Doug Wimbish

Doug Wimbish was the bassist and all-round session player behind legendary records by the Sugarhill Gang, the Furious Five, Living Colour, Wood Brass and Steel, Tackhead, and countless others. Amazingly, after 20 years of supporting others, this is his first solo album. However, his bass playing doesn't dominate the disc the way you'd expect. Instead, Trippy Notes is an ambient-dub affair built on slow-motion grooves, sweet soundscapes and jazz-fusionist aesthetics. The disc features an all-star cast of friends including Keith LeBlanc, Skip McDonald, Wil Calhoun, Bernie Worell and others whose performances range from interesting to indulgent. Talvin Singh's tabla patterns and Adrian Sherwood's head-crashing reverb reflect the former, while Alex Forster's sax cheesy solos the latter. In many ways, this is a musician's record. It's an eclectic showcase of styles and flavours, but there are very few moments that are memorable for someone who is a music lover. Proof of just how the best session players aren't always the best songwriters.