8 BASS MAGAZINE ; ISSUE 4 ; bassmagazine.com
Avishai Cohen
Arvoles [Razdaz Recordz]
The Israeli-born bass giant re-
turns in a quintet setting with
pianist Elchin Shirinov, drum-
mer Noam David, trombonist
Björn Samuelsson, and flautist
Anders Hagberg for an inspir-
ing set of originals strong in
melody and rhythmic inven-
tion. “Simonero” sets the
course with a falling bass line
that sets up striking ensemble
counterpoint. The title track is
rife with baroque ornamenta-
tion between bass and piano,
while “Childhood (for Carm-
el)” seems descended from a
Romantic-era church. “Face
Me” dances on angular accents
within its 3/4 meter and boasts
Cohen’s virtuous bowed solo.
Elsewhere, “Elchinov” rides
an odd-time piano montuno,
huge chordal leaps, and a killer
groove solo. The swirling har-
monies of “Nostalgia” evoke
many a musical mood and age.
And “New York ’90s” summons
Cohen’s global breakout pe-
riod. All told, Arvoles is a candi-
date for bass album of the year.
—Chris JisiInvisiblemann
Volume 12: Echos of a Funked
Memory Factor
[Invisiblemann]
Bay Area bassist and songwriter
Kenney James has just released
the 12th installment of his Invis-
iblemann album series, which
features his funky slap work
and a wide range of grooves
set over downtempo, soul, and
fusion tracks. The album comes
to life with the swagger of the
opening cut, “Kickback,” but
it really hits its stride with his
funky plucking on “Lost Cul-
ture.” “Think About Funk” does
more than ponder it, as James
lays down layers of deep slap
with rumbling tone. Invisible-
mann just keeps getting better
and better with each new al-
bum, so we’re excited to hear
what he brings with Volume 13.
—Jon D’AuriaPhilip Bailey
Love Will Find a Way [Verve]
Timed with Earth, Wind & Fire’s
50th anniversary (which will
include the band’s Kennedy
Center Honors award this De-
cember), vocalist Philip Bailey
releases his first solo effort in
17 years. The disc’s ten tracks
soar between soul and jazz on
Bailey’s golden voice, which is
backed by a bevy of potent
bassists, including Derrick
Hodge, Carlitos Del Puerto,
Alex Al, and Christian Mc-
Bride. Curtis Mayfield’s “Billy
Jack” comes bumpin’ out of the
gate with a new, brighter hip-
hop feel, riding Hodges’ syn-
copated subhook (he returns
later with sympathetic support
on Robert Glasper’s Ramsey
Lewis-like instrumental “Sacred
Soul”). Cut during Chick Corea
and Steve Gadd’s Chinese But-
terfly sessions, Corea’s Return
To Forever vocal track “You’re
Everything” gets a funky samba
feel, with Del Puerto’s sinewy
5-string filling the open spac-
es. Alex Al’s big-toned upright
anchors a swinging cover of
the Talking Heads’ “Once in a
Lifetime.” McBride (on upright)
drives the Afro-6/8 “Stair-Spins, Streams & Downloads