The title of guitarist
Jimmy Herring's second fully instrumental effort is an indication of the music inside. It's a genre-hopping jaunt that bounces from retro-swing to bluesy,
Jeff Beck-circa-Blow by Blow-fusion, into bluegrass, funk, and progressive jazz. Noticeably absent are the extended Southern jams that pay
Herring's bills in his full-time position as lead guitarist for Georgia's veteran
Widespread Panic. But that's how it should be for an amazingly talented musician looking to establish his versatility away from the music he's best known for. The opening "Red Wing Special" quickly does just that as he swings through an upbeat,
Stéphane Grappelli-influenced ditty, trading nimble fingerpicking licks with Mickey Sanders' equally sprightly fiddle. Guest
Bela Fleck brings his revved-up banjo for a peppy bluegrass "Curfew" complete with
Herring's appropriate chicken-pickin' Telecaster lines. But it's the excursion into
Mahavishnu Orchestra territory on a cover of
John McLaughlin's "Hope," where
Herring really pushes his own envelope and that of his fans. He extends the original's two-minute riff into a nearly seven-minute tour de force that builds with drama and restrained intensity. His bent notes on the ballad "Aberdeen" are straight out of
Jeff Beck's playbook as he dips into more soulful territory, assisted by
Ike Stubblefield's organ. A cover of
George Harrison's "Within You Without You" finds
Herring's son Carter on cello for a terrific version of the song that replaces the original's sitar lines with
Herring's guitar. He shifts from that philosophical musical moment to the tough funk of
Jimmy McGriff's "Miss Poopie," another nod to
Beck with flashy yet never overly busy solos that are gutsy and melodic. It's given a '70s vibe with Matt Slocum's
Billy Preston-styled clavinet solo.
Herring dives into straight-ahead waters with "12 Keys," and includes a lovely acoustic interlude entitled "Emerald Garden," rounding out an impressively diverse album that's performed with fire, passion, and a sophistication that's always at the heart of the guitarist's classy approach. ~ Hal Horowitz