The Message

The Message

by Stanley Clarke Band, Stanley Clarke
The Message

The Message

by Stanley Clarke Band, Stanley Clarke

CD

$18.99 
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Overview

The Stanley Clarke Band moniker goes back at least as far as 1985's electro-funk-inflected Find Out!, and picked up in earnest with 2010's eponymously titled The Stanley Clarke Band. The only real through-line, however, is virtuoso bass pioneer Clarke, who leads his ever-evolving bands through what are usually a stylistically varied set of songs that touch upon driving jazz-fusion, funky crossover jams, harmonically nuanced acoustic modal bop, and even forays into classical. It's a cross-pollinated vibe he championed on 2014's Up and one he returns to with conceptual gusto on 2018's expansive The Message. Joining him are pianist Beka Gochiashvili (who previously played Up), keyboardist Cameron Graves, and drummer Mike Mitchell. Musically, each of these players are compelling in their own right, and make for a dynamic unit. While Clarke doesn't completely grab on to one central theme here, the general tone of The Message is one of reaching for enlightenment in what often seems like a troubling, dystopian world. It's a vibe that's largely intimated in song titles like "The Rugged Truth" and "Alternative Facts," both of which marry propulsively swinging jazz-rock rhythms with sparkling keyboard work. Elsewhere, tracks like the sprawling "After the Cosmic Rain/Dance of the Planetary Prince" and "Combat Continuum," with its spoken-word narrative about a global resistance battle against an invader with "massive unknown technology," evokes '70s prog rock conceits, just as surely as it allegorically implies more contemporary social and political concerns. Clarke also bookends his album with two hip-hop jazz pieces featuring rapper Doug E. Fresh, including a thrilling opening bass and beatbox homage dedicated to a handful of longtime Clarke associates who passed away while he was working on the album, including Al Jarreau, Larry Coryell, Tom Petty, and others. Interestingly, the title track, while aesthetically in keeping with fusion-influenced tone of the album, finds Clarke stepping away from his bandmates and collaborating on a brightly atmospheric, new age-sounding ballad with synth and sound designer Pat Leonard. Elsewhere, he dips into soulful pop balladry on "Lost in a World" with vocalists Trevor Wesley and Skyeler Kole, displays his adept, classical chops with a lyrical rendition of the "Bach Cello Suite 1 (Prelude)," and draws upon his work with pianist Chick Corea for the far-eyed acoustic jazz ballad "The Legend of Abbas and the Sacred Talisman." Ultimately, while the conceptual "message" of The Message can often seem a bit unfocused, Clarke's music remains as crisp and inventive as ever. ~ Matt Collar

Product Details

Release Date: 06/29/2018
Label: Mack Avenue
UPC: 0673203111622
Rank: 116557

Tracks

  1. And Ya Know We're Missing You
  2. After the Cosmic Rain/Dance of the Planetary Prince
  3. The Rugged Truth
  4. Combat Continuum
  5. The Message
  6. Lost in a World
  7. Alternate Facts
  8. Bach Cello Suite 1 (Prelude)
  9. The Legend of the Abbas and the Sacred Talisman
  10. Enzo's Theme
  11. To Be Alive

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Stanley Clarke   Primary Artist,Bass,Vocals,Soloist,Talk Box,Bass (Acoustic)
Stanley Clarke Band   Primary Artist
Cameron Graves   Soloist,Synthesizer
Chuck Findley   Trumpet,French Horn
Chris Clarke   Vocals (Background)
Ron Stout   Trumpet
Pat Leonard   Synthesizer
Doug E. Fresh   Vocals,Beat Box
Mark Isham   Soloist
Doug Webb   Flute,Soloist,Saxophone,Sax (Tenor)
Michael Thompson   Guitar
Salar Nader   Tabla
Dwayne Benjamin   Trombone
Trevor Wesley   Vocals
Steve Blum   Vocals
Skyeler Kole   Vocals
Mike Mitchell   Drums,Electronic Drums
Sofia Clarke   Spoken Word
Beka Gochiashvili   Piano,Synthesizer
Dominique Taplin   Synthesizer

Technical Credits

Johann Sebastian Bach   Composer
Cameron Graves   Composer,Group Member
Kevin Peterson   Mastering
Pat Leonard   Sound Design
Doug E. Fresh   Composer
Will Wakefield   Production Manager
Al Pryor   A&R
Travis Rogers   Engineer
Gerry Brown   Mixing,Engineer
Stanley Clarke   Arranger,Composer,Producer,Group Member
Jonathan Hakakian   Engineer,Overdub Engineer
Roxanne Seeman   Composer
Atron Gregory   Executive Producer
Raj Naik   Design,Photography,Creative Director
Maria Ehrenreich   Producer
Sharon Green   Product Manager
Bobby Campbell   Mixing,Engineer
Trevor Wesley   Composer
Steve Blum   Composer
Skyeler Kole   Composer
Mike Mitchell   Composer,Group Member
Sofia Clarke   Composer
Gretchen Valade   Executive Producer
Beka Gochiashvili   Composer,Group Member
George Madrid   Assistant
Matt Dyson   Assistant Engineer
Karl Wingate   Assistant Engineer
Nachael West   Assistant
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