Jack Casady first came to fame as an original member of
the Jefferson Airplane and later,
Hot Tuna. The first solo album (at age 59) from this well-traveled and prolific bassist,
Dream Factor, is a mixed affair. Unlike most rock bass-playing frontmen,
Casady does not sing, so his contributions to his debut are relegated to the occasional bass solo, and as co-writer of nearly all the tracks. His bass playing is more innovative and inspirational than his songwriting, which results in a passable Southern rock, folk, and blues album.
Casady calls in friends from
Gov't Mule (drummer
Matt Abts and guitarist
Warren Haynes), along with
Little Feat guitarist
Paul Barrére,
Ivan Neville, and
the Tubes'
Fee Waybill, among others, to help with vocals, and all do an admirable job, but ultimately, the album rests on the strength of its songs, most of which are pleasant, vaguely West Coast folk-pop ballads. When
Casady steps out on the burning instrumental jazz-rock fusion "Outside" (which also features
Haynes), and again in the middle section of the folksy "Weight of Sin," you get a true sense of his unique bass-playing talents. ~ Hal Horowitz