David Fiuczynski’s KiF – (Steve jenkins) | “KiF Express” : Recommended Listening With Damian Erskine

David Fiuczynski’s KiF – (Steve jenkins)
“KiF Express”
www.torsos.com & www.stevejenkinsbass.com

I’ve known Steve for a while now and one of the things I’ve always liked about him is how cool, calm and collected he is. He’s a mellow cat and a good hang (apologizing for the dated vernacular). That comes through in his playing in only the best of ways. He’s got chops for days (trust me… dude can blow!) but he always sits in the pocket and serves the music first. Calm, relaxed and full of pocket. When he gets the nod and it’s his turn, he can not only blow the doors off technically, but he can really make that bass sing (check out the bass solo on “Habibi” for example… just beautiful!) He’s got the vocabulary and the facility and (most importantly) good taste when it comes to his role as bass player. This is something I really appreciate in an age where we straddle the line between soloists like the instrument has never seen before and purist expectations of a bass player playing bass and nothing but the bass. These days, freelance guys are expected to have a mastery of both sides of the coin that is the role of today’s bass player and Steve is one of those who comes through and rides that line just right, in my opinion.Musically, Fiuczynski is on another plane here. I’ve always been in awe of his voice on the guitar. I haven’t loved every album or every project, but that’s a part of why I appreciate him so much.. he is such a singular voice and he is always going for it. There is only one of him, to be sure.. This album, I must say though, is among my favorites of any Fuze project. He has struck a beautiful balance between groove, melodic content, fretless/microtonal exploration and musical statement.

Mike Rivard also makes a showing on upright on the track Arcadia Finlandis and sounds equally wonderful.
This is one CD that I will be listening to over and over again (and probably trying to transcribe bits and pieces of, too). Get it…