Chance Hayden: Get Somethin'

From first bikes to first apartments and beyond, there's nothing quite like that initial time stepping out on your own—a certain kind of excitement that comes with finally being in charge and able to set the rules. Chance Hayden's label debut comes years after an early self-released recording, several albums' worth of sideman service and a range of touring and production/arranging work. All those years of study and woodshedding are in evidence on the fast-cooking Get Somethin,' buoyed a little extra by the spark of a new leader eagerly taking the wheel and hitting the road.

The band clearly feels the electricity as well, and everyone does their part to keep the affair cooking and hopping with smiles all around. The opening wah-wah romp puts Hayden's slick fretwork to funky-fresh effect to set the vibe straight out of the gate. The subsequent session is equally fit for a hot club date or neighborhood block party—an electric mix where Herbie Hancock and Wes Montgomery rub elbows with Deep Purple and Steely Dan, even letting Tony Iommi sneak through a gap in the hedge for a brief moment or two.

The Get Somethin' crew plays this game of genre hopskotch with consummate ease. "Contiguity" is a retro '70s reverie in psychedelic synth tones; the cozy "Hung Up on My Baby" dabbles in a little blue-eyed soul, while the bipolar "You Mother You" mashes up a jazz/classic-rock jam with a heavy dash of metallic crunch. Hayden's string-slinging fluidly dances with energetic licks and only occasional biting edges. Michael Elson's mostly-electric keys are probably the next biggest factor in shaping the overall tone, though the deep percussion layers and occasional horns add no shortage of vibrant color on the side. Whatever the mode, it's a hip and lively jazz party that brings the fun with attitude and style.

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