Riverside
Outside In Music, 2022
9/10
A trio of esteemed musicians who come together for a very exciting interpretation of standards that were fleshed out during the group’s spontaneous outdoor jams during the pandemic lockdown, Oz Noy, Ugonna Okegwo and Ray Marchica bring their inimitable jazz fusion formula to these 10 tracks.
“All The Things You Are” starts the listen with Noy’s spirited guitar alongside Okegwo’s bouncy bass as the warm climate gets quite frisky, and “Anthropology” follows with Marchica’s proficient drumming anchoring the playful landscape.
At the halfway point, “Riverside Blues” bops and shakes with no shortage of rhythm as Noy’s meticulous guitar work shines bright, while “6/8 Lunch Break” showcases the diverse and detailed drumming that few people could replicate.
Approaching the end, the gliding melody of “This Could Be The Start Of Something Big” helps make this one of the album’s best, and “Sunny” exits the listen with Clifford Carter on Fender Rhodes as the trio finish on a dynamic and highly versatile version of the Bobby Hebb tune.
Noy, Okegwo and Marchica all have impressive resumes of their own, and this first outing together is about as great as you would expect. Let’s hope they find other ways to collaborate soon, cause their combined talent sure is impressive.
Travels well with: Mathis Picard- Live At The Museum; Grant Richards- Ballyhoo