Kevin Eubanks
Zen Food
Mack Avenue Records
www.mackavenue.com
By George W. Harris

Guitarist Kevin Eubanks has probably played before more people in a week than most jazzers do in a year, simply because he was in the Tonight Show Band. Not a bad gig, but he felt it was time to move on; god for us, as he’s kept his bop chops, as he shows on this impressively adventurous disc. Teamed with fellow Leno-ite “Smitty” Smith/dr, ex-Messenger Billy Pierce/ts (where HAS he been?), Gerry Etkins/key, and Rene Cmacho, Eubanks mixes mainstream grooves with some adventurous curves on high speed chases like “The Dancing Sea” with his electric guitar and “Das It’ on the acoustic. “The Dirty Monk” also features some startlingly complex and intricate acoustic work, while the ruminating “Adoration” sneaks in a hymn or two from Sunday School. He can be lyrical on the electric guitar as well, as GG has some lovely interplay with Etkins, while Pierce’s work throughout demands him to get out of academia and hit the road with his own band. Modern, exciting and satisfying even an hour after ingesting.