Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Donny McCaslin: Casting For Gravity

Donny McCaslin: Casting For Gravity

By Mark Corroto
November 1, 2012
View read count

If saxophonist Donny McCaslin stuck a toe into the ocean of electric jazz with his previous album Perpetual Motion (Greenleaf, 2010), then with Casting For Gravity he dives headfirst into the sea. But don't worry, with his musical dexterity and adeptness on horn, he is in no danger of sinking. In fact, he takes to these waters like a thirsty horse.

The saxophonist of choice for the band leaders including trumpeter

Dave Douglas

trumpet
b.1963

" data-original-title="" title="">Dave Douglas, singer

Kate McGarry

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Kate McGarry, and composers/arrangers

Ryan Truesdell

composer / conductor

" data-original-title="" title="">Ryan Truesdell, and

Maria Schneider

composer / conductor

" data-original-title="" title="">Maria Schneider, McCaslin grew up in California listening to fusion, pop, and bands like Tower Of Power that infused R&B and funk into their jazz horn section. For awhile in the 1990s, he played in a revived version of vibraphonist

Mike Mainieri

vibraphone
b.1938

" data-original-title="" title="">Mike Mainieri's

Steps Ahead

band / ensemble / orchestra
b.1979

" data-original-title="" title="">Steps Ahead.

Steps Ahead, with its various lineups that included saxophonist

Michael Brecker

saxophone, tenor
1949 - 2007

" data-original-title="" title="">Michael Brecker, keyboardist

Don Grolnick

piano
1947 - 1996

" data-original-title="" title="">Don Grolnick and drummers

Peter Erskine

drums
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Peter Erskine and

Steve Gadd

drums
b.1945

" data-original-title="" title="">Steve Gadd, is the touchstone for this recording. That is, a time when fusion was not a dirty word.

The saxophonist surrounds himself with talent here, starting with producer/saxophonist

David Binney

saxophone, alto
b.1961

" data-original-title="" title="">David Binney, a fellow saxophonist and former member of the 1990s collective Lan Xang, with McCaslin. The album opens with the oxymoronic "Stadium Jazz," a melodic burner with ever- changing rhythms, and finds drummer

Mark Guiliana

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Mark Guiliana powering all things ablaze. The pair feed off each other throughout, trading rounds on "Tension," as electric bassist

Tim Lefebvre

bass
b.1968

" data-original-title="" title="">Tim Lefebvre tinkers in thunder-making.

The inspiration here is both the jazz fusion of

Weather Report

band / ensemble / orchestra

" data-original-title="" title="">Weather Report and the electronica of bands like Aphex Twin and Boards Of Canada, whose song, "Alpha And Omega," gets covered here, with keyboardist

Jason Lindner

keyboards

" data-original-title="" title="">Jason Lindner's spooky synths and McCaslin's processed, echo-y effects. As the song progresses the electronics threaten and bully the affair, all the while McCaslin Enduring on a short, four-minute song that begs for a longer live production.

Like jazz giant

Wayne Shorter

saxophone
1933 - 2023

" data-original-title="" title="">Wayne Shorter, McCaslin's sound suffers no ill effects of fusion, nor is he compromised by the genre. He goes toe-to-toe with the electric funk on "Says Who" and sails above the changes on the tour de force "Praia Grande." On the thoughtful closer "Henry," a softer tone is called, with Linder on electric piano and McCaslin delivering his trademark runs.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Stadium Jazz; Says Who; Losing Track Of Daytime; Alpha And Omega; Tension; Praia Grande; Love Song For An Echo; Casting For Gravity; Bend; Henry.

Personnel

Donny McCaslin

saxophone, tenor

Donny McCaslin: tenor saxophone; Jason Lindner: electric piano, acoustic piano, synthesizers; Tim Lefebvre: electric bass; Mark Guiliana: drums.

Album information

Title: Casting For Gravity | Year Released: 2012 | Record Label: Greenleaf Music

PREVIOUS / NEXT

November 2012
< Previous

Soulception
Next >

Donny McCaslin Concerts

Oct 16 Thu

Donny Mccaslin

Ronnie Scott's
London, UK

Oct 21 Tue

Donny McCaslin

Blue Note
Milano, Italy

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.