TOE ZONE

HARPO JARVI are Nick Johnson (bass, keys, guitar), Jim Miles (keys, flute), and Dan Ilges (drums), coming from St. Louis, Missouri. What makes this album to a special exemplar? Yet being their debut apparently, this is showing many faces music-wise. 'Toe Zone' consists of five instrumental songs, offering compositional skills and jamming attitude as well. Charming melodies and flute contributions are given, while they are operating rather relaxed throughout. A very strong rhythm work is striking on the other hand, no contradiction here. A special note is indicated concerning Nick Johnson's impressing bass playing. This makes my day especially. A funky slap style appears again and again, or let's take the deep space bass on Smokey The Bear, my current favourite.

Something extraordinary, I mean they are brilliantly mixing jazz attitude with space rock ambiance. A real masterpiece. In combination with the following dramatic Drums In The Deep this builds the album's central axis. Physically, though regarding inspiration in the same way, I'd say. And they couldn't find a better track title anyway. Rose Of Jericho moreover appeals due to a prosperous synthesizer and guitar interaction. Big Oil makes use of a more funky flow, where the longest and closing tune Evelyn appears with a strong lounge feeling. Altogether it leads into the conclusion that this HARPO JARVI dudes have delivered a standout progressive rock album in 2019.