by Jesse James Mazzoccoli
There are so many good things about the self-titled debut record from the band OHMphrey. First, just thinking about the incredible quality of musicianship that could come from taking three members from Chicago’s jam-band Umphrey’s McGee and two members from Chris Poland’s OHM and blending them into a musical compound is overwhelming and almost unbearable. All too often when members from various bands decide to get together to collaborate on a side project, regardless and sometimes adversely measurable by the individuals’ virtuosity, the outcome is mediocre at best. To remain politically correct, no examples of this will be given, however, one wouldn’t have to think too hard or even perhaps search their CD or MP3 stock to find several releases that fit into this category. This is absolutely not the case with OHMphrey.
Second, harmonically and rhythmically speaking, OHMPHREY is more complex than either of the two bands that begat it, but everyone seems to adjust and compliment each others’ varying styles quite well. The different and diverse musical elements exposed on many of the tracks, especially the first track “Someone Said You Were Dead,” range from metal-chunking rhythms, seemingly influenced by Poland’s work with metal titan Megadeth, to elegant lightly distorted jazz riffs, and the plethora of possibilities that could lie between these two poles.
The diversity of Chris Poland alone is impressive, but bassist Robertino Pagliari sounds even heavier and sharper than ever before. Umphrey’s McGee’s guitarist Jake Cinninger and Keyboardist Joel Cummins bring a unique progressiveness to the music and drummer Kris Myers impresses with his rhythmic solidness and dynamic timbre. Probably the most interesting and impressive thing about the whole recording is that is all improvised music with little to no compositional contemplation. Incredibly, the tracks were recorded on a Tascam DA-38s through a Tascam M2600 Mark II board and the entire recording process took place in just two days. Just think of the magic that could have been produced (and perhaps lost) had they stopped for a minute to think about what they were going to play before playing it.
Overall, OMHphrey is a unique combination of both bands and each individual’s styles that lends itself well to today modern jazz-rock fusion and earns an A- for its unbelievable display of what can be achieved when great improvisational minds come together and just play. Maybe next time, vocals will be included on some of the tracks. Not that their absence took away from the music, however to improvise words and melodies in the same manner as the lines and harmonies were on this record would be even more impressive than the music alone.
Although this record was intended to be for studio purposes only, a live tour from OHMphrey would be equally desired by listeners.
The question that fans of both Umphrey’s McGee and OHM keep asking is: What kind of magic would be created if all nine members from both bands got together?
