Musicians: Jeff Lorber (all keyboards and keyboard solos), Brian Bromberg (bass),
Abraham Laboriel Jr. (drums), Jeremy Lubbock (orchestration), The Krim Symphonic
Orchestra, Kirk Whalum (tenor sax), Paul Jackson Jr. (guitar), Alex Al (bass),
Lenny Castro (percussion), Jacques Voyemant (trombone), Eric Benet (vocals),
Gerald Albright (alto sax), Paul Brown (guitar), Randy Brecker (trumpet), Ada
Rovatti (tenor sax), Dave Weckl (drums), Blood Sweat & Tears Horns, Tom
Scott (alto sax), Brian Bromberg (bass), Vinnie Colaiuta (drums), The Lair
Studio Brass Ensemble, Chris Botti (trumpet), Bob Sheppard (tenor sax), Paula
Cole (vocals), Hubert Laws (flute), Russell Malone (guitar), mixed by Paul
Brown, Bobby Colomby (producer)
Review: Without fail, on each new CD, Jeff Lorber brings us to the new cutting edge
of musical ideas, with fresh, inventive performances, A-List players, top
quality production, and masterful compositions. The extraordinary new CD titled
He Had A Hat continues the adventure.
The release is an incredibly original, entertainingly diverse, cohesive
body of music. On 13 tracks, styles range from contemporary jazz to hard bop and
plenty of Lorber’s signature funky fusion vibe. The All Star lineup bring
their best playing game to the project, with excellent performances by Gerald
Albright, Brian Bromberg, Chris Botti, Randy Brecker, Tom Scott, Kirk Whalum,
Hubert, Laws, Alex Al, Vinnie Colaiuta, Russell Malone, Paul Brown, Dave Weckl,
Bob Sheppard, Paul Jackson Jr., Abraham Laboriel Jr., Tom Scott and the Blood,
Sweat & Tears horn section.
Featured vocalist Eric Benét sings the 1971 Bill Withers’ classic “Grandma’s
Hands.” Paula Cole duets with Benét on her original song “The Other
Side of the Heart” written with Lorber for the album. Powerhouse horn
ensembles are arranged by the masterful Tom Scott. Lorber himself takes a turn
at arranging for a horn section on “Super Fusion Unit”. World famous
orchestrator Jeremy Lubbock fills out the lush sound experience on “Anthem for a
New America.”
With Tom Scott’s killer horn arrangements, “All Most Blues” harkens
back to jazz of the early ‘60s reflecting a Miles Davismood.Lorber indulges in some “BC Bop” inspired by the chord changes of Charlie
Parker’s “Confirmation.” Featuring Randy Brecker’s hot trumpet,
“Surreptitious” shows off that tight horn section and Lorber’s incredible
keyboards, pulling off a cool Herbie Hancock vibe.
The CD features Lorber’s best playing ever – it is free, open, inventive,
expressive, adventurous, unencumbered, and soulful. He attributes the expanse of
his playing to the collaborative process involved in creating this album. Mixed
by Paul Brown and produced by Blood, Sweat & Tears original drummer Bobby
Colomby, Lorber explains “The whole process was more spontaneous and more of a
playing situation. Everything was recorded live with very organic instruments,
not very much synthesis at all. That whole approach lent itself toward moving
the action out of the computer and into the studio, playing and interacting with
live musicians.”
On “Orchid,” Chris Botti composed and creates a compelling mood performing on
trumpet. Lorber says Botti came up with the melody on the spot. In fact, Lorber
previously worked with Bobby Colomby on two of Chris Botti’s groundbreaking
CDs. That high level of excellence is what Colomby and Lorber strove to
achieve on He Had A Hat. “As a drummer, Bobby is versant in all things
rhythmic, but his real love is harmony,” explains Lorber. “He was really pushing
me at all times to make sure that each song had some substantial chord changes
and harmonic movement behind it. I think that’s one thing that makes the record
hang together.” Mission accomplished, gentlemen! Something very
special is happening here.
Tracks: Anthem For A New America, He Had A Hat, Grandma's Hands, Surreptitious, All Most Blues, Orchid,BC Bop, The Other Side Of The Heart, Hudson, Super Fusion Unit, Eye Tunes, Requiem For Gandalf, Burn Brightly
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