| Reviews by
Rhonda Dicksion JAN HAMMER
Miramar/BMG You can usually expect some- thing pretty hip and spectacular when Seattle-based Miramar releases an album (or a video, and this is no exception. If you are a fan of fusion (that hot, soulful combination of rock and jazz sounds) you will really like Drive. This is Jan Hammer's first solo, non-soundtrack album for- Miramar, but not his first collaboration with the company. Jan is the composer of the soundtrack to Beyond the Mind’s Eye, the multi-platinum, computer-animated video-album. Jan is also the composer of the “Miami Vice” theme and soundtrack which earned him two Grammys and two Emmys. In addition, his 12 solo albums have sold more than 10 million copies worldwide. Clearly, this is one man who knows what people like. It's really hard to describe
Drive
in a few concise sentences because there is so much diversity here. The
title cut is funky and rappish, while another cut, "Island Dreamer," is
a swaying, breezy, techno-trip to paradise. "Up Or Down" begins quiet and
thoughtfully, almost a hymn, then progresses to become an assertive statement
of confidence and cool. Though each cut is a bit different in feel and
tone, we get the sense that Jan has crafted each of these cuts as carefully
as a diamond cutter plans to polish a gem. The result is a CD which is
bright, upbeat, and grooving. When you put Drive in, be prepared
to sit down and hold on!
NEW TIMES
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| AMG EXPERT
REVlEW:
For an instrumental artist,
hitting the pop charts is a blessing, but it can also bring along the baggage
of stereotyping and higher expectations. If the smash happens to be the
biggest sensation of a given decade, it might be that much harder to break
the mold. But Jan Hammer, a fusion pioneer with the groundbreaking Mahavishnu
Orchestra but best known for his in-your-face guitar oriented synth assault
on the "Miami Vice" theme circa 1985, adheres to his own mixed moody agenda
on his first non scoring project in years, the percussive yet often sweet
and very melodic Drive. From the fluffy tropical pleasures of "Island
Dreamer" to the sugary breezes of "Lucky Jane, '' Hammer seems intent on
showing a softer, subtle side in addition to the punchy snap his fans are
used to. And just coincidentally, despite the very electronic sounding
landscape he creates, he shows some frequently peppy jazz chops. While
an intense, sweeping hummability and inventive plugged in percussion wall
keep every song on a worthwhile path, the most remarkable aspect of the
collection (his second Miramar disc, after the soundtrack to the wildly
successful Beyond the Mind’s Eye video) is the way Hammer chooses
various sounds using his synth arsenal. On "Don't You Know, " he takes
on an electric guitar feel while "Nightglow'' gives a dead-on impression
of a smoky muted trumpet. When he feels like interacting with human voices,
he calls on old friends and collaborators like Jeff Beck (whose plucky,
raw guitarisma blows the title cut to high heaven) and the more sensuous
strains of Michael Brecker.
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