Vincent Herring'
s third edition of his funk project the
Earth Jazz
ensemble has him and his cohorts jamming along quite nicely, extending the road song tradition without veering into so-called smooth jazz territory. This is nothing new for
Herring
, so fans who have been with him since his days with
Nat Adderley
should not be surprised. What is startling is the facility of his band to play a more R&B-derived music, as bassist
Richie Goods
, drummer
Joris Dudli
(ex-
Art Farmer
), and the growing keyboardist
Anthony Wonsey
expand the strict parameters of dance rhythms into a quite listenable experience. You hear the distinct crossover trappings of the electrified
Herbie Hancock
,
Weather Report
, and even early period
David Sanborn
in
Herring'
s music on this date. The group turns the
John Coltrane'
s usually pensive
"Naima"
into a funk tune with staggered accents, slows
Mulgrew Miller'
s
"Soul Leo"
into a nicely turned-down fusion piece replete with
Wonsey'
s electric piano, and romp through originals by the keyboardist, most notably the hip-shakin' funk of
"The Thang."
There are only traces of overt commercialism as
picks up a soprano sax, some gospel-derived soul, and even one jazz swing that reminds you of
s status as a top-drawer post-bopper. On occasion, musicians must make a better living and play to a larger urban audience, but in this case, the combo succeeds while avoiding a sell-out or watering down their music. ~ Michael G. Nastos