Dwain

• Momentum from Joshua Redman’s Elastic Band is a recording with intention’s of taking a listener through a journey of different funk-filled soundscapes through a variety of compositions. Redman and company are not afraid to stretch their imaginations and experiment with different textures and techniques, as is made obvious by their interpretation of the free-jazz composition “Lonely Woman”. There is a bit of a revolving cast on the album which both leads to some fun and different perspectives but may also cause slight disjointness in the overall sound. Redman’s playing throughout is soulful, groovin’ and fun to listen to.

• Many of the funk-focused tunes on the album such as “Greasy G”, “Doubles Jeopardy”, and “Sweet Nasty” really shine through and are overly enjoyable listens. They are fun, musical, and do a great job of keeping the listener engaged. The covers of Sheryl Crow’s “Riverwide” and Led Zeppelin’s “The Crunge” are also great additions to the album. I was tempted to put “Riverwide” into my Top 3 because of how different and soulful the track really is.

• There are a few spots where the album becomes over-done and lacks continuity. The random bouts of alien abducting sequencers throughout the album and especially on Coleman’s “Lonely Woman” does nothing to add any substantive musical value to the recording. A few of the interludes such as “Blowing Changes” and “Just a Moment” just do not add as much to the overall album as I feel were originally intended. I do not think that Momentum has revolutionized the way that we view jazz fusion music as much as might have been intended from Redman and Yahel.

Momentum is in total a super funky and fun project to listen to with outstanding musical contributions from a wide-range of talents. There are times on the album where I find myself enthralled by the soul-fulfilling funk grooves and Redman’s front and center sound, and other times checking around the corner of my apartment to make sure the aliens are just in the headphones and not out to get me. Take the good for what it is, which is great at times and try to not be too bothered by some of the weirdness. Momentum is a unique effort from Redman that is more than worth a listen and hand-picking a good number of tracks from the album for one of your favorite playlists, and leaving the others where they are at.

Overall score: 7.4/10

Max

• Joshua Redman’s Momentum seems like a glimpse into a moment of artistic redirection that was never completely fulfilled. Redman’s overall message seems clear with his group being named ‘Elastic Band,’ hinting at a new approach or style focus with this feat. Clearly, the incredible saxophonist is engaging with funk, fusion, soul-jazz and moments of electronic music; but, there’s so many directions at once it’s hard to pin down what to focus on, effectively cluttering the product. A great cast of musicians is utilized really well, putting to work Sam Yahel, the co-producer on the album and the main keyboardist. Paired with them are a tag team of Jeff Ballard and Brian Blade on drums (with a moment of Questlove on drums) plus a number of special guests including guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel on “Swunk,” trumpeter Nicholas Payton on “Put it in Your Pocket,” vibraphonist Stefon Harris, guitarists Peter Bernstein, Eric Krasno, and Jeff Parker, bassist Flea on a number of tunes, and funky bassist Meshell Ndegeocello on “Greasy G” (one of the better tracks).

• A number of the tunes here are originals from Redman and Yahel, yet, we also get a convoluted version of Ornette Coleman’s “Lonely Woman,” a nice and interesting rendition of Sheryl Crow's “Riverwide,” and a short-lived exploration of Led Zeppelin’s “The Crunge.” This version of “Lonely Woman” would’ve been great if it didn’t sound like it took place on a spaceship. A lengthier take on “The Crunge” with Redman really blowing on top would’ve been appreciated too. Tunes like “Sweet Nasty,” “Shut Your Mouth,” “Greasy G,” “Swunk,” and “Double Jeopardy” are really the meat and potatoes of the album, displaying a reverence or influence from Eddie Harris, Bob James, Yellowjackets and more of that ilk. Those songs, along with “Put it in Your Pocket” are the heartbeat and pulse of this recording, yet, its momentum (pun intended) is caught off-guard by stints of maddening confusion by short interludes such as “Just a Moment” and “Blowing Changes.” The opening snippet of “Soundcheck” and the short closer named “Showtime” work really well to bookmark the beginning and ending of this endeavor sandwiched in-between sounds that would occur when you’re on a performance soundcheck juxtaposed with noises and grooves that happen when you’re about to start the gig.

• All in all, this is a deeply appreciated effort from Joshua Redman. He is such a great player and remains to be a staple in the world of jazz with his relatively recent move to record with Blue Note Records. When I listen to Momentum, there are moments where I seem lost. Yet, when there’s a heavy bass groove established, or when Redman is able to really solo and take a significant ride on one of these tunes, I’m right at home. A few of these compositions may also have one too many melodic sections to them to really be fully remembered or captured in the brain of a listener. While there is focus and a clear message to the music, it’s extremely muddled and misty at moments. Momentum gets in its own way more than a time or two, causing the ears to trip. When you boil it all down, this is good music; it may just fall flat of fulfilling what was originally intended.

Overall score: 6.8/10