Jim Wellman: Dawn to Dusk
Jim Wellman
Dawn to Dusk
(Postmodern Jazz)
Opening with the quick rhythm of electric guitar and a tight conga groove/snare snap, Jim Wellman gets his new Dawn to Dusk going with the soulful vocals of Judy La Rose on âLucy.â An even funkier âLewontin Campbellâ follows with a real fat bass and snapping horns under Wellmanâs limited, yet effectively emotive vocals. A wacka-wacka percussion and guitar help to move this one along even more than the opener, which moved very well as it was. âProbably Goodâ mines a slightly slower groove, prominent high hat and wavy, electric piano swirling under the perfectly-sexy-without-trying-to-be-sexy vocal from Tara from studiopros.com. (There is a sly, singable chorus here that makes this one of the best tracks here.) âFeedback Loopâ has probably the best layering of sounds (guitar, xylophone, and conga) and it gets up a nice head of steam on what is pretty much a short, little groove. We get spoken-word pronouncements here about humanity, by way of a phone conversation here, but I feel what Wellman has to say is better served when he lets his singers sing. âNight of the Memeâ (great title!) again has a complicated conga and drums (and smokinâ bass) groove, but piano leads this one really, as does a sexy, male vocal.  âLet the People Rule Yaââ is all bass, percussion and horns. Itâs a great mover with a chanted main title vocal, low and groovinâ. Like âProbably Goodâ I could sing along to this one, as well as get up and dance.