Monday, February 21, 2011


Description: Featuring Barry Edwards on guitar, Colin Somervell on bass and Mark Sanders on drums. FMR continues to releases gems from lesser British players like guiatrist Barry Edwards who has appeared on a Paul Dunmall CD also on FMR and bassist Colin Somervell who can be found on a disc on the Slam label by Aida Severo. Drum wiz Mark Sanders is the most well-known member of this trio and has played with nearly everyone from Evan Parker to Jah Wobble to Elton Dean & Paul Dunmall.
Trio Nang Naak are a most impressive jazz/rock power trio with five long pieces to push things out to the edges, yet remain tight throughout. Starting with "Pans Labyrinth", the bass and drums spin furiously while the guitar solos more slowly and selectively on top. If I didn't know better I would've thought that this was some amazing fusion treasure from the mid-seventies. Colin Somervell sounds like he playing a fretless electric bass on "Nang Naak" which has a tight, challenging well-written theme. Wow, this piece is f**king amazing! I just hope a few of those fusion fans show up at the store soon so I can blow their minds with this treat! Considering that all but one of these pieces are collective improvisations, it is hard believe that this trio instantly composed all of this since it is so tight and well-played. Barry Edwards' tone on guitar recalls John McLaughlin's great tone on 'Devotion' or perhaps 'Bitches Brew', both of which were recorded some 40 years ago. What makes this date most impressive is that is completely free of any of jazz/rock or fusion excess that plagued that music way back when. Another winner from the deep vaults of FMR.

- Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery