The ten track onslaught kicks off with "Pau Wau", a straight ahead fusion arrangement that gets the album cranked up into the funk gear with Gradwohl's grinding guitar riffs and Berg's contrapuntal funk lines. The quartet next tackles the jazz standard, "Giant Steps", with a distinctive rendition of this classic featuring the wholesome-toned chordal voicings of Gradwohl's guitar sounding out the main theme in a duet with Berg's ever-savvy saxophone. The two trade off leads on the track with some modern improvisational adjustments to the original, including one solo section that throws in a funk twist, that put the classic into a 21st century frame of reference. This refreshing interpretation of "Giant Steps" is one of the best I have heard because it brings the themes to life with the revitalized energy, feel, and project! ion that the quartet puts behind the effort while proving that the old standard still works well with some modernization. The aggressive funk track, "Albuquerque Road", follows with latitude given to Willis and Covington to indulge in some complex rhythms and metres that will stump the best time keepers. The CD takes a slight divertimento from the tight rhythms of the previous track into a less constricting, flowing feel on the next track, "Anthem". This arrangement is set to a loose progression with Gradwohl's sustained harmonies and themes layered with the keyboards and bass that are all independently working over Covington's percussionry. The looseness of the rhythm and chord sections provides a free format for Berg and Gradwohl to explore their intensive soloing ideas.

The fifth track, "News On The Net", induces the listener thinking that the boys from Tribal Tech are pulling a coup on the group with another conspicuously tribal-influence funk arrangement, though it seems Gradwohl is willing to concede into this direction. Then, it becomes clear on the ensuing track "AW3" that the tribal funk has become the modus operendi as Willis goes off into a tribal-induced interlude with his wah-wah like stretch tremolo effects on the bass while Gradwohl's guitar pays homage to the off-centered harmonization style of Henderson with his stretch tremolo effects. (Off-centered harmonization meaning that the harmonies do not resolve on pure chromatic tones but use partial tones between the natural chromatic tones derived from string stretching, tremolo, and glissando techniques.)

Bob Berg grabs the reigns and rescues the effort from the Tribal Tech coup d'etat with his sax soloing on "Hornsong" that is set to a metro funk jazz arrangement. Gradwohl steps up for some aggressive funk guitar lead work to trade off with Berg on this track. Having usurped the directional control, Berg kicks it down a couple of gears for his slow jazz number, "Princess". This composition features Berg's dreamy sax lines played over Gradwohl's clean-toned, echo resonant chord progressions. Gradwohl joins in once again with his catty soloing that tactfully integrates some distinctive staccato and pizzicato type effects into his leadwork that are aggressive yet subdued with refinement. "Groove Chicken" lives up to its name as the quartet strikes a deal of atonement for the directional challenges by aiming for their common middle grounds of funk jazz blues where they all hit their respective grooves. It is interesting to see the stylistic differences of the four blend together on this blues arrangement that gives an easy baseline for each of them to explore in different directions that weave together in a harmonious manner. The final track, and perhaps the best on the album, if not only for sentimental reasons regarding Bob Berg, is a towering jazz blues track that features Berg's intimate voicing of warm, resonant themes on sax while Gradwohl accompanies with his soulful melodies that are articulated with carefully crafted tremolo effects. The track comes to a false stop at one point where Gradwohl starts in again, elevating the emotional level with an inspiring solo that deploys well-felt staccato, muting, and string stretching effects that lead into a crescendo of sweeping arpeggios. Then, just when the listener thinks the arrangement has reached a cli! max, Berg's soulful solo takes over, taking the emotional experience to a new plane of transcendence with his slightly bittersweet, spirited themes that leave the listener with a feeling of a happy, childhood Christmas morning. The profoundness of Berg's sax work on this track is only truly appreciated with the knowledge that this would be his final collaboration with Gradwohl.

On the scale of into it, I give this album a two thumbs up and very into it. For those of you fusion fans that haven't heard Gradwohl yet, you should take a listen to this CD. With support from giants of the fusion movement like Willis and Covington on board for this effort, you can't ignore Gradwohl any longer! He may not be as wildly outlandish as Henderson (as he was on Rocket Science) because he tends to keep one foot firmly planted in the sensibilities of conventional jazz to give his music an earthly-grounded center. But, make no mistake about it, Gradwohl can jump into and out off the stylistic changes like a true chameleon. Gradwohl has ventured further into exploratory fusion on this effort than on any of his previous efforts. Having the support and backing of the Tribal Tech rhythm section has really made this venture for Gradwohl into tribal funk fusion a viable effort of world class caliber. (... if they really could be called "backing" because I don't think they are content to stay there and I doubt they see it that way, as themselves being "backing", as may in reality be the case because this effort is more like a well-balanced quartet with each member keeping their own...)

So, in summarizing Gradwohl's latest CD, ABQ is funk... ABQ is progressive... and ABQ is most definitely FUSION! ... and of a very tribal variety!