About Vehicles
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BILLBOARD:
Multi-instrumentalist Bull offers an often dazzling display of his chops on this eclectic set--- some tracks here dating back to the late '70s, feature the Brecker Brothers and drummer Bernard Purdie. Whether your tastes run to pedal steel, oud, sarod, or a hot Fender, there's something to pique interest here.
BOSTON GLOBE:
One of the unsung heroes of modern guitar, Sandy Bull is a World-Beat, world-class plectrist who records phenomenal albums for tiny labels every three years. His sidemen--he's always had impeccable taste in them, and they play as if honored to accompany him--include Senegalese percussionist Aiyb Dieng (his cowbell enlivens "Ray's Dream," an homage to Ray Charles); drummer Bernard Purdie and pianist Hilton Ruiz, who perk up the soulful "Drifting" (with Bull on both pedal steel and oud).
ROLLING STONE:
Multi-instrumentalist Sandy Bull, who pioneered genre hopping in the '60s with his series of "Blend" albums on Vanguard, deftly juggles stone country, raga flavored improvision, New York R & B, vintage rock & roll and classical music--some of them in the same song--on Vehicles (Timeless Recording Society CD). In Lieu of an extended "Blend," Bull does some interesting things with a Turkish oud and a snatch of a Bach Cantata in "Concerto for the Wood."
DIRTY LINEN:
The uncompromisingly eclectic instrumentalist Sandy Bull defies ready classification. His new album, Vehicles, has a theme of sorts, revolving around automotive transportation. It still covers Bull's usual gamut from country and western to blues to Indian music to a jazz tune (recorded with Hilton Ruiz, the Brecker Brothers and Bernard Purdie). Other performances are too weird to categorize, such as the opening composition,"Ray's Dream," which starts out as a surf tune, veers towards Nashville, then towards the Middle East and finally out into the stratosphere.
The flawless digital recordings make all of the diverse acoustic and electrical instruments clearly audible. Special note should be made of the graphic design of the CD, which is one of the first I've seen to make that awkward little insert book into a work of art....Bull always delivers challenging music that bears repeated listenings.
1. Ray's Dream
Sandy Bull:Stratocaster, Steel, Oud Aiyb Dieng:Percussion
2. Interstate Vehicle
Sandy Bull:Steel, Bass, Acoustic, Percussion, Keyboard
3. Nostalgia
Sandy Bull: Sarod, Tamboura, Tabla, Percussion
4. Drifting
Sandy Bull:Guitar, Oud, Steel, Bass, Triangle, Timbales
Bernard Purdie:Drums Randy Brecker:Flugelhorn
Michael Brecker:Sax Marty Fogel:Alto Sax
5. Walking to Missouri
Sandy Bull:Jazzmaster, Bass, Piano, Drums
6. Louder Than Words
Sandy Bull:Guitar, Tabla, Sarod, Bass, Tamborine Aiyb Dieng:Talking Drum
7. Together Again
Sandy Bull:Steel, Acoustic, Stratocaster, Percussion, Piano
8. Rain Forest
Sandy Bull:Sarod.Aiyb Dieng:Percussion
9. Alligator Wrestler
Sandy Bull:Guitars, Bass, Banjo, Cuica, Cowbell, Piano
Bernard Purdie:Drums Charlie Brown:Sax Pancho Morales:Congas
10. Concerto for "The Wood"
Sandy Bull:Oud, Dumbek, "Chamber Orchestra"