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Tony Adamo: Was Out Jazz Zone Mad

By Chris M. Slawecki
January 15, 2019
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Some African cultures preserved their history not by the written but by the spoken word, kept by oral cultural historians known as griots. On Was Out Jazz Zone Mad, vocalist Tony Adamo aspires to serve in this same role, as a verbal historian of both official and unofficial African-American jazz and blues culture. This type of jazz jive might wear quickly thin but Adamo writes about jazz and jazz musicians with such detailed intimacy and vision that his words snap, crackle and pop. More often than not, the heart, mind, and soul of Was Out Jazz Zone Mad prove genuine.

It helps immeasurably that Adamo regales such tales in the company of musicians expert in organ-guitar combo, small-club, greasy instrumental funk, led by drummer

Mike Clark

drums
b.1946

" data-original-title="" title="">Mike Clark of (

Herbie Hancock

piano
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Herbie Hancock and) the

The Headhunters

band / ensemble / orchestra
b.1973

" data-original-title="" title="">The Headhunters and featuring drummer

Lenny White

drums
b.1949

" data-original-title="" title="">Lenny White, organist

Mike LeDonne

organ, Hammond B3
b.1956

" data-original-title="" title="">Mike LeDonne, percussionist

Bill Summers

percussion
b.1948

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Summers, guitarists Elias Lucero and

Jack Wilkins

saxophone, tenor
1944 - 2023

" data-original-title="" title="">Jack Wilkins, and saxophonist

Donald Harrison

saxophone, alto
b.1960

" data-original-title="" title="">Donald Harrison. Their grooves are low-down and for real funky in the best possible way.

Thus inspired, Adamo's lyrical material is often magisterial. His description of saxophonist Joe "Sonic Henderson" cuts as sharp and bright and quick as lightning, and crosses from writing about jazz into writing that IS jazz: "Always diggin' into the hot-cool vocabulary of jazz to come up with notes that aren't always obvious but always fit...floating, thought-provoking sounds that were at times hard liquor jazz mixed with mad sex music..." All the while, this set's core trio—drummer Clark, LeDonne on organ, and guitarist Wilkins—twist up the accompaniment in thick rhythmic knots, with Wilkins playing Melvin Sparks to LeDonne's

Charles Earland

organ, Hammond B3
1941 - 1999

" data-original-title="" title="">Charles Earland in their respective solos.

"Gale Blowin' High" honors jazz activist and trumpeter

Eddie Gale

trumpet
1941 - 2020

" data-original-title="" title="">Eddie Gale. Saxophone and trumpet help create a fuller, larger ensemble sound very much like late-1960s recordings by

Sun Ra

piano
1914 - 1993

" data-original-title="" title="">Sun Ra and his Arkestra,

Pharoah Sanders

saxophone, tenor
1940 - 2022

" data-original-title="" title="">Pharoah Sanders or like-minded wayfarers. Exploratory solos by Harrison (suggesting Sanders on alto), Wolff (suggesting Ra on piano) and White (suggesting no one but himself) pull and poke at the edges of this tune alongside Adamo's restless vocal.

In "Too Funky to Flush," Adamo unravels the best jazz tale of them all—the story of the city of New Orleans. Standing hip deep awash in a trio groove that's as deep and broad and powerful as the mighty Mississippi River, he sings the praises of

Dr. John

piano
1940 - 2019

" data-original-title="" title="">Dr. John,

Professor Longhair

piano
1918 - 1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Professor Longhair, Irving Mayfield and other denizens of the Crescent City's musical pantheon. (A local soul food kitchen's lunch and dinner menu specials make surprisingly good lyrics, too.)

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Rain Man; Sonic Henderson; B.B. King Blues Oh Fire; Birth Of The Cool; General T; Boogaloo The Funky Beat; Card Dealer; Gale Blowin High; To Funky To Flush; Jax Bulldog Priest; I'm Out The Door; Let The Devil Pay My Way; Fly Jump Or Die.

Personnel

Tony Adamo

vocals

Mike Clark

drums

Donald Harrison

saxophone, alto

Bill Summers

percussion

Lenny White

drums

Michael Wolff

piano and vocals

Richie Goods

bass

Tim Ouimette

trumpet

Mike LeDonne

organ, Hammond B3

Jack Wilkins

saxophone, tenor

Chris Pimentel

guitar

Wayne DeLaCruz

organ, Hammond B3

Delbert Bump

organ, Hammond B3

Elias Lucero

guitar

Roger Smith

organ, Hammond B3

Kyron Kirby

drums

Album information

Title: Was Out Jazz Zone Mad | Year Released: 2018 | Record Label: Ropeadope Records

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