The third release by this popular L.A.-based trumpeter/flügelhornist and his ensemble may be called
Blues from Mars, but they don't dig downtempo and bluesy until midway through the collection, when they take a pit stop with the lovely, reflective ballad "After Thought" (which features a gorgeous vibes solo by
D.J. Bonebrake). There's also the melancholy closer "I Thought About You," which is mostly a stark duet between flügelhorn and bass (played sweetly by Bill Markus). Up to the disc's midway point, the vibe runs from the gleefully frenetic (as on the heavy swinging, percussive "Blues for the Revolution," which is more revolution than blues) to the seductively swinging, coolly percussive, and Latin-flavored ("El Nuevo Dia," "La Verdad Es la Verdad."). The title track then goes off the charts with its trippy ambience, spacy sonics, and oddly metered trumpet/sax duality by
Caine and tenor saxman Carl Randall. More mainstream listeners who are put off by the oddness of that track will take cheer that it's just a crazy experiment before some of the truly danceable Latin brass-driven gems emerge. This versatile disc seems designed to whet one's appetite for what must be a vibrant experience on the L.A. club scene. Plus, it's always nice to hear
Justo Almario, who takes a fiery bebop tenor solo on "Blues for the Revolution." ~ Jonathan Widran