Artist: Mark Egan
Label: Wavetone Records
Release: 2010
Length: 61:07
Rating: 4.3/5
Once a student of the legendary Jaco Pastorius, now a hugely respected bassist whose reputation only grows with every new release. Mark Egan, bassist and trumpeter, best known for playing in Pat Metheny’s band between 1977 and 1980, has spent years writing music in his own voice alongside world-renowned players. For his latest, already seventh solo album, he’s pulled together an enviable crew – saxophonist Bill Evans, a student of Stan Getz, Mitch Forman, McLaughlin’s keyboard wizard, and on drums Vinnie Colaiuta (Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Sting, Frank Zappa etc.), who needs no further introduction. On the names alone, “Truth Be Told” promises a lot.
Egan has always been wildly versatile, even while staying strictly on jazz turf. From traditional jazz to the more modern, almost nu-jazz sound, he’s dug into the louder, noisier side of jazz fusion as well as the mellower, easier-on-the-ears stuff… He’s sailed the whole ocean of jazz. And “Truth Be Told” reflects exactly that, a real feast for every jazz fan and every one of its subgenres. There’s a special treat in there for everyone, but you’ll enjoy every single track. With a lineup like this, success is a given – when you’ve got a rhythm section as top-notch as Mark Egan and Vinnie Colaiuta, it’s obvious your head will be bobbing along without any effort at all.
It’s hard to pick just one favorite, since the whole thing is built so that it flows from one track into the next, from pleasant to even more pleasant, which makes a real peak tough to find. It’s not about building up so the listener gets primed for the big bang – the point of this record is a good hour of excellent jazz. Of course, that doesn’t mean the music turns monotonous or mediocre – quite the opposite. Every track adds another new piece to the mosaic of Egan’s musical vision, and it’s only really complete once you’ve heard the whole of “Truth Be Told”. And that’s the most interesting thing about it – even though the tunes don’t seem connected on the surface and could theoretically be listened to one by one, they hit that intended effect precisely in this sequence, just as they are.
The music on “Truth Be Told” isn’t revolutionary. It isn’t hugely experimental or innovative either. But it’s made the way good jazz should be made. Rhythm changes at just the right moment, accents in the right places, solos from individual instruments when the main melody has set you up for them. Of course the record is packed with great examples of Egan’s musical genius, little bass touches that spice up the whole musical picture so much that you never even feel the need for excessive improvisation and experimenting. Either way, “Truth Be Told” rises well above your everyday bar jazz. This is live music, concert music that deserves the listener’s full attention and isn’t meant to be background noise.
“Truth Be Told” is an album built entirely on a good jazz and funk “groove”, and it even recalls the work of the legendary Weather Report. No maestro-level epic climaxes that leave us slack-jawed, no instrumental overload to cloud our heads. Mark Egan has made excellent, easygoing jazz with plenty of funk and even rock touches, which can easily win over a wider crowd, while even the most demanding jazz heads will be licking their fingers over it.
Once Jaco Pastorius’ student, nowadays an accomplished bassist, whose fame is getting bigger and bigger with every new record. Mark Egan, bassist and trumpeter, who is best known for his work in Pat Metheny’s Group from 1977 to 1980, has been pursuing his own path as a composer with world famous musicians for some time now. For his newest, seventh album, Mark brought together enviable team of players – saxophonist Bill Evans, once a student of Stan Getz, Mitch Forman, McLaughlin’s keyboard wizard and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta (Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Sting, Frank Zappa etc.), who does not really need a special introduction. Album “Truth Be Told” promises a lot for the names alone.
Egan was always a diverse musician, although he has been always creating jazz music. From the more traditional sounds to the contemporary jazz and through the wonders of jazz fusion… He went through it all. And this is also reflected in “Truth Be Told”, which is a true delicacy for each and every fan of jazz and its subgenres. There is a treat to be found for everyone, but do not take this the wrong way – the whole album is to be enjoyed. When such musicians come together, success is inevitable – with such a rhythm section as Mark Egan and Vinnie Colaiuta, our heads groove along the music without us even trying.
It would be hard to point out one favourite, because the album is constructed in such a way that the tracks channel through one another, and is therefore without a peak. There is no escalation per se to be found, as the purpose of the album is to present some excellent jazz. Of course that does not mean that the music is average and monotone – quite the opposite. Each track presents one part of the mosaic of Egan’s music vision, which is therefore perfected only when the whole “Truth Be Told” is listened. And that is the most interesting part – despite the fact that the tracks do not seem connected at all and that they could be listened as standalone, they create a whole new dimension when they are listened as one concept, as envisioned by Mark Egan.
The music of “Truth Be Told” is not revolutionary. It is not even very experimental or innovative. It is created and performed in such a way as good jazz should be. With the right rhythm patterns and changes, with instrument’s solos in the right places etc. Of course there are a lot of small indications of Egan’s music genius, tiny little bass inputs, which thoroughly spice up music scheme, and therefore there is no wish for any excessive experiments and improvisations (though these are present). However, “Truth Be Told” is absolutely not your everyday “bar jazz”. It is a live music, concert music that deserves the whole attention of the listener and is not meant as a background.
“Truth Be Told” is an album that is based on a great jazz and funk groove and is in many ways similar to the music of the famous Weather Report. Without any epic peaks that would leave us with our mouths open. Mark Egan created excellent and nice jazz with plenty funk and rock influences, which can easily satisfy larger crowds, but can also please the most demanding listeners.
Line-up
Mark Egan – bass guitar
Bill Evans – saxophone
Mitch Forman – keyboards
Vinnie Colaiuta – drums
Production
Mark Egan
Track list
01. Frog Legs
02. Gargoyle
03. Truth Be Told
04. Sea Saw
05. Cafe Risque
06. Shadow Play
07. Blue Launch
08. Rhyme Of Reason
09. Blue Rain
10. Pepe
11. After Thought
