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Bona
Fide is a project of singer, songwriter, music producer, cook,
writer, bon vivant, TV show host, screenwriter, dog lover, jolly
good fellow, all-around creative guy Slim Man. The first release was
Royal Function (1999), followed by The Poe House
(2001) and Soul Lounge (2005).
The initiative for the fourth album came by guitarist Marc Antoine, who offered to write some songs, play guitar, and produce and mix the whole CD. The project was successfully funded via Kickstarter. Both musicians were joined by John E. Coale (drums), George Hazelrigg (piano, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer, Hammond B3, Moog, Clavinet), Kevin Levi (sax), Hit Man Howie Z (percussion), Geoff Hazelrigg (bass), Rick O'Rick (rhythm guitar), Paul Shilts Weimar (sax) and Greg Boyer (trombone).
Slim
doesn't sing any ballade but plays bass. Bona Fide is an
instrumental only project. His passion for cooking Italian cuisine
comes in the first piece to fruition.
Delizioso is the Italian word for
delicious. Anyone who has a passion for acid
jazz will love this
piece, which offers a great range of vintage keyboard instruments
all packed into a flaming rhythm.
Bag of Bones is a term for a very slim person. No, it's
not Slimmy. He loves his own creations. Short sax blows, a hypnotic
bass run and a glorious Rhodes play, that's the backbreaking fun.
Double Clutch is a sound collage that slowly set you in
trance. The vibe of the organ receives a repeat on the snare
rattles.
After
this acid jazz excursion the album drifts into the smooth jazz realm
with Mitch Mitch. Piano and guitar performance are
fiercely echoed
by Kevin Levi's sax.
On the Streets
turns
on the volume and rises the speed. Mrs. Sample pops up the vocals.
A Lobby Interlude offers a bass driven Fender Rhodes
garnished with flute, trumpet and other sorts of instrumental
injections.
Soul Me is one of the songs recorded at Marc's Madhouse studio.
A better title would probably be Funk Me. There is a big
bunch of Funk and acid jazz in the longest tune of the album. It is
obvious that Paul Shilts Weimar, who has a great affinity for acid jazz,
accepts the sax lead. But most of the funky stuff we owe to George Hazelrigg's
keys.
A
reggae on this album? Bad Dude makes it possible. Greg
Boyer adds his charming New Orleans influenced trombone. King
is a composition by the keyboard master Hazelrigg. A piece on which
he can live out his musical fantasies. Slim Man's pet is called
Batu. One can read a lot about this dog at Slimmy's website. Now he
got an own tribute. The latest song 823 is influenced by
Jean Michel Jarre. Listen to it and you know what I mean.
The
album Bona Fide reminds us of a genre, of which we hear
very little nowadays. Thanks to Slim Man and Marc Antoine collectors
can add a new laudable CD to their anthology.
Buy the album 
Album Information
Title: Bona Fide
Artist: Bona Fide
Year: 2014
Length: 0:56:05
Genre: General Jazz
Label: Innervision Records
Tracks:
01 Delizioso [4:31]
02 Bag of Bones [6:06]
03 Double Clutch [6:30]
04 Mitch Mitch [4:02]
05 On the Streets [5:18]
06 Lobby Interlude [5:40]
07 Soul Me [6:41]
08 Bad Dude [3:05]
09 King [4:08]
10 Batu U [5:23]
11 823 [4:42]
Further reviews
The Poe House