Extrastrength

Artists

Album Info

Release Date: 1990

Label: Bainbridge Records

"Using none of the players he had employed on Building Houses, Steve Rucker unveiled a new Active Ingredient lineup when he produced the band's second album, Extra Strength. Once again, the University of Miami educator and drummer provides guidance without doing any playing; this time, the students are saxman Steve Zoloto, electric guitarist Tom Lippencott, electric bassist Joel Perry, keyboardist Ben Stivers and drummer Olbin Burgos. This CD isn't considerably different from its predecessor, and a commitment to spontaneous, improvisatory fusion prevails on the cerebral "I'll Have It Monday," the driving "Attack of the Vegetable Men," the gently reflective "The After Hours" and other pieces written by Zoloto, Lippencott or Stivers. Some of the tunes are as intense as Scott Henderson & Tribal Tech, while others as lyrical as Pat Metheny (himself a Miami alumnus). It's too bad that Ingredient didn't go on to record an abundance of albums in the 1990s, for being the Jazz Messengers of fusion was certainly a great idea." ~ Alex Henderson

Playing Time : 53 min

At a time when an abundance of mindless KENNY G and DAVID SANBORN clones are being passed off as legitimate jazz-fusion artists, ACTIVE INGREDIENT is showing just how exciting and spontaneous real fusion can be.
Too bad all fusion doesn't sound this good.
-Alex Henderson, CASHBOX / LA JAZZ SCENE