The name Melvin Gibbs might only be familiar to readers of this site for his work as a member of the late '90s incarnation of Rollins Band. For jazz, funk and fusion aficionados, though, Gibbs is a much-heralded player, able to mix genres and styles with more than a little amount of fire and energy. It is this side of Gibbs that is in full flower on this disc - the first recorded with his new ensemble Elevated Entity. The album combines Gibbs' varied interests, particularly the hard pulse of hip-hop and the hip-swaying groove of traditional Brazilian music, into a vibrant and memorable stew of sound and ideas.

Gibbs made field recordings of bahia rhythms and singing which he then used as the building blocks for the heady tracks found on this collection. On top of them, the bassist lets acid rock guitar solos and clattering drums take over (the bracing "Odudua"), or remixes them into club-ready electro ("Mojuba"). Others see Gibbs letting his enthusiasm get the best of him, building tottering, overfull tracks like the dizzying "Summer Breeze", a song that layers a light P-Funk sound, strident rapping, and the tang of some Cuban percussion leaving little room for the listener to get comfortable.

Standout Tracks: "Os Aguas," "Odudua," "Eu Cant En Yoruba"

--Fred Mills