The Art of Improvisation (Motema Music)

Charnett Moffett

Stars: 4 Out Of 5 Stars

SOUNDS LIKE: At once ancient and futuristic sounding highly creative post bop jazz

Bassist Charnett Moffett has never seemed to fit well within the framework of a working band. His fierce and highly creative acoustic and electric bass playing always seems to overshadow his sidemen. The end result is bass as played by a madman. A madman genius that’s hell bent on getting the most undiscovered and profound sound possible out of his instrument. And way more often than not that’s usually a good thing.

“The Art of Improvisation,” Moffett’s 10th solo recording and Motéma Music debut, may be his best recording yet.

On fretless electric bass, electric piccolo bass and acoustic upright bass he’s able to create a musical panorama with some highly imaginative bowing techniques and electronics that make the music sound both ancient and futuristic.

Many of the songs here have a Middle Eastern feel. That’s especially true of the “We pray” the opening tune which sounds somewhat like a celebratory tribal dance.

The Awakening” is my favorite tune, It’s starts out with a fast futuristic highly synthesized bass pattern Moffett slows down to a nomadic pace with an aboriginal didgeroo sounding bass. Once you get comfortable the whole tihng suddenly switches to what sounds like a hoedown in some primitive outer world with Drummers Will Calhoun and Eric McPherson provide the primeval drum licks as Moffett switches between fretless and electric stand up bass.

“Swing Rock” sounds like a Jaco Pastorious-led Weather Report Tune.

On “Dreams, sister Angela Moffett recites trip hop poetry over a free jazz backdrop.

Overall there’s plenty on “The Art of Improvisation” to fire up the imagination.

Highly recommended.