RAY ANDERSON
Bonemeal: Live at Paula Jeans Supper Club
Raybone
PI 02


Oh man is this tasty. Upfront: Im a major Anderson fan nor have I hesitates to slam some few of his discs with stupid vocals and fake funk, as Anderson has the real thing. I never bothered to find out where he hails from, and this was recorded in Long Island, but New Orleans is never far away. The title track is ten minutes of exemplary jazz utilizing funky rhythms and avant textures, the latter thanks especially to Mark Helias. Then comes the stupid song, a blues where the boneman sings terrible lyrics about a Microwave Woman and even answers himself while singing, aw thats terrible, so clearly he knows. She pops me in and then goes zap. Thats the only one, and then were back to the music. Kind of Garnerish is a blues jam, with no special melody or structure, but it has spirit.

Green Eyes, Fireflies, a bolero, features beautiful guitar work from Salerno, a name new to me, both soloing and as rhythm. Also, Andersons slide here creates excruciatingly beautiful notes, but each beautiful sounds is surrounded my a swarm of delightfully off notes. Choppers uses a choppy rhythm, which is clever, then it takes a rock chord progression, revs up the speed, Wilson slams those cymbals, and the stew is interesting but lumpy.

From the first note of his noir Blues Bred In The Bone, youre in trouble; somebodys out to get you and its Anderson, got you in his palm via his arrangement and his splats and taunts like a thug in the street. The bass starts walking, but with its arms on its hips. Salerno uses his guitar like an organ, underpinning the vamp, then goes into a tasty solo all askew.

Snoo Tune is a self-penned vocal piece half Lambert, Hendricks and Ross and half scat, some of which isnt bad and some is wonderful, clearly influenced by his bone; the man has flexible lips. The closer is an Ellington/Strayhorn piece, and is pretty. Summary: Half slamming, half okay.

Highly recommended Anderson, some out of print: Right Down Your Alley (Soul Note 1087, You Be (Minor Music 8007, both with Helias and Hemingway), What Because (Gramavision 79453, with Hicks, Dresser, and akLaff), Blues Bred In The Bone (Enja 5081), Azurety (hatART 6155, with Bennink and Doran, and last year on my top ten list), Where Home Is (Enja 9366, with Soloff and Previte).


--Steven H. Koenig


Track Listing: 1. Bonemeal; 2. Microwave Woman; 3. Kind of Garnerish; 4. Green Eyes, Fireflies; 5. Choppers; 6. Blues Bred In The Bone; 7. Snoo Tune; 8. Star Crossed Lovers


Personnel: Ray Anderson, trombone, sousaphone, vocals; Steve Salerno, guitar; Mark Helias, bass; Matt Wilson, drums