Music review: Reggie Washington – 鈥楻ainbow Shadow鈥�
One of the benefits about writing music reviews is that I always receive a wide variety of new music releases to pick from every week from bands, promoters and friends sending along appealing suggestions for me to digest.
So when a package from Belgium arrived on my desk a few weeks ago, I was immediately intrigued.
Inside was Reggie Washington鈥檚 third release entitled 鈥淩ainbow Shadow 鈥� A Tribute to Jef Lee Johnson.鈥�
The talented bassist, stylist, artist and composer offers up a loving tribute to guitarist Jef Lee Johnson, who passed in January 2013.
Johnson was a career session player who worked with influential artists such as George Duke, Al Jarreau, Jeff Beck, Stanley Clarke, Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack, Common, Chaka Khan and David Sanborn.
For 鈥淩ainbow Shadow,鈥� the versatile Washington embraces elements of jazz, funk, blues and R&B and masterfully delivers an intoxicating collection of hard-grooving arrangements.
鈥淐row鈥檚 Rainbow鈥� gets things started with Washington鈥檚 smooth bass laying the soulful foundation for the rest of the set that follows. After recently reviewing accomplished bassist Ben Williams鈥� latest album 鈥淐oming of Age,鈥� I was interested to compare the two artist鈥檚 styles. Washington鈥檚 spirited bass lines enhance and showcase Johnson鈥檚 radiating genius. Tracks like 鈥淏ig Machine/Keep it Funky鈥� and 鈥淭ake the Coltrane鈥� are chaotically beautiful as Washington demonstrates his knack of blending various musical styles into one body of contagious energy.
Washington also flawlessly handles the lead vocals on the uplifting 鈥淢orning鈥� and infectious 鈥淟iving.鈥� Perhaps the only complaint of the album is not hearing Washington sing on more numbers. Washington is joined by Chicago native Marvin Sewell on guitar, Patrick Dorcean laying down a solid beat on drums and DJ Grazzhoppa skillfully manning the turntables and samples.
Washington lovingly keeps the music and memory of Johnson alive and well for a new generation of fans to savor and appreciate.
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at crhodes@heraldstandard.com.