The name of
Eric Vloeimans' group Gatecrash reflects a sentiment more than an attitude, as he states in the liner notes that music for him is not about a varied series of styles. While there are more atmospheric concepts present, full-bore, in-your-face retro-fusion is where the trumpeter hangs his hat, enhanced by effects and electronics, and punctuated by the ever-present Fender Rhodes piano of
Jeroen Van Vliet. This is something relatively new for
Vloeimans, who certainly is an established voice in the modern mainstream of jazz, but on this recording takes it to a different level. "Maceo" (for
Maceo Parker) is a good example of how
Vloeimans conceives combining straight funk with his electric-phased and looped trumpet, while "The Milkman" is even more hopped up, yet tuneful. Mixing
Miles Davis and
Mahavishnu Orchestra metaphors, "Pedal to the Metal" is not so much bursting like a musical drag race as it is screaming out in an amped-up, funky '70s mood. On the opposite end of the spectrum, there's the meditative "Orbits," ten minutes of
Van Vliet's "Snow," and the less-than-two minute "Hymn from Snow," or the ritual, low-key tones of "Mr. Selcuk." Gatecrash also offers two improvised tracks that are loose and floating, or use jagged edges, but it's mostly a program of space outs or static keyboard riffs with the trumpeter cruising overhead. There's a lot to enjoy here with little or no gray area, music specifically for the youth audience not attuned to bop per se, while baby boomers who grew up on jazz-rock can also appreciate what
Vloeimans is laying down. ~ Michael G. Nastos