Barry Romberg's Random Access

Was, Shall, Why, Because

BY Glen HallPublished Nov 23, 2009

Random Access are an on-going labour of love for much-respected drummer Barry Romberg. And with some of Toronto, ON's finest jazz musicians on board, it's not surprising that the playing is top notch. Electric bassist Rich Brown gets the party started on "Intro" with an excursion in low-end levitation and Romberg does some serious percussion pummelling in response. Bassist/composer Al Henderson's "Urban Landscape" sounds like a lost George Russell's Living Time Orchestra track: propulsive bass line, throbbing horn parts and dramatic solos, particularly from soprano saxist Kelly Jefferson, trombonist William Carn and trumpeter Brian O'Kane. It's hard not to like reedman/composer Peter Lutek's bluesy, rock-ish tune for its name alone: "I Was a Celestial Body in a Contents Sale." The 40-minute "Suite for the Wolfman" has got an Electric-era Miles vibe and is the better for it. Random Access reward repeated listening.
(Romhog)

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