While not a "jazz" recording in the true sense, the group known as UFBled by well-known drummer/composer/bandleader Jerry Granellirepresents themes and notions spurred upon by his personal interest in Native American culture on Broken Circle. Here, Granelli leads a blues/rock driven outing that also boasts funk grooves on Prince's "Sign 'o' the Times," complete with thumping, forward moving bass lines by Andreas Walter and the harmonious dual guitar attack of Christian Kogel and Kai Bruckner. On "Red and Blue Days," the guitarists provide well-stated, passionate lyricism along with bluesy and atmospheric licks yet if you're expecting fiery blues driven Stevie Ray Vaughn or Albert Collins-type guitar soloing, forget it! Throughout, the guitarists engage expressive lines, airy chord progressions, tasteful soloing and even a Canned Heat-like blues-boogie rendition of Charles Mingus' "Boogie Stop Shuffle." The quartet pursues melodic rhapsodies melded with tinges of Native American rhythms and motifs that ring of folklore, wide-open territories and/or western landscapes which is evident on pieces such as "Holy Road" and the atmospheric "Crazy Horse's Dream (reprise)".
Broken Circle is a personal statement from Granelli and a well-balanced one at that. Essentially, the musicians cook up a storm in a few spots yet pursue interweaving propositions and spirited soloing that presents the listener with a multicolored and altogether inspiring musical portrait of our Native Americans.
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.
We sent a confirmation message to . Look for it, then click the link to activate your account. If you don’t see the email in your inbox, check your spam, bulk or promotions folder.