To create the latest release from Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Dream Trio, you start with drummer Gerry Gibbs, son of vibraphonist Terry Gibbs. Then you add some bass from legendary bassist Ron Carter, and finally you let pianist Kenny Barron loose to weave his way in and around the deep grooves laid down by his mates. You then mix in some fantastic covers of some big hits from the 60s and 70s, and when it all comes together you call it We’re Back, the latest release form Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Dream Trio! Their first album was self-titled and released about a year ago and spent a number of weeks atop the JazzWeek Charts, their lastet release We’re Back, hit the shelves in September and has been number 1 on the JazzWeek Chart for the last six weeks!!
While I missed the first album from the Thrasher Dream Trio, their lastest release We’re Back has been in my music rotation for about a week now and I love the album. Unlike the first album, which focused mainly on jazz standards, their latest release creates jazz versions of many R&B hits from the 60s and 70s including: Stevie Wonder‘s “Too High,” Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Goin’ On ,” Earth, Wind and Fire‘s “Mighty Mighty,” and The Average White Band‘s “Pick Up the Pieces,” “”Mighty Mighty” and Pick Up the Pieces” are two of my favorite tracks on the album!
While the music of these three giants is enough to make a really good album, when you add friends like Warren Wolf and his vibes, Larry Golding’s Hammond B3 and Steve Wilson’s saxophone on several tracks, you elevate their latest release up to great!! When I first heard the vibes on the second track, I thought who’s playing vibes? The same thing happened when I heard the B3. It wasn’t until after the first listen that I read about the album and the other players on the album!!
Throughout the album there are some great bass and drum solos and, well, Kenny Barron is just great on every track!!
Bottomline:
This is for me a great album with just the right mix of instruments to keep my interest on just about every track!!
Grade:A+
– and well deserving of its position at No 1 on that JazzWeek Chart!!
Here’s Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Dream Trio with “Betcha By Golly, Wow” from We’re Back One of my favorite tracks on the album….and I’m off to give their first album a listen!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhKwBeUJedc
