Disc of the day: 15-10-09
Cai Marle-Garcia: Mr Ears (Available from www.caimarlegarcia.com)
It’s not just that I have been watching the marvellous DVD of Joe Zawinul’s 75th birthday concert this afternoon – this disc from a young London-based electric bassist really does bear strong Weather Report traits, though inevitably it is more strongly linked to the Jaco Pastorius line rather than the Zawinul or Shorter ones.
Marle-Garcia is a fluid soloist as he shows on track two, Moonlit In Mayotte. His compositions are worthwhile, too, with a variety of moods and some charming, lyrical melody lines.
The band is strong, with the saxophonists including Tony Woods and Duncan Eagles, the drummer Martyn Kaine, guitarist Sagat Guirey and guess who on keyboards? Yep, it’s that Kit Downes again!
Cai is apparently self-taught and really took off when Tim Whitehead took him under his wing. Self-released discs done on a tight budget are often let down by the recording quality but this one shapes up pretty well. And if Weather Report and the other top fusion bands of the 1970s and ’80s are your influences then you’d better make sure you have developed sufficient chops. Mr Ears suggests Cai Marle-Garcia and his band have those chops.
