Dawkins, Ernest New Horizons – “Jo’burg Jump ” – [Delmark]

Thurston Hunger   5/29/2006   CD, Jazz

Recorded by Bundy Brown, Isotoper Jeff
Parker appears on one track: the Art
Ensemble of Tortoise is taking shape,
sustaining legacy, snagging another
generation of listeners and creating music
as beautiful and vital as ever. This is a
tip-top toe-tap-orama of an album. More
swing to this than Manny Sanguillen in a
double-header. Lot’s of playful touches,
funky little beeps and wobbly percussion
trinkle through so even when one guy’s
soloing, everyone’s active in the groove.
Dawkins composes songs like the Sacramento
Kings play b-ball, free, easy, quick and
very eye/ear-catching. Track 6 is sort of
the Pied Piper of Pee Wee’s Playhouse.
Track 4 saunters more (composed by t-boner
Steve Berry) -Hunger