Track Listing

1. Xenoblast
2. Double Agent
3. Milliken Way
4. Spiders
5. Jovan
6. Dromedary
7. Shaker Hill
8. Igor
9. Hang Ten

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #271026 in Music
• Released on: 2000-05-09
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.com
This oddball power trio's third album is also their major-label debut. It blasts into jazz consciousness with a jungle-meets-fusion title track that sounds like Flatt & Scruggs jamming with Phish. Xenoblast flies high from the get-go, but you can tell JMP are just warming up. With Jamie Masefield on mandolin and mandola, Chris Dahlgren on bass, and Ari Hoenig on drums, JMP incorporates dazzlingly unusual melodic fare with hardy improvisations that gallivant with all the promise of mad youth on a swinging bender. They sail through subtle hard bop in "Double Agent," do a country-reggae march on "The Milliken Way," caress Celtic funk with "Dromedary," romp through the American heartland in "Shaker Hill," and pay tribute to Stravinsky with the complex arrangement of "Igor." JMP's cleverness sometimes mires their rambunctious improvs, and band loses the plot while building mindless climaxes. Xenoblast is feast and famine, a blend of innovative ideas and musicianship occasionally sabotaged by JMP's enthusiasm and whirlpool of ideas. --Ken Micallef

Customer Reviews

Once Again - Phenominal!
This is hard driving improvisational music. It is endlessly creative and incredibly well recorded. It is also very difficult to discribe if you've never heard it. The compositions twist and turn and twist again. It's not the typical theme > solo > theme, more of a theme > solo > theme > solo > theme > solo etc... That's what makes this music so vital & fresh, a JMP album is never predictable even after you've listened to it 30 times, you'll still hear new changes and colors with every listen. If you enjoyed either of their two previous albums check this one out - it smokes! If you dig highly complex groove orinted space jazz look no further. This is the music of the future & thanks to Blue Note for spreading it to the masses. Enjoy!

check out tour de flux first
Having enjoyed 'tour de flux' for a few years and seen JMP live, I was happy to hear some new music of theirs. I don't think that this album has the melodic strength of Tour de Flux, nor are the songs quite as engaging. This album upon first listen does not have a tune like "flux", "nimbus" or "country down" that grabs the listener immediately. Likewise, the drumming of Jon Fishman, which is absolutely incredible on "tour" is missed on this album. The only other criticism I would have is that Trey Anastasio's guitar work is not used on a better tune. "hang ten" is basically a rhythm workout without any real solos.

The minor negatives out of the way, this album does feature some amazing musicianship and playing. JMP finds plenty of time to jam in the context of the tunes, but also locks into some very tight, funky grooves (check out 'double agent', 'dromedary'). Though the tunes are not as instantly endearing, the album improves after repeated listening. Of course, live shows are the best context in which to exerience this band. Recommended.

BUY THIS ALBUM. IT IS TOTALLY WORTH YOUR MONEY
I was really impressed with this album. Jamie Masefield's compositions all vary- ranging from the rocking title track, the jam-bandy "Milliken Way", to the compositionally profound "Igor" to the silliness of "Hang Ten" the late night jam with Trey Anastasio. I have seen these guys live a bunch and they really build the songs to an awesome level when they are playing together (especially the trio of Dahlgren, Hoenig and Masefield). The songs on this album certainly are a great teaser to their live shows. And the crafty composition combined with the technical poficiency of Masefield is incredibly impressive. TOTALLY worth your money.