Chill 7

Chill 7

Chill 7

I first heard Chill 7 two years ago, enjoying their funky renditions of jazz standards and high energy original compositions. At that time, the band was already in transition, moving away from the direct influence of their heroes (particularly Miles and Coltrane) toward the more “danceable and groovy” meadow between jazz and funk. Their 2005 release, Probable Cause, recorded live at the French Press Jazz Café, straddled that meadow with sass and class. While their 2003 debut release, Big Fish Eat Little Fish, contained “cool bop stuff with rock energy” (Mankato Free Press), Probable Cause was hot post bop with funk energy. “Our reference point for those albums was more straight-ahead,” notes Brinkman. “Buzz's Fat Tire has more of a funky/rock-vibe, the solos are more refined, and the arrangements are cleaner…We want to shred the notion that jazz is a static art form that should only be played in expensive dinner clubs or in concert halls by a bunch of guys in suits and ties. We want to make jazz an edgy rebellious music again that makes people want to grab another drink and hit the dance floor. We want to make it fun and hard-hitting again.”

Consider that stuffy old notion of jazz to be thoroughly shredded by four young musicians on a mission to keep the music fresh and the grooves danceable. All come by their eclectic inclinations honestly: Brinkman got his jazz and funk chops tested first in the Washington, DC area before moving to the Twin Cities. Formally schooled in jazz theory, his cross-genre resume includes stints with Levitt8s, Slydeboots, the cover band The Junction, and the rock band Luckytown. A former student of Billy Barnard at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, guitarist Michael Burand has worked with jazz and blues bands, and is also an accomplished banjoist. Jason Swanson plays both upright and electric bass, and works with area classical orchestras as well as Chill 7. Drummer and Pittsburgh native Andy Artz grew up in Apple Valley, MN. Winner of the Outstanding Soloist award (and accompanying scholarship) from the International Association of Jazz Educators at the 1995 Head of the Lakes Jazz Festival in Duluth, he once served as Music Director and drummer for Celebrity Cruises; he also plays with Stan Bann Big Band.

Chill 7: Buzz’s Fat Tire<

Buzz’s Fat Tire

Buzz’s Fat Tire features a dozen tracks of original tunes, 11 from members of the band and the final (“Artz Nova”) from Adam Waite. Over their five recordings, the band’s evolution can be readily traced given that many tunes have been recorded at least twice. Six compositions on the new release appeared on Probable Cause and three more on the later 2005 live recording, Serving Time. “Hanger Man” appeared originally on Big Fish Eat Little Fish and on Probable Cause, as well as on a limited edition Live at the Dakota outing (2004) with guitarist Dean Magraw and pianist Larry McDonough; “Blue Belt” and “Artz Nova” appeared on each of the last three recordings. Notes Brinkman, “We chose tunes [for Buzz’s Fat Tire] that feature a sound that is hard to categorize, that has a groove, and that is harder-hitting than most straight-ahead jazz sounds. Even though some of the tunes are the same as on Serving Time and Probable Cause, we were sort of in the middle of our evolution process when we made those albums.”

“Evolution” is a process, not a product, and undoubtedly, one day Chill 7 will look back at Buzz’s Fat Tire as significant destination—hardly the end point—along their musical journey. Given the reworking of many tunes, however, this journey can be observed more closely than would be possible with a playlist of all new compositions. Consider “Hanger Man,” written by Brinkman and Swanson and first recorded on Big Fish Eat Little Fish by the early Chill 7 configuration that included B-3 organ. The funk feel largely came from the B-3, and the track was an extended (12+ minutes) bubbling, gurgling romp. With the current (sans keyboard) quartet on Probable Cause, the track retained, even accentuated its funky theme with a longer intro, an electrified vamp, a more adventurous 21^st century vibe. Michael Burand’s guitar replaced the groove of the B-3, and the ensemble created a more playful set of sounds marked by the increasingly sophisticated improvisations of Brinkman and Burand. Another year later, distilled down to a mere four minutes, the newest version of “Hangerman” starts with the same bubbling bass groove and whine, but immediately moves into a more abstract take on the theme. Although it sounds like horn grooves are layered via multi-track recording, it is solely Burand’s guitar that evokes a quirky second horn. With more electronic wizardry at work, this “Hangerman” exudes a rock persona. As on the earlier versions, Brinkman stars with spiraling phrases and buzzy twists, while in contrast to their first efforts, here Chill 7makes its point quickly—easier for dancing!

Other “renovations” follow a similar path. “Funk in the Forrest” (credited to Burand, Brinkman and Swanson) was one of the funkier tracks on Probable Cause, but in comparison to the new version, it was still cloaked more in post bop exploration than danceable grooves. Now the tune starts with a primal vamp from Swanson to which Brinkman adds his own repeating, whiny phrase before taking the first solo spin, twisting notes with a grin. Burand’s guitar has a cool, snaky charm, while Artz and Swanson propel the groove. The final measures of both versions slide into a seemingly conservative arpeggio that lands on a final dissonant chord, as if reminding the listener to take nothing for granted from Chill 7. Relative to the earlier version of “Blue Belt,” there are more electronic effects on the new recording that send a decidedly fusiony message with more reverb and more buzz from guitarist Burand. Swanson sends his popping bassnotes over a thicket of Andy Artz’ percussion, while Brinkman is more oblique in his snarling phrases and somersaults. Artz pounds out a few swirling bars before Burand uncorks some radioactive electronics.

Josh Brinkman © Andrea Canter

On the new recording, Josh Brinkman’s “Brin’s Mesa” runs half the length as on Probable Cause, when it was given a more Latin tinge—more bop than funk relative to the new arrangement. Up-tempo with a catchy melody introduced by Brinkman, this short track (under three minutes) features great lines from Burand, who also comps with an organ-like groove. But this one belongs to Brinkman, whose sax sings throughout with a slight whirr and a lot of energy. Perhaps my favorite tune is Burand’s melodic “Kari’s Crystal Fish,” the longest track at just under eight minutes. There’s a stronger underlying current relative to its counterpart on Probable Cause, but the semblance of a fractured “My Favorite Things” persists. Brinkman’s improvisation is more abstract this time out, yielding a more interesting result, more melodic in a post-bop sense but also utterly danceable. Artz supplies a continuous shimmer, while the closing chorus features a chiming vamp from Burand under Brinkman’s flutters.

The aptly titled “Artz Nova” explodes like a volcanic celestial body, initially powered by guitar and then bass. Artz himself shines throughout this sonic rendition of a great urban traffic jam, filled with colliding sounds and frenetic energy. On Probable Cause, Burand did more experimenting, while here Brinkman seems to be the one going off in all directions, feeding the collective frenzy. Sax and guitar join in some swirly tandem lines, intersecting Artz’s drum solo before a final Big Bang. As on Probable Cause, this “supernova” ends the set-- maybe it is impossible to go on after this outburst.

Three tunes on Buzz’s Fat Tire were first presented (live in Mankato) on Serving Time. “Groove for Kingman” features a heavy beat courtesy of Swanson and Artz, while Brinkman and Burand converge on the theme. Opening the set, this track indeed sets the stage for a playlist emphasizing rock grooves, funk beats, and post modern improvisation. If there is such a thing as “funk bop,” then Brinkman (here) is its spokesman. Brinkman’s “Why Did I Work So Hard?” starts out like a bluesy R&B with a readily danceable meter. Like a good storyteller, Brinkman sketches the characters and plotline with swing and swagger, with punctuations from Artz and Swanson that keep it rolling along. Burand takes over as narrator of a twangy and down-in-the-dumps tale. As if exchanging lyrics, Brinkman and Burand engage in animated conversation, with Artz in aggressive support. All four musicians created “Bottom Feeder,” featuring an infectious pulse supporting Brinkman’s sax, a short-lived (under three minutes) swinging jaunt.

Finally, three tunes have their recorded debut on Buzz’s Fat Tire. On the title track (by Brinkman, Artz and Swanson), Swanson’s bass croaks a throaty vamp, while Brinkman offers a buzzy melodic segment. Here the beat, courtesy of Artz and Swanson, is reminiscent of Hiromi’s playfully funky “Kung Foo World Champion” for at least a few measures. Playing at the bottom of the horn, Brinkman leads the funk charge with a honking groove, while Burand vibrates and reverberates like an acid rocker, wah-wahing over steady percussion and basslines. Ultimately Artz has an explosive meltdown that takes no prisoners. I would have trouble dancing to this but, then, I’m a child of the 60s.

On “N.E.R.P.,” Swanson’s intro provides a slowly-paced cushion for a whiney guitar chorus. Brinkman takes a dark solo, followed by Burand’s assertive grooving lines. Solo sax introduces “The Blinker” as if proceeding toward a blues end. Brinkman keeps this mood moving over a tingly triangle (or bell), heavy bass beat, and a steady staccato vamp from Burand. Diving deep into the bluesy swamp, Brinkman blows the most melodic phrases of the set. At barely over 2 minutes, it is the shortest statement on the CD and perhaps the most “straight.”

With the release of the rambunctious mélange of Buzz’s Fat Tire, I sense more interesting excursions await Chill 7 and their growing audience. Notes Brinkman, “Heavy metal and rap fans who don't own a single jazz record love Buzz's Fat Tire, and so do the jazz purists.”

More about Chill 7 and CD ordering information is available at www.chill7.com. See Chill 7’s upcoming performances:

• December 1, 10:30 pm-1:30 am, Kathy’s Pub, 307 S. Broadway, Rochester (www.dcproentertainment.com

• December 15, 8-11 pm, Red Ginger Asian Bistro, 5999 Rice Creek Parkway, Shoreview ( www.redgingerasianbistro.com)

  
  

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