As the Man put it:
No use feelin’ sad
No use stayin’ mad
Better when you’re glad
You can be there in a heartbeat
When it’s close enough for jazz
Close enough for jazz
And Van would know, wouldn’t he, given long association with the great jazz funk saxophonist Pee Wee Ellis.
Anyone into funk, straying from James Brown a good deal it must be said, won’t have been slow to pick up over the past 30 years of the Funkestra. It’s flown by. What sessioneer Stefan Redtenbacher and his ever growing cast of players are capable of is stunning.
| The Jaco Pastorius inspired south of England based Austrian jazzer bass guitarist Redtenbacher is eclectic in his meshing together of jazz, funk and fusion jazz-rock flavours. Expect beefily ramped up horn arrangements and lots of wiggle room beyond the strictures of the form to noodle nourishingly and groove. Players involved include Mark Knopfler hornman Tom Walsh always a sign of quality. Glue on your syrup as you wig out. His royal Nigeness Nigel Price and Hendrix of the home counties Tony Remy great with Sarah Jane Morris on ‘Jazz Side of the Road’ last year are monstrous to pick out one snapshot of a sound found on ‘The What Factor.’ |
