Contemporary jazz, smooth jazz, funk, and R&B are all part of Mark Egan’s repertoire, and they all are featured on Truth Be Told on Wavetone Records.

Egan, a versatile, Grammy Award-winning electric bassist, has a diverse array of artists among his recording and performance associates. Among them are Pat Metheny Group, Sting, Roger Daltrey, David Sanborn and the Gil Evans Orchestra.

In addition to performing and recording, Egan has lent his musical skills to movies and television, including contributions to the series Aladdin, the films The Color of Money and A Chorus Line, NBC Sports, CNN/Headline News and the daytime drama All My Children. Among his influences are Miles Davis, Weather Report, Metheny and Sanborn.

On this 11-track, all-original outing, Egan is joined by saxophonist Bill Evans, keyboardist Mitch Forman, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta and percussionist Roger Squitero.

The funky, sassy “Frog Legs” opens the set. Egan’s thumping bass line underscores the Evans lead. Forman performs dual duty on acoustic piano and electric keyboard. Evans also has an overdub of tenor and soprano sax, blending on the melody. Egan solos over Colaiuta and Forman. Evans solos on the soprano, making it wail before a series of rapid-fire phrases.

More funk is on the way with “Gargoyle.” Evans handles the tenor deftly. The title song brings some precise syncopation between the sax and the bass. Colaiuta demonstrates, as he does throughout the set, why he is one of the most in-demand drummers. His tom, snare and cymbal mixes are prominent, even though another instrument has the lead.

Colaiuta’s rim shots help set the pace for “Rhyme and Reason.” Evans’ tenor and bass share the lead with Forman providing the fills. Some phrases feature the trio of tenor, keyboard and bass in harmony. Colaiuta fuses some snare and tom rolls with a steady hi-hat beat behind Forman’s organ solo. Throughout, the bass lays down a solid underscore. After a sweeping passage, Forman turns it over to Evans and Colaiuta, who perform a sizzling duet, one making his instrument squeal while the other punctuates. From there, it’s all in.

Associated Web sites:

www.markegan.com
www.wavetone.com