SticklerPhonics: Technicolor Ghost Parade

For drummer, composer, and bandleader Scott Amendola it ain't nothing but a party. From his early days with guitarist Charlie Hunter's ensembles and their later collaboration with T.J. Kirk which covered the music of Thelonious Monk, James Brown, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Amendola has been an entertaining and maybe more important immersive musician. He seeks out kindred souls like Ben Goldberg, Nels Cline, Henry Kaiser, and Wil Blades to collaborate and create compelling music. The same can be said for his new trio SticklerPhonics. Together with tenor saxophonist Raffi Garabedian and trombonist Danny Lubin-Laden, Amendola reduces things to just the essentials. Party essentials.

Garadedian and Lubin-Laden co-led the funk/rock/R&B Brass Magic and also participated in the collective improvisational group Insect Life. SticklerPhonics is a chordless ensemble with no piano, bass, or guitar. Amendola is the glue holding the sounds together, and thankfully, he readily loosens his grip throughout. The Afrobeat of the title track bubbles up from New Orleans funkiness as it does on "Sharptooth" with Garabedian and Lubin-Laden's horn lines inviting listeners to make it a dance party. The trio pays tribute to the Malian folk singer Oumou Sangaré with "Oumou." The West African groove is accented by dovetailed horn lines that weave and knit a sound full of hope. The weave is also evident as Lubin-Laden's compositions "Skip To A Stop" and "Looking Outside To See In." Both open into group improvisations that feel naturally instinctive. Amendola adds light touches of electronics throughout. The dreamy group improvisations "A Courting" and "Bonfire Eclipse" are delivered sans percussion with Amendola looping ambient soundscapes. SticklerPhonics invites you to their party, one that can take you to the dance floor or blast you into the stratosphere.