Search - Lincoln Adler :: Are You In There?

Lincoln Adler launches "Are You In There?" with a tribute to the great Eddie Harris entitled "Listen Up,". Featuring the incredible playing of Grammy nominated guitarist Anthony Wilson, this piece finds Adler winding his smoky tenor sax around the staccato keyboard harmonies of John Beasley (an incredible musician who has played with Miles Davis and Freddie Hubbard). Adler slyly blends a bass clarinet harmony line around a semi-angular sax melody on the moody and seductive "Mysteriosa," which heats up at one point into a brassy salsa arrangement. After accompanying soulful vocalist Moira Dahling on the subdued late night ballad "You Don't Know What Love Is," Adler jams with Beasley and Wilson on the explosive title track, a blues, which joyfully explores the more traditional side of his playing. A world music vibe provides a cool thread through the exotic "Freedom Belly Dance," which combines a galloping percussion groove, punchy sax melody, and some riff trading between Adler's sax, Nick Lane's trombone, and Rick Musallam's eastern-influenced guitar. Adler mixes his love for a slow grind with the soulful sounds of his husky tenor sax on "Hipnotic Suggestion." "Hide and Seek" brings the energy back up with a strong melodic hook, and a beautiful wah wah guitar solo by Musallam. Then things get even funkier with the aptly titled "Mmm Hmm!," which features an incredible bass solo by Ernest Tibbs. Wrapping up the set is a playful quartet reading of the standard "Look For the Silver Lining," with Adler giving the lyrics a deep, smooth, ironic delivery.