To say that Melvin Gibbs is a bassist is not enough. He's a producer, an arranger, and a multi-instrumentalist. He's also a smart band leader given the talent he's assembled on his new album. Amasia: Anamibia Sessions 2, out this week on Hausu Mountain, is a stunning exploration of fusion forms. Taking clear inspirations from Miles Davis' seminal Agharta, this is a record that's ambitious and borderline visionary in spots.
Based upon sessions begun in 2006, the Miles-inspired Amasia: Anamibia Sessions 2 is a true musical journey. It's immersive and enveloping. That it swings too is another plus. The light "Felonious Monk" opens things before the pulsating "Gullah Jack Style" glides in atop supple keyboards from the legendary and late Onaje Allan Gumbs. Pete Cosey's skittery guitar sparks excitement in that one too. Flute from Casey Benjamin adds a hint of loveliness to "The Very First Flower", while trumpet from Chris Williams gives "16 Dimensions of Underwater Light" an unearthly heaviness. The cut, very Miles-in-the-Seventies, is fantastic, and one where Melvin Gibbs' talents as a producer and arranger are readily apparent. The renowned John Medeski brings his organ skills to the epic "Luigi Takes a Walk", the record's centerpiece composition. This one, a borderline hypnotic journey built around trumpet from Williams and drums from J.T. Lewis, is spacious and energetic. The vibe here is both frenzied in spots, and languid in others. The treatments and synths give this a layered vibe, as does the organ from Medeski at the end especially. And while this is jazz, the overall mood is what Gibbs has emphasized as band leader and arranger here. It's really a stunning cut, and one which transfixes utterly as the piece expands, contracts, and ultimately loosens up.
Amasia: Anamibia Sessions 2 is a record of textures and vibes. It's jazz of a sort, but what really stands out for me as a listener is the complexity of the arrangements, and the way the instruments and sounds themselves are pieced together. At his best, Melvin Gibbs works up a fury here that is joyous and alive with the boundless possibilities of these forms. To reduce this by using a label like fusion or jazz is far too simplistic. This is highly recommended.
Amasia: Anamibia Sessions 2 by Melvin Gibbs is out this week via Hausu Mountain.
[Photo: Kirk Edwards]