Woodenhead - Perseverance


Year of Release: 2003
Label: Free Electric Sound
Catalog Number: FES4003
Format: CD
Total Time: 59:06:00

Perseverance is an appropriate title for Woodenhead's 2003 release. Having spent the past 30 years playing clubs and opening for bigger name acts, this four piece instrumental band (guitar, keys, bass & drums) from New Orleans blends, rock, funk, country, jazz (and a number of other styles) into tight arrangements, showing a great sense of melody, instrumentation, and song craft.

Each of the 10 tracks offers a little something different from the next.? Kicking things off with the country flavored "Big G," with a distinct Dixie Dregs feel, and a very enjoyable solo section featuring the guitar and keys in unison.? The horns make their first appearance in "Bone Wars," showing off the bands complex songwriting without sacrificing feel or melody.?? "Little Blue" shows how adept the band is at going from tight complexity, to a more loose feeling jam and making it all sound natural.? Robinson kicks things off with fluid hammer ons and pull offs, making way for a jazzier keyboard solo section.? Although Robinson's guitar is often featured, there are plenty of moments featuring the keyboards or horns.? Laying down a hot groove for the appropriately titled "Funk Tune," this is the showcase track for horns, guitars, and keys, all getting the chance to step into the spotlight.

One gets the feeling that Woodenhead is a band to see live.? The studio may actually tame them a bit, not in a negative way, but you can almost hear?these songs burn in a live setting.?? Listening to Perseverance you get great musicianship, but also a sense of fun, this is upbeat and rocking stuff. It is a shame that a band so talented has remained at the local level for so long.

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Tracklisting:
Big G (4:20) / Bone Wars (4:34) / Drop Dead (5:01) / Little Blue (5:55) / Ayo Aise (7:27) / Dance #2 (5:50) / Chef Of The Future (7:06) / Funk Tune (7:03) / Yes And No (4:47) / Buzz Beat (7:00)

Musicians:
Jimmy Robinson - guitars
Mark Whitaker - drums, percussion
Fran Comisky - keyboards, piano
Paul Clement - bass

Guests:

Brian O'Neil - trombone
Mark Mullins - trombone
Rick Trolsen - trombone

Discography:
Woodenhead
Woodenhead Live
Heartprints
The Big Picture Music
From The Big Green Warehouse
Perseverance (2003)

Genre: Fusion-Jazz Fusion

Origin US

Added: February 5th 2006
Reviewer: Eric Porter

Artist website: www.woodenheadmusic.com
Hits: 2383
Language: english

  

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