{"id":3293,"date":"2014-01-01T22:21:10","date_gmt":"2014-01-01T22:21:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jazzusa.com\/jimmy-earl-stratosphere\/"},"modified":"2011-01-01T22:21:10","modified_gmt":"2011-01-01T22:21:10","slug":"jimmy-earl-stratosphere","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jazzusa.com\/?p=3293","title":{"rendered":"Jimmy Earl – Stratosphere"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jimmy Earl<\/font>
Stratosphere
Pacific Time Entertainment<\/font><\/font>
John Barrett<\/font> <\/p>\n

\"Stratosphere\" He played bass for Chick Corea, but that’s the last thing you hear. Hovering through the mix are synths, gentle guitars, effects — and quite a few samples. The techno sounds point to the future, adorning the spy music of the ‘Sixties. There’s funky bass, skittering rhythms, ever-changing moods — a bubbling cauldron of sound. And, while not exactly spacy, the best tunes are out there. <\/p>\n

\t“Stellalike” moves on her own accord, floting with synth and guitar, then strutting with the fat bass. A boulevard at night a lounge (a Fender Rhodes out of the ’70s) and stop to dance. Pino Daniele drifts tenderly on languid notes; a delight wherever he appears. Now to the movies: “The Scorpion” strikes as the keys hint Jan Hammer. The spy groove is firmly in place; Jimmy races nervously through dark alleys. All we need is a TV show to go with it. I’d watch. <\/p>\n

\tDrum machines go berserk; the bass booms, but at a distance. It sounds like a loud whisper, and the voice says “Be Xtra Careful”. Jimmy gets his first bass solo, swift and mellow; elsewhere his brittle notes ring out with snap. Soft effects come from the spaceport, but this is a dancefloor, modern and fast. “For Joe (sample)” reminds us that Jimmy played with the Crusaders; a gorgeous mood, if close to “Stellalike”. Pino returns for a brief solo, a ray of light among the night moves. Hear it drift as the embers glow — you feel romantic, hardly expecting what comes next. <\/p>\n

\tThe record static grows, a snaky wah-wah comes forward, and a macho voice says “Hit me.” It’s called “Private Eyes” but forget Hall & Oates; this is James Bond, complete with a bad bass and a hint of Bond’s theme. The Rhodes comes in like a B-3, and Jimmy strides wickedly. The exotic woman asks “Who are you?” Jimmy doesn’t answer, and doesn’t need to — his presence is certainly felt. “Better Believe” is a different kind of power: a hum from the synth, a coo from Josie Aiello. She’s soft and sexy, stepping close — and the drums hit it hard. It’s late-night R&B; she says “Give in to me”, and you could hardly resist. Any more than you could resist the groove. <\/p>\n

\t“Papillion” nearly spells the French word for butterfly — this doesn’t flutter as much as it floats. The keys lay it thick. and Jimmy muses high — the sound of a guitar, blossoming in the surroundings. Deron Johnson stirs funk at the Rhodes, and there’s a light whoosh in the background: the butterfly’s flapping his wings. “James T.” soars: the synth shuffles fast, and ships rush forth at the speed of light. There’s also high chatter; kids maybe, or creatures from beyond. The most spacy of the tracks, we don’t know if James T. is Mr. Earl or Mr. Kirk. Both are pretty far out. <\/p>\n

Rating:<\/b> *** 3\/4. Marvelous melange, decidedly on the modern side. The smoothies are good, the dance tracks better, and I love the spy bits. Samples are used cleverly, without excess; standouts are Pino and Josie. I like “The Scorpion”, “Stellalike”, “Better Believe”, “Be Xtra Careful”, and especially “Private Eyes”. \tSongs:<\/b> Stellalike; The Scorpion; Be Xtra Careful; For Joe (sample); Private Eyes; Better Believe; Papillion; Destructive Machinery; James T.; The Scorpion (reprise). <\/p>\n

Musicians:<\/b> Jimmy Earl (bass, keyboards, guitar, sampler); Mitchel Forman or John Beasley (keyboards); Deron Johnson (Fender rhodes piano on “Papillion”); Pino Daniele (guitar, vocals); Josie Aiello (vocals on “Better Believe”). <\/p>\n

\tFor more info, contact: \tpactimeco@aol.com<\/a> <\/font><\/p>\n

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