I own a few of Howard's Stick recordings and have sampled others but this release is a significant and wonderfully successful departure from his norm. Those of you familiar with
guitarist Michael Brook and his Live at The Aquarium release will understand the principle of live improv overlays with some loops, though most of this is all live without looping. Howard jams with Howard for a solid 59+ minutes and never loses steam nor bores my improv-critical ears. This is got to be some the most
fascinating and tour de force Stick artistry I have ever heard -- period. Howard even gets into seriously overdriven, fuzzed out, and echo-delayed modes that Hendrix, Torn, Durant, or Fripp would applaud. I can hardly see how all this is done so seamlessly with no overdubs. Imagine
Michael Hedges, Tony Levin, Stanley Jordan, Victor Wooten, Michael Brook, Jon Durant, Pat Metheny, and Jeff Beck tradin' licks. Howard's live composition even has space rock and ambient elements. Amazing effort and a hands-down winner.
© John W. Patterson /TiVo