If Volume 1 was a consolidation of a multitude of musical interests, Volume 2 represents a measuring forrad on a number of fronts—and non exactly for Husband, though there's enough of forrad displace for him, inwards item his ascendancy of note too color. If Husband's roots were to a greater extent than evident inwards the past, with Volume 2 they've move completely subsumed inwards an increasingly personal approach to color, the keyboardist shaping unopen to of his meatiest, around substantial synth tones to date. Volume 2 also builds on Husband's expanding circle of musical friends, inwards item those made at the 2010 New Universe Music Festival: guitarists Jimmy Herring, on Husband's brief but visceral "England Green," commencement heard on Diary of a Plastic Box (1999, reissued Angel Air, 2008); Wayne Krantz,contributing his unmistakably idiosyncratic yet gritty approach to the aptly titled "East River Jam" (with Husband treatment everything else); too Alex Machacek, whose "Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Brothers" may live the album's around overtly complex track, with dense harmonies, knotty melodies and, with Husband sticking to drums, a remarkable amount of episodic activity inwards its relatively brief, six-minute duration.
As with Volume 1, Volume 2 is a celebration of electrical guitar of all variants, with Robin Trower continuing his powerfulness trio exploration of trumpeter Miles Davis' "Yesternow" from Volume 1, channeling his inner Jimi Hendrix amongst drummer Husband too bassist Livingstone Brown. Ray Russell opens the album on a rigid greenback with Husband's "If Animals Had Guns Too," demonstrating that his often-overlooked condition is no reflection on his abilities, as he navigates Husband's irregularly metered nautical chart with an aplomb matched too raised past times the keyboardist, who sets an early on high bar for himself with his dense sonic layering too incendiary synth solo. Mike Stern also makes his commencement appearance with Husband, his lengthy solo on "Rolling Sevens" a continuation of the heavy metallic bebop he's been honing since his days with Miles Davis inwards the early on 1980s, driven past times bass up-and-comer Teymur Phell—and, of course, Husband's especially fiery kit work.
Holdsworth shows upwardly on a novel version of his enduring Tony Williams New Lifetime rails "Fred" (this time, "Fred 2011"), i time again with Husband sticking to kit, driving the groove inwards tandem with bassist Jimmy Johnson. After ex-Mahavishnu Orchestra keyboardist January Hammer's commencement synth solo reflects his signature powerfulness to brand emulate a guitar's expressive bending, a 2d solo—surely non Holdsworth, as it rocks out as good hard, with harsher overdrive too filtering than is his habit—turns out to also come upwardly from Hammer, too and thence closely resembles a guitar that it'll probable fool fifty-fifty the around committed guitar geek.
Husband's keys too drums create the entire context for a await at a McLaughlin melody he's played inwards The quaternary Dimension the past times few years ("New Blues, Old Bruise"), but hither featuring up-and-coming tenor saxophonist Sean Freeman on i of exclusively 2 tracks that hit the ten-minute mark, spell McLaughlin gets a similar chance to stretch out on Husband's greasier "Sulley," bolstered past times Level 42 cofounder/bassist Mark King's in-the-pocket funk on the other ten-plus infinitesimal track, making McLaughlin a to a greater extent than overall dominant forcefulness than on Volume 1.
But Volume 2 remains, unequivocally, Husband's date, too if the eclectic nature of the recording too the determination to forego the chemical scientific discipline of a consistent lineup for the broader possibilities of working inwards a multiplicity of contexts powerfulness advise a loss of consistency too focus inwards lesser hands, with Husband at the helm Dirty & Beautiful Volume 2's 2 mutual threads give it unequivocal unity: the friendships that motion every i of these 11 dissimilar collaboration; and, of course, Husband himself, whose kit run is as effortlessly inventive as ever—chops when needed, groove when demanded (usually simultaneously)—and whose keyboard run continues to evolve into a recognizable amalgam of timbral color too harmonic sophistication, with his sole solo piece, the ethereal, semi-symphonic too appropriately titled "Fugie" acting as a house of calm recess from the album's largely in-your-face stance.
If Volume 1 left many fans eagerly awaiting a 2d installment, the advances too newfound friends on Dirty & Beautiful Volume 2 should exit them satisfied, but as hungry for Volume Three.
Multi-dimensional drummer, keyboardist, composer too arranger Gary Husband hits his stride with Dirty & Beautiful Volume 2, his latest unloose on Abstract Logix Records. Dirty & Beautiful Volume 2 features an explosive all-star line-up of invitee musicians such as John McLaughlin, Allan Holdsworth, January Hammer, Robin Trower, Jimmy Herring, Wayne Krantz, Mark King, Alex Machacek too Mike Stern.
Dirty & Beautiful Volume 2 does non exactly alternative upwardly where 2010’s Volume 1 left off. Volume 2 expands upon Gary’s musical vision of creating music that is passionate too sophisticated, yet infused with grit too rawness. The mix of Husband originals too comprehend tunes are driven past times the combination of the dynamic powerhouse drumming, ferocious Pb lines too distinctly evocative keyboard harmony that altogether define Gary Husband’s “multiple threat” of a musical voice.
Selected highlights of Dirty & Beautiful Volume 2 are FRED 2011: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 reworking of the classic Allan Holdsworth vocal with Holdworth on guitar too synth-master January Hammer taking an extended burn downwards breathing solo. SULLEY: a stompin’ rocker with the slap-up John McLaughlin on guitar too bassist Mark King getting downwards too dirty. YESTERNOW EPILOGUE: guitarist Robin Trower continues his Strat-soaked blues rave-up that was teasingly hinted at on YESTERNOW PREVIEW from Volume 1. Alex Machacek deliciously smouldering on his self-penned LOCK, STOCK & TWO SMOKING BROTHERS. ENGLAND GREEN: an evocative Husband original with Jimmy Herring playing the lyrical topic on guitar. NEW BLUES, OLD BRUISE: a John McLaughlin composition given a jazzier border featuring rise tenor sax star Sean Freeman. Not to cry other novel GH originals featuring the angular tidings of Wayne Krantz too the fiery, electrical bop of Mike Stern.
With a roster of top-tier musicians too stellar performances, Gary Husband’s Dirty & Beautiful Volume 2 promises to live i of the around musically exciting too musically rewarding releases of 2012.
Track listing:
01 If The Animals Had Guns Too 5:28
02 Rolling Sevens 4:44
03 New Blues, Old Bruise 10:21
04 East River Jam 3:01
05 Fred 2011 4:48
06 Rain 2:48
07 Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Brothers 6:14
08 Fuguie 4:18
09 Sulley 10:08
10 England Green 2:52
11 Yesternow - Epilogue 4:52
Personnel:
Gary Husband: keyboards (1-4, 6, 8-11), drums (1-7, 9-11), percussion (2);
Ray Russell: guitar (1);
Jimmy Johnson: bass (1, 4);
Mike Stern: guitar (2);
Teymur Phell: bass (2);
Sean Freeman: tenor saxophone (3);
Wayne Krantz: guitar (4);
Allan Holdsworth: guitar (5);
January Hammer: keyboards (5);
Neil Taylor: guitar (6);
Alex Machacek: guitar (7), programming (7);
John McLaughlin: guitar (9);
Mark King: bass (9);
Jimmy Herring: guitar (10);
Laurence Cottle: bass (10);
Robin Trower: guitar (11);
Livingstone Brown: bass (11).
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