Grainger
- Phase II
Grainger
are the multi-instrumentalists and brothers Gary Grainger (bass
guitar, tenor bass, keyboards and vocals) and Gregory K. Grainger
(drums, percussion, keyboards and vocals). Gary Grainger is well-known
as a member of Earth, Wind & Fire 's protege band
"Pockets" and from his time with the soul singer Luther
Ingram. He also met Eumir
Deodato, and recorded two albums with him: "Night Cruise" and
"Happy Hour".
Gary's other recent endeavors
include, both performing and studio work with Maysa, Lonnie L Smith, Pure Soul, Nancy Wilson, Dennis Chambers and George Duke in the Walt Disney's Clinton Inauguration Special
"Celebrations for Youth", also Eric Marienthal, Slim Man, Nelson
Rangel, The WPG' Trio, Less Traveled and Ken Navarro to name a few.
After his debut album "Phase
I", which includes collaborations with Maysa, Kim Waters, Paul
Jackson Jr., Gary Thomas, Ramlee, Moe Daniels, Jimmy Wilson and Dan
Reynolds, they have released in 2002 "Phase II". This album
is featuring
Gary and Gregory Grainger along with the talents of John Scofield, Kim
Waters, Dan Reynolds, Marshall Keys, Moe Daniels, Benjie Porecki, Skip
Pruitt, Robert 'Wa Wa' LeGrand, Alfredo Mojica, Jake Sheffer, Charlie
Williams, Jarrett Miles, Larry Jacobs, and introducing Tré Jonz and
T'Hai on vocals.
The title
Sco Sco Swing is obviously dedicated to John Scofield, who is
featured on guitar. Gary
Grainger 's fantastic bass
guitar solo with a very hooking effect is followed by Scofield's
guitar solo, all based on a grooving hip-hop rhythm. This tune is the
best of the album and will give you an immediate kick to buy it.
Always Love
is a slow love song featuring Tré Jonz warm vocals. One can find this
combination of vocals and sax solo (Skipp Pruitt) on
many Urban Contemporary albums. But on this track the sax solo is expanded.
The uptempo title tune
Phase II is going into jazz fusion. The mainweight is on the
bass with a strong rhythm background (timbals, cowbells, Sabian
cymbals, Pearl drums) and saxophone. Gary Thomas pushs the tune deep
into jazz fusion with a long sax solo.
Get Up
turns the style to Contemporary Jazz featuring the great pianist Dan
Reynolds and the gifted sax player Marshall Keys. The perfect
performance of all players makes me eager to know more about their
solo projects. It's a long time ago, since I reviewed Dan's album
"To Be
Sure" (1998). By the way a very outstanding work! This album
is available at CDBaby
and Amazon.com.
His new album is really overdue. Marshall
Keys album should be released this year, but negotianions failed
and we are still waiting.
Sha Sha-like swings Gary's bass
guitar on Coconut Essence. Let's go on
the dancefloor! Benjie Porecki showcases a great talent on keys. If
you want to read and listen more about this jazz musician check his
solo projects at Severn
records or read about the WPG
Trio (André "Blues" Webb and Gary Grainger are the both
others).
Now You're
Gone is another love song in Urban Contemporary style featuring
the lovely T'Hai.
The funk starts with Chicken
Wire. John Scofield plays the funky "Chicken" guitar
solo supported by Benjie Porecki on keys.
You Were
Mine is addictive. I am fascinated by Gary's bass guitar
playing. One can absolutely count him to the great bass players like
Marcus Miller, Gerald Veasley, Brian Bromberg, Luico Hopper or Chuck
Smith to name a few.
Kim Waters is a well-known sax
player with great success as a Shanachie artist. It's
Time for Kim. A typical Kim Waters piece.
Moe-Is-Am
features Moe Daniels on keys and piano. Moe
Daniels is one of the most in-demand keyboard players in the
Baltimore Washington area. He has played on recordings by Lonnie
Liston Smith, Kim Waters, Parris Lane, Nancy Wilson and Jaared
Arosemena (Now better known as Jaared).
After listening this album I
immediately bought "Phase I".
