Esteemed German bass player Hellmut Hattler, whose stupendous talents helped make Kraan a much sought after band in the 1970's progressive rock/fusion scene, has regrouped his jazz ensemble Tab Two to the more conventional, and self monikered Hattler. While No Eats Yes is a surprisingly enjoyable, hip affair, progressive rock lovers beware, as this recording is about as far away from prog or standard fusion than the bass player has ever gone.
After listening to this CD a few times, the bassist seems to have come up with an intriguing blend of Sade inspired R&B on the vocal tracks, and latter day Miles Davis (late 80's) jazz-funk. The female vocals are quite good, with catchy, laid back melodies that will have you swaying your hips. Interspersed among the vocal tracks are numerous instrumentals, which let Hattler show off his prowess on the bass, as well as allow for ample room for lazy trumpet bursts. Nothing really groundbreaking, but damn sure danceable and funky! While some may find the overabunance of synthesized drums a tad annoying, it adds a wild electronica flair to the songs that takes them above the standard R&B/funk medium. Kraan fans will enjoy hearing guitarist Peter Wolfbrandt and keyboard player Ingo Bischof on the complex instrumental, "Uhrenvergleich", which comes across as a modern take on that bands fiery style.
While No Eats Yes really has nothing much for progheads, it is definitely a CD that has fantastic radio potential here in the US, especially in the R&B or Jazz markets. It's a shame though that very few listeners will get the chance to hear it.
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