Crate Digger’s Corner: Steve Grossman- Some Shapes To Come [Tidal Wave Music, 2016…originally P.M. Records, 1974]
Crate Digger’s Corner…by DJ Musically Rich
(If you’d like to listen to a track from the album as you read, go to the end of the post to start the song)
Steve Grossman (saxophonist) brings together a great band consisting of Gene Perla (bass), Don Alias (drums/percussion) and Jan Hammer (keyboards) that bring this magnificent jazz/fusion album to life! Steve Grossman got his start (in recording) with the electric Miles Davis albums of the early 1970’s including “Bitches Brew” and this, his debut album, stays very close to that expansive jazz/fusion sound.
Side 1 opens with ‘WBAI’, a short dissonant/free track. That leads into the seven minute ‘Haresah’, which opens with a grooving bass line and syncopated drumming. The song uses mid-eastern modes within its construct, which allows Grossman to play a laid back melody to open the main theme of the song. From there, as with most of these songs, they go into extended jams and melodies. ‘Zulu Stomp’ is a heavy funk track with some African rhythms integrated into the gritty music. The first side ends with ‘Extemporaneous Combustion’, which starts off very minimalistic, then builds to a glorious jam. During that jam, the bass player starts to modulate keys first by staying on a static bass tone, then as he starts to move the tone around in conjunction to what the others are playing you get the sense that he is briefly flying through different keys until he comes back and settles into the regular key and groove.
Side 2 starts with ‘Alodian Mode’ and the churning rhythm section gets a groove going with African-styled drumming and has solos from both Grossman and Hammer flying all around. ‘Pressure Point’ is the one track that takes a detour from the fusion sound, I believe. To me this sounds like something closer to the “sheets of sound” period of Coltrane. It’s a great track, but feels slightly off in this setting. Finally, ‘The Sixth Sense’ drops back into some heavier funk with bassist Gene Perla and drummer Don Alias setting a rock solid foundation for Grossman and Hammer to attack.
This is another of the many great fusion albums by former Miles Davis band members, and it is of the high quality that has been expected of those in general. This is a great album that dives down the world of funk, world and jazz music and mixes them seamlessly.
RIYL: Miles Davis- Black Beauty/ Weather Report- Live In Tokyo/ Wadada Leo Smith’s Organic- Heart’s Reflections/ Powerhouse- In An Ambient Way
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To listen to a track from the album…
