You and Your Folks, Me and My Folks / Hit It and Quit It
We Travel The Spaceways
Spaceways Incorporated is a galactic collaboration of fiery reedist Ken Vandermark, hard-hitting jazz drummer Hamid Drake, and underrated jazz bassist Nate McBride. A sort of Jekyl and Hyde affair, Spaceways features McBri... more »de on electric bass for four Funkadelic mini-medleys and acoustic bass for six Sun Ra tunes. Obviously using a trio to cover this material is chancy, with the two honored groups relatively large in size, but the streamlined musical approach works for both cases. The versatile Vandermark carries the melody, taking the R&B route with the Funkadelic and a mostly straightforward, postbop route with the Ra stuff. The polyrhythmic Drake and the soulful McBride delve deep into the cosmic pulse of the originals, adeptly capturing the vibe of the groups. While these three are most known for their work in jazz, it is surprising to hear how loud and funky the group gets on the Funkadelic stuff, playing it slow, deep, and heavy enough to make George Clinton proud. A tribute to two eccentrics of galactic proportions, Spaceways is a great idea that fulfills the promise of, and shows a different side to, three talented jazz players. --Tad Hendrickson« less
Spaceways Incorporated is a galactic collaboration of fiery reedist Ken Vandermark, hard-hitting jazz drummer Hamid Drake, and underrated jazz bassist Nate McBride. A sort of Jekyl and Hyde affair, Spaceways features McBride on electric bass for four Funkadelic mini-medleys and acoustic bass for six Sun Ra tunes. Obviously using a trio to cover this material is chancy, with the two honored groups relatively large in size, but the streamlined musical approach works for both cases. The versatile Vandermark carries the melody, taking the R&B route with the Funkadelic and a mostly straightforward, postbop route with the Ra stuff. The polyrhythmic Drake and the soulful McBride delve deep into the cosmic pulse of the originals, adeptly capturing the vibe of the groups. While these three are most known for their work in jazz, it is surprising to hear how loud and funky the group gets on the Funkadelic stuff, playing it slow, deep, and heavy enough to make George Clinton proud. A tribute to two eccentrics of galactic proportions, Spaceways is a great idea that fulfills the promise of, and shows a different side to, three talented jazz players. --Tad Hendrickson
CD Reviews
Perfect for funk/ra heads such as myself
Mr. Mark | Canada | 09/06/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Each listen I give this disk makes me more appreciative of it, however, I cannot see it as 5 star material as the flow is uneven. It may have been more sensible to allow 2 disks, one for Funkadelic, and one for Mr. Ra. The Sun Ra material on its own is purly sublime, and the Funkadelic material is infectious, to be sure (incredible rhythm section and very linear treatment of vocal lines by Vandermark's tenor). Ken shows an almost frustrating restraint on the funk cuts (that's how i felt anyway), but allows himself more freedom on the ra. If you are familiar with his playing, it is about freedom above almost all else. Heavy bottom end on the funk. I think I will go home and listen to it right now..."
Tribute to the Black Imagination
R. Hutchinson | a world ruled by fossil fuels and fossil minds | 07/24/2000
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Ken Vandermark looks quite severe on the back cover photo, even belligerent, standing in front of a barbed-wire fence with Hamid Drake and Nate McBride. You might think this is out-of-sync with this album -- how could playing "Cosmic Slop" be dour? Obviously a high-concept tribute, "Spaceways Incorporated" seems to have a serious agenda. Sonny Blount (Sun Ra) and George Clinton both brought to life visions of life in Space (Space Is the Place!) and on other planets, at least in part inspired by the less than utopian conditions of Black People in the United States. I support the concept of bringing these great conceptualizers together in one tribute, but in practice I think it only partially succeeds. McBride sounds like he's having a wailing good time playing Bootsy Collins on the Funkadelic numbers, but Vandermark doesn't sound totally convincing. He is prone to utilizing his stock riffs on these tracks. Drake, too, seems less than enthused about banging out simple funk time. The Sun Ra cuts are uniformly superior. A whole album of Sun Ra would have been better, but less exciting as a concept. Sometimes those concepts can get the best of you...
This is another great package from the folks at Atavistic, who have excelled with the Vandermark 5 releases. THIRTEEN COSMIC STANDARDS features a really cool painting by the Italian Futurist, Pannaggi. Keep in mind that this is one of many side projects of Ken Vandermark. To truly engage his work, you've got to check out his three main bands -- the Vandermark 5, the DKV Trio (the D is Hamid Drake), and Mats Gustafsson's AALY Trio. In August of '99, I heard the Vandermark 5 at their regular Empty Bottle gig, and also heard Vandermark playing with just Tim Mulvenna (the V5 drummer) at a microbrewpub. The duo set featured lots of standards, pieces like Ornette's "Lonely Woman," and it was great, but a completely different, more mainstream, mode than the V5 set. Vandermark is prolific, I'd say the John Zorn of Chicago in that sense, (but of course they're very different otherwise), and being prolific is great, but beware judging him by one side project!"
A meeting of the minds, somewhere in space
Jeffrey Little | wilmington, de | 08/08/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is a dangerous disc. The Funkadelic tunes are grounded by a bone numbing bass & the outside R&B of Vandermark's tenor. While they don't take the tunes out to the furthest limits, the terrain that they do travel is true. On the Ra tunes the playing is quite nice, & a little more of Vandermark's heart is exposed. Looking at some of the other discs that get 5 stars here, this one probably should too; however, this is a true 4 star recording: very, very good, with fine playing & a beautiful concept brought to fruition."
New to the name, but loving his game...
Nathan Cross | Bloomington, IN USA | 07/19/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Well, this is my official introductory CD to Ken Vandermark, the wonderkid everyone is crazy about. And I have been more than pleasantly surprised, I was in a music store this afternoon and it was playing and I really dug the sound of the bass clarient on "Street Named Hell" AND I am a big Sun Ra fan. So I inquired and found out this was the CD I was listening to. Needless to say I purchased the CD. The trio format scared me a little at first, but the three player fill up the space wonderfully! The sound of Nate McBride's bass, electric and acoustic really knocked me out. I don't know what it is about the sound, but it's full and really fills a lot of the space that is left from the lack of a comping instrument. And overall the interaction between the three is wonderful, Hamid Drake really sets up some great beats and puts in some really wonderful drums solos. Overall, I am pleasantly surprised with my intro to Vandermark. The choice of Sun Ra and Funkadelic is a great mix too. From avant to funk, it really brings the two styles together and puts them in a agreeable light. The content of the album really kicks...great group improvisation. To me this album is very reminiscent of James Carter's newest, "Layin' in the Cut." Both great albums, both highly recommended!"
Stunning set.
Michael Stack | North Chelmsford, MA USA | 07/24/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Having never heard Ken Vandermark before, this was a first for me as well, and I have to say, I'm very very impressed with this. Stopped in my local record store where it was tucked under my nose with the line, "I've never heard of him before, but everyone who likes the stuff you like loves this guy".Sure enough, he's stunning, this is really a fabulous album. Vandermark's reed playing is anywhere from completely vibrant and funkified to sweet and tender. His support is incredible. Overall, this may be the best purchase I've made in a while."
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1