Goin' Places

Even if urban jazz fans didn't know the years of shared history between New Foundation members Curtis Harmon (drums) and Bennie Sims (bass), they could certainly enjoy grooving out to this engaging, just smooth enough, funk-filled set of in-the-pocket, radio-friendly gems. But their background as members of Pieces of a Dream — Harmon is one of the founders, Sims played with them since 1992 — ensured a loyal, built-in fan base. The duo creates a powerful and driving rhythmic foundation on a multi-faceted, 12-track, soulful romp that incorporates R&B, jazz fusion, dance, and gospel. Although the beautiful, piano-centered ballad "Patricia (With All My Love)" references the softer side of Pieces and the beautiful work of that group's keyboardist James Lloyd, New Foundation breaks from the Pieces mold with more aggressive jams like "Before I Let Go" (which features the blistering guitar of David Cullen complementing supercharged sax segments by Greg Riley) and the hypnotic, thumping, and exotic "Yo Tengo Tango." Most of the rest of the tracks are right in the bouncy, soul-jazz mix, but songs like "Max Anna Split" are filled with high-octane solo runs (particularly by Riley) that push the envelope just enough outside the "smooth" zone. The two vocals are also standouts. Terea Anderson is all charm and seduction on the dreamy "Get Away," and versatile vocalist Phil Perry takes the lovelorn, gospel-flavored ballad "Holdin' On" to heights at the end that the listener couldn't have fathomed at the beginning. The question longtime fans of Harmon and Sims asked was, "Is New Foundation really "goin' places? Or is this is just a one-off Pieces side project?" The melodic and rhythmic power of this indie project inspire hope for much more from this duo.