Soul and Science 2: Electric Boogaloo

After having reviewed the Chris Greene Quartet’s Soul And Science Vol. 1, I was extremely happy to be asked to do the same for their follow-up offering, the aptly titled Soul and Science 2: Electric Boogaloo (Single Malt Recordings). Based in Chicago, the band is a working group that has an extremely tight-knit funky sound. As with the previous album, we are again presented with a mixture of original compositions, jazz and pop standards, and the odd surprise -- this time it is Hank Williams’ “You Win Again,” both a band and fan favorite. 

The line-up is the same as the previous recording: Chris Greene (saxophones), Damian Espinosa (piano/keyboards), Marc Piane (bass), and Tyrone Blair (drums/percussion). From the opening note of “Amalgasantos” (a seldom-heard composition from the pen of Brazilian Ed Motta, the ex- vocalist of the hard rock band, Kabbalah), the band gets into a funky groove that continues throughout the rest of the album. After Chris’ initial theme-statement, Damian lays down some hip keyboard sounds, while Tyrone’s tasteful drumming propels the piece along at a steady pace. 

“Bernie’s Tune” swings along nicely with fine solos from Damian on piano and Chris on tenor. The unusually-named “Adamantium (part lll)” is the first of three original Chris Greene compositions. Again, the saxophone-piano combination is at the forefront, with a pulsating beat provided by Marc’s bass and Tyrone’s drums. “Boogie 2.0” is a nine-minute plus reworking of “Boogie On Reggae Woman,” which was featured on the previous album. Somehow the quartet has made Stevie Wonder’s tune even funkier. Chris’ great tenor work is again well integrated with the superb rhythm section. 

Chris Greene Quartet©Mel Weiner

Dave Holland’s “The Oracle” is another tune that is well suited to the band’s style. This piece is taken at a slightly gentler pace than most of the other cuts and again features solos by Chris and Damian. After a short 53-second reprise of “Boogie” and a 52-second offering of Damian’s delicate keyboard on “Intro,” we move straight into another original, “Take Care of Yourself,” which has a much gentler feel than most of the more upbeat music on this CD, while still keeping the catchy “hypno-funk” feel. 

Single Malt Recordings sm003, available for purchase from www.DustyGroove.com and at its Chicago headquarters at 1120 N. Ashland. Copies may also be purchased at CDBaby.com, Amazon.com, ITunes, and CandyRat.com.