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Rik Wright's Fundamental Forces — Fool's Fate
(HipSync no#, 2026, CD / DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2026-07-15

Fool's Fate Cover art

Guitarist Rik Wright is back with his Fundamental Forces, and Fool’s Fate sees them leaning into an edgier sound. Wright has been developing his tone over the years, and he’s now at a place where clean sustain meets a hint of distortion for melodic use, and eerie echoes and whammy bar provide atmospheric backing to other sections. Some of the tracks are built from grooving riffs that evoke both 60s soul jazz and surf rock, with melodies showing an awareness of both blues tonalities and more modal approaches. The quartet remains unchanged from previous recordings, with Wright on guitar, Jim DeJoie on sax (sticking with alto this time out), Geoff Harper on upright bass, and Greg Campbell on drums. DeJoie’s dextrous playing is one of the album’s highlights, and he’s not afraid to dig into the grit from time to time. Harper and Campbell are a superb rhythm section, able to take simple riffs and make them interesting through creative variation. There’s a good balance of tasty upbeat tracks like “Nothin’ But a Thang,” “Freezer Jam,” “Mixing Glass,” and the title track with mellow atmospheric pieces like “Luminescence” and “Something Sad and Sweet,” the latter of which is a piece for solo guitar. “Glitter Bomb” fills its ten minutes with a bit of both sides, kicking off with a meditative bass solo before slipping into an easy lope that backs some of the album’s best soloing. Fool’s Fate stands as evidence that this band that’s been around more than a decade can evolve and remain enjoyable, providing a sound that can appeal to fans of jazz as well as those who don’t normally go for the genre.

Filed under: New releases, 2026 releases

Related artist(s): James DeJoie, Rik Wright

More info
http://www.rikwright.com/store/p/fools-fate-cd-wbonus-compilation-disc

 

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