Search - Derf Reklaw :: From the Nile

Derf Reklaw, formerly of the '70s jazz-funk band the Pharaohs, reappears on this "comeback" disc with a thoroughly refreshing and wide-ranging effort. Utilizing a thundering herd of musicians (including the likes of drummers Billy Higgins and Don Littleton, pianist Nick Smith, and bassist Reggie Carson as well as a score of other musicians), Reklaw is free to romp on everything from flute to alto sax to djembe, cowbell, congas, and instruments with names like whisums, quinto, and tumba. What results is a stirring exploration into the musics of the African diaspora, wrung through Reklaw's swinging and creative vision of the place where jazz, reggae, and soul collide. Expect plenty of percussion, compositions leading down interesting and invigorating trails, Reklaw's agile flute moves, and a feeling that, at least on this jazz record, anything could (and probably will) happen. --S. Duda