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Label: | Breezway Records |
| Released: | 1996 | |
| Time: |
60:06 |
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| Category: | Jazz | |
| Producer(s): | Victor Benshoff, Michael Sokolowski | |
| Rating: | ********** (10/10) | |
| Media type: | CD |
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| Web address: | www.sokoband.com | |
| Appears with: | ||
| Purchase date: | 2008.11.10 | |
| Price in €: | 14,20 | |
| S o n g s , T r a c k s |
| A r t i s t s , P e r s o n n e l |
| C o m m e n t s , N o t e s |
2000 CD Breezeway 313
Lyrical piano melodies and powerful melodies characterize Soko's debut album (1996). In November Sunlight includes guest appearances by Dave Matthews, Leroi Moore and Tim Reynolds of Dave Matthews Band association. (Original cover artwork by guest percussionist Darrell Rose.)
The formidable three-man outfit Soko - featuring Michael Sokolowski
(keyboards/violin), Houston Ross (bass), and John Gilmore (drums) - marry picturesque
melodies to equally considerable instrumental interaction on their debut, In November
Sunlight.
Lindsay Planer - All Music Guide
Remember losing interest during math class in high school? While staring out the window, thoughts could float miles away from your immediate surroundings like dust on the wind. Soko's first CD release captures that moment, when a journey away from convention seems like the best idea. That's not to say the music here is merely a daydream soundtrack. In November Sunlight, in fact, is a strong blend of imaginative melodies and arrangements worthy of some absorption - you just might have to sit down and visualize. From "Half Sleep," which glides like a twilight swim along the river, to "Lullaby for E," Soko allows intricate tunes to develop around a solid rhythmic core. In most songs, the layers of sound evolve and change without leaving the bass and percussion pulse behind. Ross and Gilmore have been performing as a rhythm section for 18 years, which accounts for the steady, solid sounds that guide the CD. Drums charge beneath the verses of "Coast to Coast" and build up a musical storm in "Jiriki" (yes, that is Dave Matthews crooning in the background). If you've never really paid attention to bass playing, let Ross guide you through this disc with hooks that range from subtle to surprising. Much like Chapman-sticker Greg Howard's latest CD, Sol, Soko's release shows evidence of restraint as many tracks flair up and then pull back.By the time Sunlight trails off, Sokolowski's piano notes have crystalized around songs that hang together with the odd delicacy of free-verse poems. "Body Home," which is all mixed up in light/dark, piano/bass contrasts, comes closest to the band's live energy. Sokolowski's colorful keyboards carry each of these tunes, but, unlike some virtuoso outings, the piano sounds don't drown out the overall group effort. DMB's Leroi Moore saxes his way into five tracks, lending some notes to "Your Steps Alone," which sounds like a golden tribute to some other, be it human or higher power.
Eric Hoover - C-Ville Weekly
The formidable three-man outfit Soko - featuring Michael Sokolowski (keyboards/violin), Houston Ross (bass), and John Gilmore (drums) - marry picturesque melodies to equally considerable instrumental interaction on their debut, In November Sunlight (2000). They are joined by Dave Matthews Band associates Leroi Moore (sax), Tim Reynolds (guitar), and Matthews himself (vocals). Both he and Reynolds contribute to one of the album's most exciting pieces, the syncopated post-bop "Jiriki." The trio's exceptional musicianship incorporates a broad spectrum of moods and spaces ranging from the organic lyricism and languid flow of the opener, "Half Sleep (The River Dreams)," to the buoyant embrace of "Coast to Coast." The latter is prominent as the infectious tune falls somewhere between the seemingly incongruous approaches of Vince Guaraldi and David Sanborn. Soko pull together those influences to create a fresh visage of their own, deeply rooted in the Ross/Gilmore rhythm section. "Your Steps Alone" - dedicated to Jerry Garcia - is a laid-back groove spirited by Moore's fluid leads and Sokolowski's assertive piano fills. "In November Sunlight" is a beaming and affective work couriered by memorably acquiescent lines. They dance around Gilmore's solid yet liberating and propulsive timekeeping as Moore trades light and affable lines with Sokolowski. Gilmore likewise radiates precision, gracefully riding the cymbals for maximum effect. The lethargic "Energy Change" allows the combo to extend its impressive improvisational skills, especially Ross, whose nimble bass glides effortlessly over the entrancing backdrop. Concluding In November Sunlight is the soulful and pensive "Lullaby for E," offering a final cosy interlude that all too quickly dissolves into a refined aural embrace. Although fans of Dave Mathews' jam band excursions might not completely connect with Soko, smooth and contemporary jazz enthusiasts are encouraged to give this release a spin.
Lindsay Planer - All music Guide
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