Upper Egypt is the third recording from
Wayne Horvitz and Zony Mash, and it shows the band growing tighter and tighter as time goes by. They've really become a band, as opposed to another project headed by
Horvitz, even with
Keith Lowe replacing Fred Chalenor on bass. Although the band was started as an excuse for
Horvitz to play his Hammond B-3, Upper Egypt incorporates more of his other keyboard sounds than their previous recordings. Thanks to programming many of his own synth sounds,
Horvitz has an immediately identifiable sound that goes perfectly with his unique playing and compositional style; even on the B-3, you know it's
Wayne Horvitz. Always in control of tone and timbre,
Horvitz colors the music beautifully, deftly moving between B-3 and his other keyboards. Guitarist Tim Young really steps into his own on this record as well. Sounding derivative of no one, he summons a wide range of tones and styles, from the delicate "Forever" to the
Meters-like funk of "Snakebite" to the slow burn of "Goes Round and Round," a tune dating back to the
President songbook.
Andy Roth and
Keith Lowe are a rock-solid rhythm section, keeping things well anchored as
Horvitz and Young alternate solos and comping.
Roth is a consummate time keeper: always tasteful and never flashy. Upper Egypt demonstrates what can happen when four talented individuals act with one mind: a great record. ~ Sean Westergaard