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ORLANDO
SENTINEL *****
(Five
Stars)
by Parry Gettelman
Plunge, Falling With Grace ( Accurate) Plunge is as
original as its configuration - trombone, tuba, double bass and drums.
Trombonist Mark McGrain's 12 compositions deftly incorporate elements
of New Orleans second-line jams, blues, funk, Caribbean and African music, free jazz,
jazz-rock and hip-hop. Songs range from the seductive, Egyptian-flavored "Just
Like Alice" to the noisy, explosive "Dog," on which McGrain runs his
trombone through some device that makes it sound like a guitar. There's even a
40-second deconstruction of reveille.
The presence of bass instruments sometimes intensifies the groove,
sometimes allows for more derring-do by tubaist Marcus Rojas and bassist Avishai Cohen.
Both take full advantage of the possibilities presented by extraordinary drummer
percussionist Bob Moses. McGrain and Rojas offer constant melodic and harmonic
surprises.
Medeski, Martin & Wood also started out on the Accurate label.
Although Plunge's instrumentation is odder, fans of MMW's brand of groove-oriented
but adventurous music are bound to dig this band as well.
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