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Club D'Elf: You Never Know

By Chris May
March 7, 2022
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Near-death experiences can reboot the mind, separating the important from the trivial. It seems to have worked like that for bassist and composer

Mike Rivard

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">Mike Rivard, founder and leader of Boston's world-dub-jazz band

" data-original-title="" title="">Club d'Elf. A few years back, Rivard was nearly felled by a pulmonary embolism while seeking spiritual insight in the Amazonian rain forest. A long, dark period of depression followed, before Rivard emerged recharged into the light, having been sustained in large part by gnawa, the Moroccan trance music which has been a cornerstone of Club D'Elf's music since the band formed in the 1990s.

You Never Know is Club D'Elf's third full-length studio album since it hit the turntables running with As Above: Live At The Lizard Lounge (Grapeshot) in 2000. And while the previous two discs are exalted enough, number three is your actual stone belter, the more so for being nuanced and well programmed.

The thirteen-piece collective line-up introduces some new faces but most of the musicians are band veterans. Every player gets their moment(s) in the spotlight, with the prominent inclusion of oud player

Brahim Fribgane

oud
- 2024

" data-original-title="" title="">Brahim Fribgane, keyboard players

Paul Schultheis

keyboards

" data-original-title="" title="">Paul Schultheis and

John Medeski

organ, Hammond B3
b.1965

" data-original-title="" title="">John Medeski and guitarist

David Fiuczynski

guitar
b.1964

" data-original-title="" title="">David Fiuczynski. Memorable cameo roles come from tabla player

Amit Kavthekar

tablas

" data-original-title="" title="">Amit Kavthekar, saxophonist

Andrew Rogliani

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Andrew Rogliani and trumpeter

Phil Grenadier

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Phil Grenadier.

The seventy-five minute, ten-track album includes two striking arrangements of traditional Maghrebi trance music ("Zeed Al Maal," "Dervish Dance"), some choice jazz-funk (Rivard's "Boney Oscar Stomp") and inventive remakes of

Frank Zappa

guitar, electric
1940 - 1993

" data-original-title="" title="">Frank Zappa's "King Kong" (from his 1969 Bizarre album Uncle Meat), and Morocco's pioneering world band Nass El-Ghiwane's "Allah Ya Moulanna." But the centrepieces, literally and artistically, are tracks five and six:

Joe Zawinul

keyboards
1932 - 2007

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Zawinul and

Miles Davis

trumpet
1926 - 1991

" data-original-title="" title="">Miles Davis' "In A Silent Way" / "It's About That Time," followed by Rivard's electric-fusion "Dark Fish," which cleverly evokes Davis' Bitches Brew (Columbia, 1970), the album which immediately followed Davis' In A Silent Way (Columbia, 1969). Medeski and Grenadier are the star turns here.

You Never Know, which was mostly recorded live in the studio to analog tape with minimal overdubs, is thoughtful, possesses substance, is consistently imaginative... and fun.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Boney Oscar Stomp; Zeed Al Maal; Now Open Yours Eyes; Golden Hour; In A Silent Way / It's About That Time; Dark Fish; Dervish Dance; Lalla Aisha In Jhaptal; Allah Ya Moulana; King Kong.

Personnel

Club d'Elf

band / ensemble / orchestra

Brahim Fribgane

oud

Mike Rivard

bass, acoustic

Dean Johnston

drums

Duke Levine

guitar

Kevin Barry

guitar

Paul Schultheis

keyboards

John Medeski

organ, Hammond B3

David Fiuczynski

guitar

Mister Rourke

turntable

Amit Kavthekar

tablas

Andrew Rogliani

saxophone

Phil Grenadier

trumpet

Thorlleifur Gaukur Davidsson

harmonica

Additional Instrumentation

Brahim Fribgane: oud, bendir, karakab, vocal, cajon, frame drum; dumbek; Mike Rivard: acoustic bass, sinter, electric bass, tamboura, chorus vocal; Dean Johnston: drums, chorus vocal; Duke Levine: guitar, electric mandcello, six string bass (1-4); Kevin Barry: lap steel (1-4); Paul Schultheis: Rhodes, Wurlitzer, organ, Moog, clavinet, ARP Omni (1-4); John Medeski: Rhodes, Wurlitzer, organ, Mellotron, clavinet, chorus vocal (5-10); David Fiuczynski: fretted and fretless guitars (5-10); Mister Rourke: turntables (2, 4, 6-8, 10); Amit Kavthekar: tabla (6, 8); Andrew Rogliani: tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, flute (1, 8); Phil Grenadier: trumpet (1, 6, 8); Thorlleifur Gaukur Davidsson: harmonica (3).

Album information

Title: You Never Know | Year Released: 2022 | Record Label: Face Pelt Records

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