David Lockeretz is a jazz bassist and keyboard player living in Pasadena, California who recently completed his second solo album Mulligan! For the past quarter century Lockeretz has recorded and performed with a variety of musicians in jazz, rock, blues, oldies and world genres. Lockeretz currently plays with the bands Smokin’ Cobras and Outside Pedestrian.
In golf, a “Mulligan” is a do-over, and Lockeretz thought this would make a good title for his second album. He states that while Mulligan! is mainly a jazz record, “…it also explores Latin, Irish, funk, blues, kitsch ‘60s and other genres. In addition to typical jazz/rock instruments such as guitar, synths, piano, vibes, bass and drums, the album also features theremin, accordion, steel drums and spoken word. The emphasis is on quirky, unpredictable compositions and group interplay more so than individual virtuosity.” Though Lockeretz mentions group interplay, he’s supplied no credits for any of his side players. All the players are excellent and his drummer’s kit is wide, expertly played and marvelously captured. Recording and mastering took place at Big City Recording in Granda Hills, California. “Don’t Read The Comments” (great title) opens the album with Polynesian-sounding steel drums playing off Mingus-like standup bass. Grand piano and bass each take turns for some easygoing improv. “Non-Hybrid Seeds” finds synth and electric guitars trading baroque arpeggios for a mellow, Spyro Gyro-sounding tune. “The Old Neighborhood” delightfully recalls Vince Guaraldi’s Charlie Brown Christmas music with the welcome addition of Italian-sounding accordion. It definitely feels like going home for the holidays. “Minor Outlying Island” again features steel drums in a playful fusion dialogue with breathy synth patches, while the bass anchors the composition at three notes per measure. “I Will See You There” changes tack for a 12-bar blues vamp with a Telecaster-sounding guitar, which is allowed the time and space to stretch out. “Deor” changes things up with a funky spoken-word track. Lockeretz sometimes declaims as if he’s delivering a sermon with Ohio Players-era electronic sounds responding like a Greek Chorus. This is followed by the quite mellow “Old Habits” whose vibes, accordion and clean guitar lines evoke a dreamy summer’s day lounging in the backyard. “Green Girl” is dominated by a vibraphone and bass melody line that delightfully remakes the old hit single “The Locomotion” with a bit more of that Vince Guaraldi Peanuts piano thrown in. “Big Leo” is the final new track, a grand and immersive summing-up with a bit of a spy movie soundtrack vibe toward the end. The final two tracks are both demos of previous songs, which I’m assuming Lockeretz recorded by himself to present to his players. Though a bit more synthetic sounding (with digital drums), these are nice alternate takes of “Non-Hybrid Seeds” and “Green Girl,” two of the better tracks. Overall this is a collection that nicely straddles the worlds of traditional jazz and fusion with many other colors thrown in just for fun.
3 Comments
12/29/2020 04:19:12 am
Thanks for taking the time to listening to the record and for your kind words. Funny, I didn't realize that "Green Girl" sounded like "Loco Motion" but now that you mention it....
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12/29/2020 08:51:42 am
Well deserved! Funny about "Loco Motion" - there's melodies floating around that we sometimes grab without knowing. However you got there, it worked for the song!
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12/31/2020 07:28:21 pm
I just hope that Gerry and Carole don't Cease & Desist me....happy new year!
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