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G. Calvin Weston — Hydrogen 77
(Bandcamp Soundscaperecordinglab no#, 2021, CD / DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2022-02-18

Hydrogen 77 Cover art

G. Calvin Weston is a drummer whose career goes back to the early 80s with James Blood Ulmer, and includes a stint in Ornette Coleman’s Prime Time. His first album as leader came out in 1988 and featured Ulmer (guitar) and Jamaaladeen Tacuma (bass). Now, many years on, his latest solo release is again a trio session, this time with Colton Weatherston (guitar) and Richard Hill (bass). Hydrogen 77 is a blazing, funky set with all three players firing on all cylinders. I’m not familiar with Weatherston, but here he’s imaginative and sometimes unhinged, using effects prominently and favoring tones that are warped but not extremely distorted. The compositions are very free-sounding, giving him lots of room to roam, often taking bluesy lines and stretching them beyond established boundaries. You’ll hear the occasional fast passage, but lots of the time he’s milking long tones to eke out every ounce of expression from the sustain. He’s also very creative with his chording. Hill is another player I didn’t previously know, but he’s the perfect fit for this music. Tacuma definitely comes to mind with this funky fretless work, keeping it solid in the low end and then flying off into the upper register. His use of double-stops is excellent as well. We’ve encountered Weston’s drumming recently in a couple of dramatically different releases (Nubdug Ensemble and Amanda Chaudhary), and here he’s an equal integral participant, not the dominant presence even though his name is on top on the cover. The mood is similar to PAKT, though the tracks are much more concise and with a bit of structure to give the improvisation some form. The track “Deliverance” is the odd one out, being essentially a drum solo with electronics and spoken poetry, but it’s an interesting diversion that serves to enhance the flow. I would recommend Hydrogen 77 highly to fans of funky fusion and those looking for a new voice on jazz guitar.

Filed under: New releases, 2021 releases

Related artist(s): Grant Calvin Weston

More info
http://gcalvinweston1.bandcamp.com/album/hydrogen-77

 

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