Phuse: Phuse

And so we come to Phuse, a group that once again challenges any kind of straightforward definition. With Gavin Lockhart's acoustic bass anchoring the proceedings and Adrian Kelly and Seán Og contributing saxophone solos that clearly traverse the inside and outside, there could be some argument that Phuse is a jazz band. On the other hand, guitarist Erik Lea's playing ranges from the more folksy inflections of "Isabella to a harder, more rock-informed edge and tonality. And Graham Gilligan's keyboards and samples, by virtue of his harmonic choices, have more to do with pop than jazz. Drummer Eric Courtney, rock steady all the way, may be the link between worlds, with a style that ranges from the harder-edged funk of "Technical Difficulties to his more supple touch on the noir-ish "Daddy Kane.

But, at the end of the day, does it really matter? Most artists prefer to avoid categorization anyway, and so on its self-titled debut, Phuse incorporates elements from a variety of musical universes. What gives the group some distinction, at least in the world of nu jazz, is its more organic approach. Lea and Gilligan may create more electronic textures, but Lockhart, Og, and Kelly are grounded in natural tones. Again, Courtney stands somewhere in the middle, with his drums sometimes recorded straight, other times more heavily processed.

Lockhart handles most of the compositional duties, with Lea contributing two tunes and keyboardist Kevin Dwan—who doesn't play on the album but is listed as a group member and album co-producer with Lockhart—providing the simple, chamber-like "Interlude of a Clown's Opera. Most of the pieces revolve around relatively simple conceits, and so it's up to the group to provide a variety of colours and, in the case of Courtney, rhythmic ideas to bring the pieces to life. Og and Kelly deliver most of the solos—although Lea also contributes, most notably his searing and jagged work on "Los Boleros.

The more direct soloing which takes place on Phuse, in fact, differentiates it from some of its influences—like Norwegian Eivind Aarset, who, despite his inestimable talents as a guitarist, spends little time in a traditional soloing context.

So, what exactly is Phuse? Difficult to say, but fans of the nu jazz scene and groups like the Cinematic Orchestra and Radiohead would be well-advised to check out this intriguing new outfit from Ireland.

For more information, contact bassist Gavin Lockhart at [email protected].

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