A TRIBUTE TO JACK JOHNSON

Following right after the out-worldly Bitches Brew, it's hard to believe we're listening to a Davis album here, especially considering it's coming from virtually the same band that did the two previous releases. Davis sure returned back on earth for this one, but I can't say the touchdown is a very graceful one.

Right Off starts with a simple blues-rock riff that could be from any random early 70 classic rock. It isn't till Davis blows the horn that we hear any indication it really is one of his albums. That wouldn't be a problem as such, it's good hearing an artist trying out a different approach, but the problem is that the music is just plain and boring, never rising above average rock jamming. Around minute 19, McLaughnin comes up with an excellent funky riff but it ends as abruptly as it started, never developing into something more then just a riff and disconnected from all other jammy stuff around it.

The second track is more deserving, returning to the brooding fusion of the two preceding albums, enigmatic and inspiring, and building up more consistently then the cut and paste job that was Right Off, halfway in it changes to a different improvisation, recorded from another session but fitting in quite smoothly, featuring a great guitar groove and spacey synth effects before everything settles down to a very relaxing dreamy mood.

This is one of those occasions where I wonder if I heard the same album as everybody else. I hear two tracks, a dull one and an excellent but hardly surprising one, balancing out to a merely good release. But then what do I know? I didn't even know who Jack Johnson was till he was so forthcoming to introduce himself at the very end :-)