...sounds like a head-on collison of Miles Davis and Jimi Hendrix meeting P-Funk and Metallica at a rave..."
Eclectic enough for you ? "On Your Mark, Get Set...FRO!" is a funky blend of jazz-rock that covers nearly all the territory alluded to in the above quote. Fro (Harold Davis Jr) lays down some solid fretwork over a foundation of toe-tappin', head bobbin', almost danceable jazz...and that's just on the opening number "Funk-O-Bop". "New Orleans On The Brain" follows suit in a similar fashion yet features some groovy Hammond organ as the main instrument. "Late Night Drive" is a mellower number and much more in a contemporary, almost jazz-lite mode. At the completely opposite end of Fro's musical spectrum comes "Top 40's Worst Nightmare (The No Commercial Potential remix)". This track features a juxtaposition of heavy metal-like riffs and Kenny Burrell style light jazz guitar. This contrast creates an interesting, nay schizophrenic, number. Just to add to the confusion, the track temporarily discards both above mentionned styles and dives headlong into full blues mode for a very tasteful guitar solo, before returning to the opening mayhem. This all too brief recording ends with the short and sweet "Jody". This is a nice little number, albeit uneventful coming on the heels of the previous track.
"On Your mark, Get Set...FRO!" is a fun and sometimes funny disc which showcases some great 70s style funk arrangements by Fro and some better than average chops by the rest of his posse. Fans of funky jazz should look into this one.
Track Listing:
- Funk-O-Bop
- New Orleans On The Brain
- Late Night Drive
- Top 40s Worst Nightmare (The No Commercial Potential Remix)
- Jody