If you wonder what drummer-composer-bandleader William Hooker has been doing lately you can find out with the noteworthy new album Channels of Consciousness (No Business NBCD 52). A well-rounded, speak-to-me avant quintet prevails, live at NYC's famed Roulette venue.
Adam Lane is on acoustic bass, and he's his usual excellent self; Chris DeMeglio puts a distinctive voice to the trumpet chair; Dave Ross adds lots of color and chops on acoustic guitar; Sanga plays some hot percussion, sounds like mostly congas; and of course Maestro Hooker leads and creates from the drums.
This is a band with no shortage of ideas, where the front liners of trumpet and guitar meld most productively with the solo frontage abilities of the rhythm section.
The compositions (by Hooker) set the tone. The band catches a wave of fire and keeps riding until the CD ends. Hooker has that structured freedom drumming of his very own and shows it here in an excellent setting, and everybody gets on it!
Excellent session. It's Hooker at his very best with one band I hope we hear more of. Get it!
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