Sunday, December 9, 2007

CD review: Gotta Move On, Inner City All-Stars

By John P. Meyer

The Inner City All-Stars call themselves a "funk/jam brass band," and that they certainly are - though, as you might expect from a Denton-based musical group whose members mostly hail from UNT music programs, categorization can be a pretty tall order.

While contemplating the creation of Inner City, front man Calvin Sexton kept in mind the spirited, high-energy marching music of historically black colleges and universities he was exposed to during his Birmingham, AL youth. When he came to study at the University of North Texas in 1996 and fell under the spell of a wide variety of musical styles (including funk, jazz, and world music), the concept for Inner City began to take shape. For several financially-strapped years, Calvin left his studies behind and moved to California, playing backup and freelance with a variety of bands. In 2003 he returned to North Texas to complete his degree (in Music Performance) and formed the band soon after.

Calvin plays trombone; he also composes and arranges. He's joined by sax man/composer/arranger Scot Sheldon, tuba dude David Seip (as an alumn of Wichita State U., he's the only non-UNT-ite), guitarist Teriver Chueng, Brad Mezei on trumpet, and Hiroki Uehira on drums. The Inner City gang lend a strikingly improvisational flair to everything they undertake musically, and this spontaneity comes through loud and clear on their debut CD, Gotta Move On. This is not meant to imply that the musicianship isn't tight, because it very much is: These guys lay down slick licks.

Their forte is rooted in a big, bold New 'Awlins brass sound - the kind you can only achieve by playing a lot of horns and playing them loudly. But they also explore a range of diverse sonic realms while remaining firmly entrenched in their selected instrumental lineup, in much the same way that Brave Combo (another eclectic Denton band) crosses over into areas where polka ordinarily fears to tread.

Here's a cut-by-cut impression of Gotta Move On:

"Gotta Move On" - setting the tone for the Inner City All-Stars, this intro piece is heavy on brass-fueled jazz energy - but a bit lackluster on the vocals

"Boogie on Reggae Woman" - hot stuff! A fresh take on the Stevie Wonder standard

"Samba de Kazuki" - if there's such a thing as Latin jazz, this be it

"Can't Get Over It" - near-Eastern overtones, with eerie echoing trumpet choruses

"You Know Nothing" - starts out with an ominous baritone horn dirge that makes you think Godzilla might be attacking the city, then slithers into a hip hop back beat; King CJB 3:16 does guest rap duties

"Inner City" - repeated horn proclamation; guest rap by Tim "Smooth" Brown

"Rompadon" - the party chatter background is left in the mix, lending an intimate, live feel to the proceedings

"I.G.T. - Party Mix" - funky, funky sax and trumpet riffs with teasing counterpoint vocals in an extended jam format

"Drakeford Incorporated" - saxophone jazz instrumental, with Jison Choi guesting on Fender Rhodes

"2 Bump" - a slow, contemplative intro quickly shifts to something pumped full of energy and hilariously booty-licious; shifts briefly into instrumental fifth before ending with a rapped reprise

BONUS: for those patient enough to wait out several minutes of dead air, there's a "Get Ready" surprise ending jam session

Production values are good, so cranking up the volume yields nothing but more music - and you'll want to crank this one, so you can share the virtuosity with the neighbors.

A couple of minor provisos: While vocals aren't often in the Inner City aural spotlight, where they do make an appearance they seem underplayed and downright atonal. Also, I'd like to hear what these guys could do with a full-length slow-jazz soundscape like the ones that make brief appearances in "2 Bump." Maybe they're saving those up for the next CD.

NOTE: there are at least two references to The Wizard of Oz on the musical program - see if you can spot them.

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