John Patitucci's creativity soared on
One More Angel, an introspective and deeply personal effort that found him using music to reflect on events in his life (including a tragic miscarriage his wife Sashi had suffered).
One More Angel was a darn tough act to follow, but the bassist provided a respectable follow-up with the very different
Now. This time,
Patitucci emphasizes the cerebral and the angular, and the native New Yorker (who plays acoustic bass on seven selections and electric bass on three) does it with the help of a pianoless team that includes
Michael Brecker or
Chris Potter on tenor sax,
John Scofield on guitar, and
Bill Stewart on drums.
Patitucci clearly enjoys a strong rapport with his sidemen on intellectual originals like "Espresso," "Out of the Mouths of Babes," and "Forgotten But Not Gone," as well as interpretations of
McCoy Tyner's "Search for Peace" and
John Coltrane's "Giant Steps" (an electric bass/drums duet with
Stewart). Overall,
Now isn't as accessible or as consistently lyrical as
One More Angel,
Mistura Fina, or
Heart of the Bass -- this is a complex, cerebral offering that demands more of the listener than any of
Patitucci's previous releases. But those who don't shy away from
Now because of its complexity will find that the album has a lot going for it. ~ Alex Henderson