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Reviews,
Press, Quotes Such was the case when this CD arrived one day, knocking at the mailbox and sending the more "respectable" mail to the sanctuary of the porch floor. Ripping open the yellow, foam-padded envelope, I perused the material inside. One CD with garish colored, pseudo-primitive artwork on the cover. In bold, block letters was the word CAVEMAN, and underneath the title of the work "Before the World." I flipped the jewel case over and read some of the titles. "The Call," "Grand Canyon," "Message From the Indians," "Whales," "Flowers," "Birth 1," "Frogjazz," "National Anthem for a Happy Nation." Oh great! Some publicist in some place like New York City is trying to get me to review some neo-hippie, resurrectionist, tree-hugging peace love dove stuff! Look, I lived this stuff back in the 70's, and I really don't need a bunch of "kids" preaching it to me musically today. I decided to glance over the enclosed press kit before sending the whole package to file thirteen. Hmmmimagine this. Praise from a writer who writes for an ezine that instantly concocts visions of rampant drug use. More from writers with publications that have similarly "groovy" titles. Ohand a glowing tribute from a "festival promoter." You know, those guys who have never left the 60's to join the rest of us in the next friggin' century. Come on. This stuff would be right up their alley. So, away to a dusty of corner of the office it was sent, there to remain for a few months while I went about the business of being busy. What was it your first grade teacher tried time and again to tell you about book judging? I don't know exactly what it was that made me pick up this CD a few weeks back. Perhaps plain simple old curiosity, perhaps a flight from job related stress. Perhaps it was the fact that my reading led me to the realization that the members of this quartet were thoroughly trained in jazz at The New School University in New York. Who knows? But I did. Pensively I slipped it into the CD player and pressed the play button. What unfolded before me were some really good, solid performances of some really modern, interpretive jazz. It was like watching, or should I say, hearing, a great work of impressionist art unfolding on a musical canvas. Please, though, don't be misled by my slightly over-enthusiastic analogy. This is not that hoity-toity overbearing style of jazz whose aficionados tell you that listeners have to "develop an ear" to appreciate. Not at all. (Remember that thing about not judging the book, folks.) This is a pure, simple, honest style of the genre that actually rivets the listener's attention without training. It incorporates a myriad of music styles and sounds. There are hints of "World" music. You know, the term employed by pundits for music that contains elements of African, European, and Middle Eastern rhythms. Shades of Indian and Far Eastern sounds are heard as well. But there are also heavy doses of blues, rock, western jazz, and even tinges of new age music. This is all snowballed together into one concise package. The music itself evokes images in the mind's eye of the listener. After all, isn't that what interpretive jazz should do? And somehow, I couldn't help but feel that there was a message here. The titles are the cues, and the music clearly spells out the rest of the story. This is a music that comes from a philosophy and a spirit that embraces the basest elements of human existence. It tells the story of a mankind perishing in a suburban quagmire. Of nature being over-run by man. But through it all there is a note of hope, a hope that, through a collective awareness, mankind can return the celestial ship that is earth back to an even keel. And while the basic message of Before the World may appeal to some of those neo-hippies, the telling is so much fresher than any I have heard. There is a darkness to this music, and at the same time a sense of humor. There is a wit and a wisdom, but above all this is honest, rock solid music performed by some very gifted musicians. So
let the lesson be learned. You can't judge a book, or for that matter,
a CD, by its cover. When
I first listened to "Before the World", I didn't really
know what to think of it. My first impression was.. “Ok, it's
a bunch of whale-saving eco dudes, making songs about Native Americans
and Mother Earth.“ But after the last notes of the album faded
way,the truth hit me like a blunt instrument: Caveman may be one
of the most underrated acts of today's improv scene! This
album spans the range of rock and jazz to create a disc that I can
describe as nothing more than incredible. If you like Zappa, you
will love this, If you like Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, you will love
this. If you like good music, you will love this. -
Geoff Harrison - JamBase.com "At
8:30 pm Caveman from New Jersey made Tune Town their own. As the
set was more than amazing, indescribable in fact. If you want to
know go see this band!!! My pick for the show stealers of the weekend
" "
Whattup John Lee such a strange time to hear from you. I literally
just indulged in your chromagnon dedcadence, minutes ago. I suppose
this is no coincidence... the sounds were enigmatic with the tint
of evolution itself exposing marrow in the bone of wholehearted
thunder. a journey from end to beginning. a quest for the elemental.
that means I dug it. flavors of Tony Williams lifetime? deep melodic
abstraction. angular archery. " "Ambitious is Before the World. Filled with a plethora of musical styles and movements, this album plays out like a journey into the heart of human existence. Pretty bold for a group of Americans in their early twenties. Relying on a jazz background and a love for musical genres ranging from funk/jam based to tribal world influenced, these young men have taken bold steps to forge orininal ground here. Although it would be easy to kick out a few groovy jams and just coast on the wave, these cavemen have instead created a dense composition consisting of tight arrangements and a wide range of time signatures. By using the template of improvisational music as a way of tapping into the moods of men of a distant age, this album provides a wild emotional ride. Drummer Tim Keiper's ability to add accentuations when necessary definitely stands out while guitarist John Lee's range of playing styles astounds. Caveman has no bounds to its development. It can and will expand much like primitive man has. Their next journey will definitely not resemble their first, and I look forward to travelling with them." -
From Stuart Reed Review of Before the World Featured
in Scene & Heard Magazine "Seeking further exploration into the primordial and psychedelic, the music of Caveman encompasses a more complex instrumental hybrid of heavy layering and dynamic mood and tempo changes. Each tightly woven composition expresses the originality of the musicians and the multi-dimensional approach they have taken with this band. Tribal infused rhythms, silky dub style and straight out sublime rock fusion is found in exemplary fashion encased in the quartet's 18-track record Before the World. As yet another positive installment to the Trenchtown scene, Caveman is one group that will keep the room's attention, keeping you guessing where one tune will end and next will begin. Another gathering of the well-traveled, Caveman is more tribe than band as each member is an integral piece of the creative village. Guitarist John Lee's iridescent vision is propelling and often peculiar as he is complimented by the strong work of bassist John Buck and keyboardist Brian Marsella. The tight rudimentary foundation laid by drummer Tim Keiper and his assistant, percussionist Matt Brundrett, is the cavern wall where, in words of intrinsic chemistry and transcendental melody, the band paints their tales of journey and discovery for all to read." - From Rob Krevolin, JamBase.com 11/18/2002 "One
more local group to the Jersey scene that I have - From J. Pat - Review from the Revolving Door |
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