Spare Parts Official Website | Chicago Jazz Funk

Spare Parts - "Trio"

- Review by Brad Walseth (www.JazzChicago.net)

Hold on to your hat when you put this one on your CD player. Chicago's Spare Parts have a "no-holds-barred/everything-including-the-kitchen sink" approach to their energetic musical attack. On Trio this trio - consisting of Kevin Kozol on several keyboards, Colin Scott on electric bass and Mike Bruno on drums and percussion - concoct a free-wheeling fireworks display of enjoyable playing and songwriting for the benefit of the listener and/or dancer. These memorable tunes are at times funky ("Meteorite," "Home Run Incident," "Police Report," "The Junction," "Brainwreck"), at times progressive fusion "Trilogy Parts I-III," "Japanese Rock Song," "Earland") with forays into pop ("Hello Dear," "Absynth") and even smooth space lounge ("The Last Straw," "Water Music") - often combining disparate elements within the songs themselves. The musicianship is first rate - with Scott a "Fender-Funkmeister," Bruno driving the band like it is a well-tuned Bugatti and Kozol supplying cascades of keyboard washes and sounds ranging from orgasmic organs and acoustic piano to electric pianos and chewy synth leads. A fun album that will get the limbs moving all akimbo - they must be killer live.