Beeble Brox: Dominant Domain

Fans of John Scofield, Pat Metheny, and Mike Stern are going to find a good deal material to boogie their fusion brains herein. Peter Kienle on guitars, Godin Multiac guitar, and Roland guitar synth is a strong, inventive player. Monika Herzig keeps things full-sounding, be-boppin', and soulful on grand piano and keyboards. There's much to be swooned and thrilled going on here.

"Quiet Earth" opens things in a laid-back, meandering groove that go easily fit on any Mike Stern release. Guesting is the well-known, Miles Davis alumni, Bob Berg, on tenor sax. I own several of Berg's solo releases and many other discs bearing the Berg trademark sound. He offers the same gold once again here and other tracks. Herzig, on grand piano, and Berg trade delightfully rich passages on "The Third Passenger", a dreamy, rainy day, jazz-standardy piece. Ah, what a romance of sound.

Tom Clark, saxophones and flute, brings that Bill Evans style to mind on a Chick Corea-like/ Mark Egan and Elements sounding track called "Tell Me Your Stories". Herzig lends an astral or ethereal mood on superb keys and effects. I enjoyed the raucous sax-guitar interplay and side-by-side, note-for-note runs on "Homer Simpson". Kienle excelled on his funky chicken, rhythmic, and overdriven chops. He's no wimp on the riffin'.

Also guesting are Ron Brinson on drums and Jeff Nearpass on percussion and marimba. Beeble Broxian Paul Surowiak is always steady and flowing on drums throughout. Jack Helsley provides faultless and inspired acoustic and electric bass.

On "Now What?", in a Latin American way, Clark, Kienle, and Herzig have plenty of time to stretch for 9:08. Here is where Herzig lays it out without question — the lady can get down and play! Helsley does great bass work on this one. Probably, the most enthralling, take-your-mind-faraway, signature piece was "A German in New York". Weighing in at 9:06, Herzig has room to shine again on keys. It is a very classy piece with marimba, acoustic guitar, flute, and a myriad of percussives. This song and "The Third Passenger" clearly establish Herzig as a fine composer. "Half Past Forever" was my favorite piece for fusiony guitar work. Kienle should cut a CD's worth of material like this song he wrote. "Raw Material", from the Kienle jammin' out archives peels some paint and kicks up asphalt with guitar punch. Herzig synth atmospherics and Adam Holzman-ish fills add just the right touch. Clark is awesome on his siren sax with its otherwordly wailing. Surowiak and Clark laid a phat-big groove down. Everybody was free-blowin jazz fusion hot and cool to close out a truly fine CD. High recommendations for innovative jazz lovers!

Beeble Brox: Dominant Domain (CD, 69:47); Acme BB07-3307-2, 1998
Contact: Acme Records
3375 E Old Myers Rd
Bloomington, IN 47408, USA
Phone: (812) 334-3022
Fax: (812) 334-3051
E-mail: [email protected]
Cyberhome: www.acmerecords.com

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