Truly an unsung hero in the world music realm despite many years and releases of brilliantly melodic, intensely rhythmic, and exotically transporting indie releases, guitarist Bill Macpherson and his six-piece band (led by longtime friend and collaborator, bassist Nee Sackey) keep plugging away on this wondrously eclectic jam whose vibe they call "spicy jungle jazz." Marking a return to the cool mix of African and funky smooth jazz sounds they captured on their popular mid-'90s release Medicinal Purposes, Across the Globe rolls like a fun-filled, high-spirited travelogue. The opening title cut is an explosive Afro-jam swirling on gently rolling basslines, crisp electric lines, boisterous marching percussion, and sweet ethnic chants and piano harmonies. Macpherson's coolly moody mix of jazz/fusion with slight exotic touches on "Satiated" has melodic pop elements, a vibe that reaches its fullest expression on the totally in the pocket, easy grooving first single "Now's the Time," featuring smoothie star Jeff Kashiwa. The fun part of this journey is how it takes the listener from that kind of hip urban jazz back to the melodic jungle -- with guest instrumentation including sizzling horn accents, Dayren Santamaria's hypnotic violin on "Te Extrano Mucho," and a joyful mini-choir on "Mombasa Sunset." "Te Extrano Mucho" also includes touches of the familiar soprano sax of Marion Meadows, which sounds super cool outside of its usual smooth context. Kashiwa is also featured on another urban delight, the locomotive Sackey tune "Where There's Smoke," and the bluesy pop-soul jaunt "Heartstrings." Another guest jazz fans won't want to miss is Russell Ferrante, whose piano adds grace to the sensual "Carla's Dream" and a tender harmony line to the gentle samba-flavored "Softly Spoken." This exclusive guest list -- and the Costa Rica bred hot sauce included in the promo package for Across the Globe -- are a nice touch, but the core of the magic here is, as it's always been, the sizzling interaction between Macpherson and Sackey, whose Native Vibe is always worth punching our passports for.
© Jonathan Widran /TiVo