Rating: ****
San Francisco is a famous town for music in general, but jazz music specifically holds an indelible place at the city's core.
That's why I'm so excited to be reviewing Joan Torres's All is Fused LP called "Revolution". I'm actually just excited to be reviewing anything as Johnny has taken the lion share of the music these days. I'm stoked to be back in the game.
From what I understand this is heavy on the fusion, ranging from traditional jazz to progressive rock. I like that kinda diversity of sound so I'm even more excited.
This one drops on April 9, but I get a sneak preview and I'm gonna blabber on about it after the video. I'll be back.
Watch the live video for "Aftermath" on Youtube below:
"Rebellion" is modern jazz and rock fusion at it's very best. It combines almost metal guitar riffs with a great beat while keeping the improvisational spirit of bop-era jazz alive simultaneously. Really rad. "High Stakes" is a little less exciting, but it's still rock solid. Things pick up with a noise-rock finale to the track. Wasn't expecting that. "Moving Mountain" is a slow-burn to be certain but it carries a creepy Sun Ra vibe without all the crazy sax. "Ambivalence" and "Loss" create an interesting middle portion of the album as both tracks carry completely different energies to them, with the former a noisy but lovely number that lacks melody at first, but blossoms into almost a lounge chorus. Wild. "Loss" is almost a ballad but not really. Atmospheric. "Barriers" is jazzy with just a touch of metal for good measure. "Aftermath" is a standout track on an already really good record. I love this one's ferocity. Sudden starts and stops highlight this jazz single. It really keeps you on your toes, this one. "Finale" is, you guessed it, the final track of the record (or is it?). This one is a blast and easily has my favorite drums on the entire LP. There is a hidden track called "True" and it's a decent number, with more excellent drums.
If you're into a fusion that is actually fusion, then you're going to love what Torres' and his gang of musical wunderkind did with "Revolution". Front to back it's solid without a single stinker in the bunch. Highly recommended from me.