I’ve always felt the purest form of musical expression comes out during improvisation. Going to Jazz bars and seeing multiple instrumentalists just bounce off each other effortlessly and creatively never ceased to amaze me. One starts with a bassline, the drums join in, and before you know it there’s an entire ensemble seamlessly in flow with another creating absolute magic out of thin air. So, bearing that in mind, there was no way I wasn’t going to have a blast listening to The Consecutives’ second volume.
The modern funk outfit from Brooklyn, NY write intentionally simple music that thrives on the band’s inherent skill and flair for improvising. Taking inspiration from funk and jazz masters like, Booker T and The MG’s, The Meters, and Herbie Hancock, they’ve concocted a delectable medley of acid jazz that old souls and new ones will fall in love with in equal measure. With minimal rehearsal time, the four song project was recorded in under four hours completely off the dome. And yes, while that maybe a hip-hop term, a jazz freestyle is just as impressive, if not more so.
There’s an honesty to this project, a human element that is discernible in the way each moment, inflexion, and riff just sounds so pure and raw. Moments to enjoy come out in pretty much every piece. For me, the rapid, quickfire introduction on Singularity is an instant highlight. The electric solo in the second half also gives the song another dimension that absolutely transports it to another tier.
Be warned though, The Consecutives aren’t here to sedate you with smooth easy-going jazz. Their brand is exciting, energetic, and almost frantic. There isn’t a dull moment, and there’s hardly even a moment to gain respite. Although ‘Highway’ does find itself to be slightly less fast paced than the rest, a blisteringly impressive guitar solo in its second half rids it of that label.
So, if you’re looking to kick back and relax on an evening, pour yourself a glass of wine and blast Volume 2 on as loud a speaker as you can find. Simply let the music take you where it may, with each part of the diverse instrumentation doing its own little wonder. I’m a massive fan.
Check my playlists here!