Tag: jazz fusion

Notespeak – Every Generation’s War

     What exactly is the history of the spoken word in jazz music?  It actually has its earliest roots in the late 1920′s and 1930′s when scatting along with a jazz tune, became more commonplace. This started with the vocals imitating the instruments but later came to be rhythmic words spoken in beat to the music. Even later, in the late 1950′s and 1960′s, modern music borrowed elements of this ‘talking jazz’ into what was to be called ‘beat poetry’. The words were moved from containing only relational importance to…

Read More

Lydian Collective – Out Of The Woods

     One of the best jazz fusion groups of all time, at least in Vodka’s opinion, is Lydian Collective. Their latest single Out Of The Woods (heard here), builds on the formula that this group has mastered: joyful, accessible jazz, played with a passion fitting the devotion that the individual members dedicate to it. It’s a winning formula, driven home by the commercial and critical success that Lydian Collective has amassed since jumping into the music scene with Adventure in March 2018.  That, of course, isn’t the whole picture,…

Read More

Lydian Collective – High 555′

     It’s been a few weeks now since I first introduced Vodka readers to Lydian Collective with the review of East and a nod to the LP. With the single release of High 555, I’ve got high hopes for another LP in the future. I’d like to highlight the joy with which these musicians play their music. Pay particular attention to the beaming smile of Sophie Alloway (drums). The bandmates obviously love performing their music-all of them-but Sophie is the picture of pure joy here. Lydian Collective’s embrace of everything…

Read More

Lydian Collective – East

     Vodka seldom posts straight-up instrumentals, but there are exceptions, and East from Lydian Collective is an exception well worth the spotlight. East is from their debut long-player Adventure (March 2018), and the band may seem to have burst onto the music scene as some sort of a “where have these musicians been?!” moment. That isn’t the case. The collective made up of Aaron Wheeler (keyboards), Todd Baker (guitar), Ida Hollis (bass), and Sophie Alloway (drums), all have individual success stories before forming Lydian Collective. The composition duties fall generally to…

Read More