Power Patriot is an excellent example of what I like to think of as "heavy instrumental jazz." The album is jazz/rock/jam supergroup Garage A Trois' first album following the departure of Seattle eight string guitar virtuoso Charlie Hunter.
As a longtime Benevento fan, I personally rejoiced when I heard keyboard player Marco Benevento had officially joined Garage A Trois after gigging with the band.
Garage A Trois current lineup is Marco Benevento (Benevento/Russo Duo) on keys, Mike Dillon (Critters Buggin') on vibraphone/percussion, Skerik (Critters Buggin') on saxophone, and Stanton Moore (Galactic) on the drum kit. These extremely talented musicians provide a sound-world largely driven by the interaction between Dillon's vibraphone and Benevento's distorted keys. Skerik solos less than he typically has in the past and opts for a more supportive role in the band. Moore's drumming is much more rock driven than jazzy here. The compositions are quite complicated and feature prominent use of asymmetrical time signatures and tricky changes. The complexity here is tasteful and smooth-more reminiscent of ‘70s progressive rock than modern math-rock.
Standout tracks on the album include the 5/4 opener "Rescue Spreaders", the funky "Electric Doorbell Machine", and the heavy, percussive "Fat Redneck Gangster."
Ian Gowing, KUPS weekend music director
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