marilyn Crispell Sibanya (We Are One)
	Reptet Chicken or Beef?