Edom

Israeli-born electric guitarist Eyal Maoz offers a slice of music from the jazz fusion side of things on this, his debut recording released as part of the Radical Jewish Culture series on John Zorn's Tzadik label. It is at once retro and contemporary, borrowing from organ-fired groups such as the Tony Wiliams Lifetime, Santana, and the Mahavishnu Orchestra, with a healthy element of traditional and Yiddish dance elements heaped on. Organist John Medeski is a major player in Maoz's ethos, as his poignant, biting, and sometimes soaring B-3 plays an important role in keeping the music upbeat and hopping. Drummer Ben Perowsky and bassist Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz keep up with the tricky rhythm changes, stop-starts, and buoyant melodies that are so much a part of Jewish musics, as well as the funk and rock of contemporary modern times. Maoz himself is oftentimes amazing in his ability to blaze trails and punctuate hip or poignant phrases, and bears little resemblance to any of his alleged influences or peer groups. The drama of the Lifetime band shows in full force during "Hope and Destruction," which swings in its own way; the hard-edged, funky, bold, and psychedelic "Big," which owes equal allegiance to John McLaughlin (he was involved with all three of the aforementioned groups); and to a certain extent "Innocence," where Medeski pays a sidereal and strutting homage to Lifetime's organist, Larry Young. "Chita" is clearly Jewish rock music with a driving beat and the surf guitar of Maoz; "Strength" is a gargantuan, impending plod rocker; and in 13/8 time "Lost" is the hippest and heaviest of the lot, with Medeski stepping up in conception and execution. There's one piece that stands out from the rest, as "Deep" is a loosely associated free and bizarre piece morphed into dark incursions and mysterious means. As an introductory project, Maoz shows great promise and the quartet plays at a high level. There remains a feeling that he's leaving listeners wanting for so much more beyond whatever formula this CD offers. ~ Michael G. Nastos, Rovi