Bobby Ace Records
2007
Lunar Orbit
About This Album
Karl Denson is one of the most eclectic cats on the modern music scene. Not only has he played rock as a sideman to Lenny Kravitz, but he was also a founding member and creative force behind the Greyboy Allstars and has played with everyone from Stanton Moore to the String Cheese Incident to Roy Hargrove. He was the leader of his own Tiny Universe ensemble, whose album The Bridge is a bona fide jazz-funk classic -- even if those proper self-appointed protectors of the jazz legacy have no idea it exists. Denson has also worked with Fred Wesley and the late Godfather of Soul himself. Sometimes his projects have suffered a bit from too much of that wild reckless creative energy by lacking a more keenly honed focus -- but they have all had killer moments on them. On The Bridge, he nailed it, playing not only saxophone and flute but also proving himself a worthy vocalist in the vein of Gary Bartz, Eddie Harris, and others who've gone that route. So with rock, funk, and jazz as well as R&B all jumping up and down inside his bad self, the killer trio he formed for Lunar Orbit breathes new life into the sax, B-3, and drums combo. Denson is the only constant presence here. Aaron Redfield and Jake Najor alternately support him on drums, with Kenneth Crouch on keyboards (electric piano, synths, and organ) and organists Will Blades and Anthony Smith, and Steve Haney plays congas on more than half the tracks here.
Track List (try tracks 2,4 and 9)

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