Jeremy Allen Archive

Corey CHRISTIANSEN – Dusk – Origin

by Audiophile Audition | Oct 19, 2017 | Jazz CD Reviews, Pop/Rock/World CD Reviews

Corey CHRISTIANSEN – Dusk – Origin 82743, 48:48  (10/20/17) ****: (Corey Christiansen; guitar/ Jeremy Allen; bass/ Matt Jorgensen; drums/ Zach Lapidus; keyboards/ Michael Spiro; percussion) Funky R&B/ Fusion derived jazz of high spirits and inspiration.  I don’t typically incline towards funky R&B/ fusion music. See-sawing major chords, repeated licks, and hypnotic vamps are associated with long-road trips and exercise classes, neither optimal for serene aesthetic contemplation. All the more surprising that this over-the-top boisterous funk outing swept away my misgivings about the genre on the strength of its freshness and musical candor. The tunes are all written by Corey Christiansen in response to the usual “people in my life, places, characters, landscapes,” etc. More likely, the tunes reflect funky records he has listened to and assimilated with a fine sense of what works artistically. The first tune Turtle Dove, reveals the guitarist’s sweet side. An affecting melodic line swings over a simple two-chord progression, with some flattering acoustic guitar backing. But when the band kicks in, a veritable category 5 storm blows up with the guitarist switching settings on his gorgeous Buscarino axe and indulging in first-rate shredding. For the non-guitaristic crowd, some indulgence is necessary. In fact, the vehemence […]