Banyan - Live at Perkins' Palace

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Banyan - Live at Perkins' Palace

Put together Stephen Perkins (Jane's Addiction), Mike Watt (Minute Men), Nels Cline (who hasn't he played guitar for), and Willie Waldman, former session trumpeter for Death Row records, and you've got one hell of an outfit. This is a Jam Band spectacular mixing progressive Jazz with a Heavy Metal attitude seems to work. The third CD from Banyan (Live At Perkins' Palace) is the best work to date, really showing what they have and putting it all on the musical table for all to enjoy.

If you're looking for normal Jazz, or even Miles Davis soundalikes, that is not what Banyan is all about. Banyan have arrived at a musical plateau that while not perfect by any means, is the closest they have come yet. This is a Fusion outfit that offer up a new and unique perspective of the Jazz movement. The CD is one of the better instrumental CDs I have heard in quite some time, the reason is simple, the energy and excitement flows through each track with a vulnerable unpredictability.

If you want true Hard rockin' music, leave this one on the shelf, it won't suit your tastes at all. However on the flip side if you are a music lover and want to really get a taste of something unique, as well as very good, this may be something that will perk up your ears from the mundane everyday music into an almost new musical consciousness. The guitar work of Nels Cline is truly inspired on Live at Perkins' Palace, and Waldman's horn work absolutely shines.

I was trying to think of a standout track or two, the truth is, it's all good. It seems more like Banyan have tried to put together a CD that really should be listened to from beginning to end, non-stop. Enjoy the trip my friend, this doesn't come along every day. Banyan have a way of working the listener into a sheer frenzy, and they don't let up. This is what Jazz from a hard rockin' perspective is supposed to sound like.

( 5 Axes Out of 6 )