Search - Outsidemen :: Band Overboard

Genius at work!

Douglas R. Perkins | Woodland Hills, CA United States | 10/26/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you have have been looking for a CD of guitarist Mike Miller really stretching out, this is it! It's rare to find a guitarist with this kind of chops also exhibiting this level of taste. Mike always delivers the surprises, constantly making melodic "U-turns" and harmonic "lefts on red"; he seems to have virtually total command physically of the instrument and the mind of the heaviest jazz piano player you can name harmonically - a rare thing to find in a guitarist.Ralph Humphreys shows himself to be another card carrying member of the "Chops and Taste Genius Club", being one of the only drummers I have ever heard that can really get inside of odd meter and solo his butt off. Bassist Jim Lacefield is a perfect match for these guys, holding the whole thing together as effortlessly the rest of the trio, with great solos as well. This is an excellent sounding live recording, with great tunes and a hearty response from the stundents at Hollywood's Musician's Institute. Miller's tunes are melodic and hip in every way, and the version of Jan Hammer's "Red and Orange" from John Abercrombie's ECM "Timeless" album is particularly astounding - always makes me laugh to hear it - you have to check it out!"