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Fattburger
It's been ten years since keyboardist Carl Evans Jr., bassist Mark Hunter, percussionist Tommy Aros and drummer Kevin Koch, the charter members of San Diego's premier jazz fusion group FATTBURGER first performed at the Triton club in San Diego. Since that night they have continued to sizzle with all six of their releases reaching the Billboard, Radio & Records, and Gavin Top Ten. LIVIN' LARGE, their new Shanachie/Cachet release (their first for the label) is a tasty 10th anniversary gift to themselves and their thousands of fans. They came from divergent backgrounds: Carl from Portsmouth,Va. playing gigs with everyone from Barry White and Stevie Wonder to Cannonball Adderly; Kevin from Manitowoc, Wisconsin performing with jazz greats Herbie Mann and Dave Valentine; Mark from Detroit polished his jazz chops with the likes of Clark Terry and Eddie Harris; and Tommy, the lone San Diego native, featured with everyone from Freddie Hubbard and Al DiMeola to Trini Lopez. The magic that first night was instantaneous, and both the band and the audience knew it. They dubbed their music R&J (rhythm and jazz) and together with current guitarist Evan Marks, FATTBURGER has grown from local legend to one of the busiest, most successful groups in contemporary jazz, appearing at hundreds of concert halls, festivals and clubs on an international scale. FATTBURGER'S new release LIVIN' LARGE is proof that, like a good marriage, the band continues to grow. Fans of past favorites like the mellow and lyrical "THE DOCTOR" and the funky favorite "GOOD NEWS" both from the band's Intima release GOOD NEWS (they have had 4 on Intima, 1 on Optimism, and 1 on Sin Drome) will settle right into the mysteriously beautiful Mark Hunter original "IN YOUR EYES"; the bright, latin-tinged Evans/Hunter collaboration "INTUITION" and a great interpretation of the Stevie Wonder classic "CREEPIN". The new CD also features warm vocals by guests Cecily Walls Johnson, Ed Graves and Calvin Romance, and plenty of sax work by the brilliant Hollis Gentry III. But just as salsa is said to have replaced ketchup as today's favorite condiment, LIVIN' LARGE has added a few tablespoons of Hip Hop and Acid Jazz to the classic FATTBURGER recipe, and the result is delicious. A perfect example is the opening cut, the Kevin Koch/ Evan Marks composition "ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE" which begins with some tasty Hip Hop drum loops created by drummer Kevin Koch and then expands into some classic octave guitar work by Evan Marks. Similarly, the sensuous "LOVE IS LIKE A RIVER" has just enough of an Acid Jazz feel to seduce both the traditional and next generation of FATTBURGER fans. The funky "LIVIN' LARGE" featuring a rollicking synth solo by Carl Evans Jr. and "ROCKIN' THE WALK" driven hard by bassist Mark Hunter once again show how FATTBURGER is always looking forward. And percussionist Tommy Aros is always there with subtle colors and driving rhythms, breathing life into every tune. Watching FATTBURGER perform live is a special treat. In addition to handling all of the keyboard chores and performing an occasional soothing vocal, Carl Evans Jr. also serves as the M.C., something he and the audience seem to relish a great deal. A regular concert highlight is the percussion feature, for which Carl advises the audience to "fasten your seatbelts". Then Tommy Aros and Kevin Koch take the audience on a ride they won't soon forget. Next he might introduce the tune "SHEEZATEEZ", a guitar feature for Evan, or the eponymous "FATTBURGER", a vehicle for Mark Hunter's virtuosity on the bass. It doesn't take long for the audience to realize that FATTBURGER has that extra dimension of live excitement that so many of today's successful recording groups lack. Or, as one jazz critic described it: "A welcome oasis in the desert of trendy and formula - saddled music." |
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