t's been proven countless times that it's hard to equal an original. Earlier this year, California guitarist Jeff Richman gathered a collage of jazz/fusion stars (including Abe Laboriel, Vinnie Colaiuta, Dave Weckl, Steve Tavaglione, Jimmy Haslip and Mitch Forman) to record Live at the Baked Potato Volume One, one of the pleasant surprises of 2001. Some of the same names appear on the new Live at the Baked Potato Volume Two, but it's a kinder, gentler version of what happens at the Hollywood club.
Still, if a sequel even approaching the original indicates success, then Richman wins again. His opening "Kamaroon" employs the airtight rhythm section of bassist Laboriel and drummer Colaiuta, plus Tavaglione (one of the few saxophonists who can play soprano and not sound syrupy), for 12 minutes of furiously-implied reggae variations. After stunning solos by Laboriel and Colaiuta in the second half, the softer midsection of this sequel CD commences as Richman goes clean-tone over pianist Russell Ferrante, bassist Jimmy Earl and drummer Gregg Bissonette in the swinging "On the Trail."
Trumpeter Jeff Beal's loping "Leap of Faith" provides he and Richman room for unison lines and solos over drummer Tom Brecthlein and Earl's bubbling bassline. Richman's other original is "Let This Be the One," the pop elements of which are hardened by Laboriel, drummer Weckl and keyboardist Peter Wolf before Volume Two closes with two surprising tracks. The first is Jan Hammer's "Star Cycle," a tune from guitarist Jeff Beck's 1980 album There and Back. But whereas the original was uptempo funk, this walking-tempo version features bassist Tom Kennedy, saxophonist Brandon Fields, keyboardist Jeff Babko and drummer Simon Phillips (who, ironically, played on There and Back but not on this piece, as Hammer played both keyboards and drums).
George and Ira Gershwin's standard, "I Got Rhythm," is an even more unexpected closer. Over bassist Haslip and drummer Danny Gottlieb, Richman provides the piece with new melodic shades before Haslip performs one of his inimitable solos. More jazz and less fusion than Volume One (perhaps a purposeful move by Richman, a rising guitar star), Live at the Baked Potato Volume Two swings hard - and doesn't miss the original by much in the process.
t's been proven countless times that it's hard to equal an original. Earlier this year, California guitarist Jeff Richman gathered a collage of jazz/fusion stars (including Abe Laboriel, Vinnie Colaiuta, Dave Weckl, Steve Tavaglione, Jimmy Haslip and Mitch Forman) to record Live at the Baked Potato Volume One, one of the pleasant surprises of 2001. Some of the same names appear on the new Live at the Baked Potato Volume Two, but it's a kinder, gentler version of what happens at the Hollywood club.