Global Groovilization

Album Review

Tom Teasley is among the few jazz musicians who, in the 21st century, can put a fresh, new spin on the most overdone, beaten-to-death standards — which isn't an easy thing to do when you're dealing with a warhorse that has been recorded by literally hundreds of artists. In most cases, seeing an overdone title listed on a new jazz release inspires a reaction of, "Oh, please, not that song again"; when the artist is Teasley, however, one thinks, "Hmmmm, I wonder what he did with it." There aren't a lot of familiar song titles on Global Groovilization — the only thing on the CD that Teasley didn't write is Chick Corea's "Crystal Silence," which hasn't been recorded often enough to be called a warhorse. And in Teasley's case, seeing only one familiar title is almost disappointing because he's such an imaginative interpreter of familiar melodies. But Teasley is also a talented composer, and Global Groovilization is a welcome addition to his catalog. This 2003 release is titled Global Groovilization because it celebrates the groove factor; Teasley's goal was to demonstrate how much people all over the world like to groove. Jazz, funk (including go-go), and soul are influences; so are African, Middle-Eastern, Latin, and Indian music. Serving as a one-man band, Teasley plays all of the instruments himself — and they range from vibes and marimba to a variety of ethnic string and percussion instruments. Teasley plays the glockenspiel on "Crystal Silence"; he uses the electric versions of two Indian instruments (the santur and taba drums) on the Indian-minded "Tali for One." Most of the time, however, Teasley sticks to acoustic instruments on this CD, which isn't his most essential release but still deserves praise and high marks for its risk-taking spirit.