COMPOSERS: New Cool Collective
LABELS: Dax Records
ALBUM TITLE: New Cool Collective: Trippin'
WORKS: New Cool Collective: Trippin'
PERFORMER: New Cool Collective; Tony Allen (drums)
CATALOGUE NO: 16
Despite its origins as a three-piece DJ outfit, the Collective is now a mid-stream funk-rooted project, evoking such jazz-tinged predecessors as Herbie Mann, Grover Washington and Airto Moreira. These echoes are especially insistent on the second disc, with drummer Tony Allen guesting on a handful of loose-limbed tunes borne along on chattering percussion, Fender Rhodes piano and rhythmic electronics. The stylistic comparisons sparked by disc one are more varied. The opening ‘Perry’ recalls the glory days of Morrissey-Mullen, Spyro Gyra etc, while the guitar sound on the slinky ‘Son of Chacha’ reminds me of ‘Nautilus’ by B Bumble. There’s also a hidden track probably taken from the Tony Allen session.
The album passes a very pleasant hour-and-a-half, although there’s too much Latin tinge for my taste. The second disc is sometimes just that bit too hypnotic, but is spiced by nice snare work, some reggae imports and several lively contributions from saxophonist Benjamin Herman, who shines on both sessions. Barry Witherden