Gary Husband's Force Majeure
Live at The Queen Elizabeth , Hall London
RSJ Groove Production - www.rsjgroove.com
It's always hard and (surely enough) a wrong practice to try to define an artist and enclose him in a capsule of a musical genre just because a lot of times the result is never "appropriate" and never fit the artist's view. So, this time it would be nearly impossible to define such a great "piece of music" like this project really is. It all comes from that polyhedric and multiform talent named Gary Husband that once again give us a real proof of his abilities not only as a drummer but also as a great composer, a real and excellent keyboard player and who knows what else. This live set consists (as a matter of fact) of all Gary's compositions except for Chiapas by Hank Levy and Of Björk included in the Evocation section. Force Majeure is the denomination of a new project that Gary brought on stage during the month of March 2004 with the help of an all-star band that includes Randy Brecker, Jim Beard, Matthew Garrison, Arto Tunçboyaciyan, Jerry Goodman and Elliot Mason. Since from the first contact I had I've soon realized to be in front of something really special and so different... Music here clearly represents the (musical) visions (so deep) of the composer and paying attention to write the word "Music" with the big "M" (as I've promptly done). The 1st disc of this double DVD starts with Evocations composed to pay tribute to artists like Burt Bacharach (a breathtaking ride across different shaped moments), Björk (with a beautiful start played by keyboards and percussion with Gary building up on his toms) and John McLaughlin (with an amazing percussion intro followed by Gary on piano and on drums and also with beautiful duets with violin and trumpet). On disc 1 you can also find 75 minutes of audio tracks recorded live during some other gigs played over the March 2004 tour. Disc 2 opens with Wings Over City Square that builds up over a violin riff and continue with Tectonics that starts with an intriguing percussion intro that soon became a trio 'chat' between piano, drums and percussion. Here it comes the beautiful Final Curtain (my personal favorite) that slowly grows over an hypnotic keyboards phrase well supported by Gary's half-time groove and that (in some way) reminds me to John McLaughlin's music. The Grand Lady Of The Sea is a short but beautiful and so-intense piece played on piano (solo) by Gary Husband that graciously walks on a series of moving chords that set the scene for Sky Rise, another great journey that assumes so much different shapes with Gary playing piano, drums, and acts as the director and as the interpreter of a great drum solo.
Hank Levy's Chiapas is the right big ending with Gary that starts directing the horn section and soon continue playing the odd-time groove on his drum set. Extra on disc 2 are represented by an interview with Gary and a Behind-The-Scene footage section. It's also great to observe all the musicians here that are clearly offering their heart and soul to represent the music at its best. It's really impossible to define each one of them without diminishing their art...
I have no fear to define this work as impressive... This is a great chance to get into the world of such a multi-faceted talent of an artist like Gary Husband that never cease to amaze us. This is a work that comes directly from heart and soul and that easily breaks barriers and borders. It's also a clear representation of what Gary is now and let us imagine of what he could show us in the future. It's so easy to tell that the journey has just begun... and that it will be really long. Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the secret world of Gary Husband. (traveling across...)
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