New Perspective
Drum Legacy, 2025
8/10
The drummer extraordinaire Steve Smith steps back in time to revisit some of his early work where here, as well as tossing in some covers and new selections, where Manuel Valera and Janek Gwizdala are attendance.
The frisky and smooth dynamics of “Don’t Stop Believin’” starts the listen with Smith’s fluid drums and Valera’s bright keys making for a version of the Journey classic that’s quite creative, and “The Perfect Date” follows with Gwizdala’s playful bass acrobatics amid the meticulous drumming.
In the middle, “Open Arms” is an intimate moment of gentle beauty via Valera’s elegant keys and the subdued drumming, while “Sumo” bops and shakes with an infectious energy thanks to the glowing keys, lively bass and acrobatic drumming.
At the end, “Three Of A Kind” touches on timeless jazz traditions with much soul and melody for the album’s best, and “Josef The Chemist” flirts with prog-rock by way of swift synth, crisp drumming and agile bass lines.
Smith was actually the drummer for Journey across 3 different stints, and his shift into fusion jazz has yielded excellent work, including this diverse and colorful trio setting.
Travels well with: Galactic Tide- The Haas Company Vol. 1; The Bruce Lofgren Group- Earthly And Cosmic Tales