ARTIST: Bujo Kevin Jones
TITLE: Tenth World
LABEL: Motema Music
GENRE: Jazz
BITRATE: 202kbps avg
PLAYTIME: 1h 00min total
RELEASE DATE: 2005-00-00
RIP DATE: 2006-11-07
TRACK LIST
1. Bodhisattva Wonderful Sound 7:45
2. Estilo Nuevo 3:29
3. New Nation 5:18
4. Bukoki 6:09
5. McCoy's Joy 4:46
6. The Untold Loreli 5:42
7. Seven Steps To Heaven 5:58
8. Beautiful 7:58
9. Seduced By Darkness 7:55
10.Climb The Mountain 3:41
11.Kou-Kou 1:27
RELEASE NOTES
It would be easy to label Tenth World as a groove record, just by looking at the
personnel listings and noting how percussion heavy it is. However, while there
are many and varied grooves on this recordùa mixture of many different African
rhythms, Latin rhythms, R&B, and some recognizable jazzùthe music overall is
much deeper than ôjustö groove. Sure, it can be appreciated that way, but then
you would be missing much of the subtlety and plain good playing.
Individually, each of the band members have played with an impressive list of
recognizable major members of the jazz community. ôBujoö Kevin Jones explains
his approach this way: ôTenth World is all about achieving a highly accessible
sound. Although itÆs jazz, you can really feel the other world music and R&B
flavors underneath that.ö One could also easily say the opposite and proclaim
this music as a mix of world and R&B with a jazz flavor underneath. No matter.
The mixture is very well done, and there is something for everyone.
It has been my experience that groove musicùmusic, jazz or not, that relies on a
rhythmic pattern as its foundationùtends to be on the simpler side. The pattern
can be internally quite complicated, but the desired effect is directed toward
the body, to get it moving. In doing so, things such as dynamics, harmony, the
surprise of silence, and sudden twists and turns are often sacrificed to make
the music ôaccessible.ö Tenth World, however, injects much that appeals to the
mind.
The main characteristic that challenges the dominance of the groove is the
playing of Brian Horton on various saxes; his phrasing simply refuses to follow
the rhythmÆs lead. The tension thus set up is quite delicious, adding much
ômindö spice to the ôbodyö gumbo, and whenever he plays, the jazz quotient
increases exponentially. Much the same can be said for pianist Kelvin Sholar.
Alas, trumpeter Kevin Louis falls prey to the rhythm most of the time, except
for his solo on ôSeven Steps To Heaven.ö
The tunes themselves, originals except for the above mentioned Victor Feldman
cover, present a wide range of rhythms and feels. ôBohdisattva Wonderful Soundö
is based on a West African melody from Guinea, mixed with Congolese rhythms.
ôNew Nationö mixes R&B with some Latin and deep funk. ôBukokiö has a Latin feel
with a guajira feeling. ôMcCoyÆs Joyö is happy and joyous over a two-chord vamp,
while ôThe Untold Loreli,ö written by Sholar and based on a German fable, is
treated here as a bachata with a bolero feel. ôSeven Stepsö is done differently
in 6/8 time, and HortonÆs ôBeautifulö has the most ôAmericanö sound, including
some bluesiness about it.
In the end, Tenth World succeeds as a jazz record with deep grooves. ôBujoö
Kevin Jones, a practicing Buddhist, views music as healing force. As he says,
ôThere is actually a parable in the Sutras about this person called Bodhisattva
Wonderful Sound who worked on saving people from their suffering through music;
ultimately that is what I am aboutà helping others through what I do.ö In this
respect, Tenth World most definitely achieves its purpose.
In this
respect, Tenth World most definitely achieves its purpose.