Electric standards and eclectic originals; the devastating third album from this critically acclaimed jazz trio. This album contains funky covers of Steely Dan, Wayne Shorter, and Wes Montgomery.

10 MP3 Songs
JAZZ: Jazz-Funk, ROCK: Jam-band



Details:
"Vacant Cavern" is the third full-length album from New York/Connecticut experimental jazz trio Alcibiades Jones. Alcibiades Jones is Austin Barney (Guitar), Stuart Watson (Bass, Keys, Guitar), and Alex Zanecchia (Drums). "Vacant Cavern" was recorded in âThe Cave Studioâ in Westwood, Massachusetts, and live on tour. It is comprised of seven original songs and (a first for the band) three covers.

The album opens with the acoustic space-bluegrass of "Pyrite Roman," a song that resolves with a furiously burrowing guitar solo by Barney, backed by Watson's accentual bass work. The bluegrass fades directly into a red-hot rendition of Wes Montgomeryâs âRoad Song,â recorded live on tour. Barney and Watson each deliver intelligent solos that show a keen appreciation for the original tune while invigorating the song with contemporary energy.

âAny Major Dude Will Tell You,â the Walter Becker/Donald Fagen FM radio staple here is reinterpreted as a Jaco Pastorius Trio style funk number. Next is âArmchair Robot,â a Barney/Watson original recorded live in Hartford at the famous Webster Theater.

âFootprints,â taken from the same date in Hartford, follows. This song illustrates the deep influence of composer Wayne Shorter on all three members of the band, while highlighting the groupâs live, communicative improvisation.

Next is the space-metal-funk number âVenezuela,â a tribute to the spirit of that nationâs vibrant people. âPlato Bluesâ resolves the bandâs "Greek Philosophy Blues Trilogy" begun on the groups previous two outings, 2005âs Refraction Mirage and 2007âs Freedom in the Cave. It is an open-sounding minor blues drenched in luxuriating guitar chorus.

The next two songs explore the bandâs more ambient side. âOrganized Planet,â like âRockstarâ from FitC, is a Watson solo piece, featuring bass, guitar, and Rhodes keyboard. âSamantabhadraâ is Austin Barneyâs meditative masterpiece, featuring a drone bass in seven, Tibetan chimes, and some of Alex Zanecchiaâs most innovative and explosive drumming. Not to mention some crazy guitar.

The record closes with Watsonâs epic funk composition, âBrumaire.â The song is a sequel to âThermidorâ from the bandâs debut, and at almost ten minutes it demonstrates the group, in their personal studio, at their most free.

So far, 2007 has been a big year for Alcibiades Jones. Riding the wave of having been featured on the PBS documentary program "Roadtrip Nation 2006" last fall, the bandâs music was again used by a major television network, this time on the recent A&E reality series "Sons of Hollywoodâ which aired spring 2007. A whopping five songs off AJâs 2005 debut Refraction Mirage made it onto the first season of âSons of Hollywood.â

Alcibiades Jones was first formed in 1998 in Lakeville, Connecticut, while the principle members were students at a dire and austere boarding school. Since those humble days of all night rehearsals in damp basements, the members have released two full length albums, 2005's "Refraction Mirage" and 2007's "Freedom in the Cave."

This album is for sale in CDR format, in a 100 Recycled Cardboard Arigato Sleeve, hand printed with our original artwork and with hand cut and copied liner notes. It is an environmentally friendly, independent-record-label-friendly packaging solution from Portland's own Stumptown Printers. And the best part is the music is exactly the same as you would find in plastic-sealed jewel case!

This album will be the final release by the original line-up of Alcibiades Jones. But fear not! "Alcibiades Jones IV" is coming this fall, and naturally it will be available here through CD Baby.