Bennie Maupin - Driving While Black ... '1998/2014

Tracks list

       Driving While Black is Bennie Maupin's first album as a leader in 20
years. Maupin, who is famous for his bass clarinet playing on Miles Davis'
Bitches Brew, and for being a member of Herbie Hancock's Headhunters, teamed up
with Patrick Gleeson, who introduced Hancock to synthesizers and worked on the
Apocalypse Now soundtrack (1979). They have produced an album which skillfully
blends '70s fusion and '90s acid jazz: Gleeson's funky hip-hop beats sound fresh
and up to date, while his usage of analog synths (listen to the beautiful Fender
Rhodes sound) breathes a '70s air. Maupin's saxophone playing is powerful and
strong on improvisation; this is particularly nice to hear since Maupin's '90s
record appearances have been, for the most part, surprisingly weak. The
Whitfield/Strong-penned "Smiling Faces" is the catchiest track; originals
include the funky "Bank Float," "Vutu," and "The Work," which veers into
drum'n'bass territory. The best track, however, is "Miles to Go," where Maupin
shows that he's still one of the best bass clarinet players around; his
screaming and squealing through Gleeson's synth washes is probably his best
performance (on record) in years. Another nice surprise is on "In Re: Nude
Orbit," where the famous Random Resonator on which Gleeson worked, and which
opened Hancock's Sextant (1973), can be heard. While both performers on this
disc are in top form, some of the tracks might seem a bit unfocused at times,
but after repeated listenings, this actually might turn out as a plus. Techno
Animal did a remix of the track "Miles to Go," which can be found on the
compilation Macro Dub Infection, Vol. 2 .

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