The co-op band James Farm consists of all stars Joshua Redman/ts-ss, Aaron Parks/p, Matt Penman/b and Eric Harland/dr; all artists who lead their own bands, yet get together occasionally for these recordings. Like most All Star games, there is no one really taking charge, and it shows in the compositions and delivery. Most of the songs seem like an idea thought of by either Parks, creating a little melody on “Unknown” or “Farms” for the piano, or by Harland, who sets down a groove that can be funky as on “City Folk” with Penman’s bass doing some fine things, the film noirish ”Otherwise” that has Parks chiming along. Redman sounds like he’s back with The Bad Plus on “Two Steps” with the trio sounding highly influenced by the Midwest trio, while his soprano gets dreamy on ”What Remains.” Thoroughly professional, adroit but ultimately too polite with too many chiefs and not enough Indians.
Nonesuch Records