JADE

I've given up trying to find out much information about these guys, as even though this is their second album, some 19 years after the debut, there seems to be very little about them on the web. Needless to say they don't appear to have a site, and their Facebook page isn't exactly a treasure trove of information. What I do know is that they are a trio, and that their 1998 debut was called 'Jazz Afro Design Electric' (hence Jade I guess). Bernard Brand (bass) and Olivier Freche (guitars) are back for round two, along with new drummer Charlie Davot. Pierre-Alain Goualch provides keyboards on four numbers, Mederic Collignon trumpet on two of these, and Mike Ladd provides vocals on the last song of the set. More of that later.

So, the first six songs are by three different line-ups with two each, a trio, a quartet and then a quintet. What this does is allow the band to expand what they are doing and what they sound like. So much so that when Mederic joins in for the two "Yellow t.o.t.e.m." numbers they arguably have moved away even from fusion and more into the realms of straight jazz. With the changing nature of the band they show that they are in total control and are exploring different musical territories, which is both interesting and intriguing for the listener.

So, those six songs come to just a fraction under 44 minutes in length, and they should have ended the album there. But, no, they felt that it would be good to finish with a rap/hip-hop song that has nothing at all to do with what has gone before. True, it is a rap number with real instruments underneath as opposed to something electronic, but I find it hard to think that those who enjoyed the first six would like this one, whereas those who might be interested in this are unlikely to listen to what has gone before. I'm all for variety and diversity, but this last doesn't work on any level. My rating is as if the last track doesn't exist