Although
Dave Weckl is an excellent drummer, not all of his recordings have been excellent. In the 1990s, you never knew if you would find something exciting or mundane on a
Weckl album. But this fusion/soul-jazz disc turned out to be a pleasant surprise.
Synergy, in fact, is the drummer's most consistently satisfying CD. Excessive producing was a major problem on some of his previous releases, but this time he generally avoids overproducing and goes for a real band sound. Joined by tenor and soprano saxman
Brandon Fields, keyboardist
Jay Oliver, guitarist Buzz Feiten, and electric bassist
Tom Kennedy,
Weckl has a solid team to work with and emphasizes improvisation and honest-to-God playing not high-tech studio gloss.
Weckl's band sounds quite cohesive on a diverse, unpredictable outing that ranges from the funky "Wet Skin" and the Latin-influenced title song to the ominous "Cape Fear" and the delicate "A Simple Prayer." If you could purchase only one of
Weckl's 1990s albums,
Synergy would be the best choice. ~ Alex Henderson