Elephant9 - Dodovoodoo [Rune Grammofon - 2008]Elephant9 are a Norwegian 3 piece that who pump out a groovy, atmospheric and mainly upbeat mix of 70’s organ heavy psychedelic, prog jazz/rock fusion. Through having being live favourites over the last few years in their native Norway this is the projects debut album. The line up goes like this on Synth, Fender Rhoads and Hammond organ we have Ståle Storløkken (Supersilent, Humcrush) on bass Nikolai Eilertsen (The National Bank, Lester) & lastly on drums and percussion we have Torstein Lofthus (Shining). The album brings to mind a sort of mix of later electric period Miles Davis, 70’s groovy sound tracking, with slight trips into more spacey and ambient regions here and there. But mainly this is about making vibrate, buoyant, groove led tracks with Eilertsen bass weaving and bobing with Lofthus jazz/ rock rhythms, all topped over with Storløkken’s harmonic, dramatic and groove ridden keyboard playing. It’s all recoded live on analogue tape to enhance that 70’s vibe and the tracks for the most part stay around the five to ten minute mark and while there is some improvising/ jamming going on they don’t stray too far from the tracks structures. Dodovoodoo is just a great up-beat, memorable and sometimes dramatic collection of jazz rock tunes. With all three playing with great flare, passion, groove and fire. Of interest to fans of Miles Davis Electric period or groovy 70’s soundtracks. Roger Batty
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