Record Reviews

STANLEY CLARKE ~ LIVE AT THE GREEK EPIC 5099747660221 (Barcode: 5099747660221) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rap Fusion Recorded: 1993 Released: 1994 This is a live album by American bassist / composer / bandleader Stanley ClarkeFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quintet setting with guitarist Larry CarltonFind albums by this artist, drummer Billy CobhamFind albums by this artist, saxophonist / flautist Jerome Najee RasheedFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. NajeeFind albums by this artist) and keyboardist Deron JohnsonFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven tracks, one each composed by Clarke, Cobham, Carlton and Najee and three standards. The music is a mixture of Jazz-Rock Fusion and Smooth Jazz, with plenty of space for all these professional musicians to show their chops. Although well played, it is completely expected, predictable and unoriginal, which sadly is often representative of American Jazz in general. Despite my deep respect and admiration for Clarke, Cobham and Carlton, who produced some truly innovative music in the 1970s, which expanded the Fusion idiom and produced some classic recordings at the time, records like this one are simply disrespectful to their legendary status. But by the 1990s corporate music industry and commercialism already ruled the American music scene completely, so anything could happen. Overall, this is a completely uneventful recording by great musicians, who should have known better… There are some brilliant moments herein, of course, but those only emphasize the general sad state of affairs.

Updated: 15/08/2024Posted: 15/08/2024

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