Reviews for "My Finest Hour"
Acoustic Music
Don't, like me, be too deceived by the song titles to Ali Bey's My Finest Hour. At first glance, I thought "Hmmm, a funk release. Cool.", but, hoo boy!, was I ever wrong. Bassist Ali Bey has no back-off whatsoever on loving jazz fusion and the briefest of listens lets you know he was influenced by Eleventh House, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return to Forever, David Sancious, Ronnie Laws, and many of the units which emerged around the time he was just a kid. Born in 1970, Bey was working a 4-string axe by the age of 11. That's called 'precocious', y'all, and that's what makes artists stand out.
Bey's basic unit is a threesome, and the recording's such that there's no relegating his instrument to the traditional background it normally occupies most anywhere else. On every cut, he's strong and clear, and engineer Robert G. Andrews balanced off Larry Andrews' guitar and Breon Gilmore's drums in exact balance. This means everyone's playing a lead instrument. Neither Bey nor Andrews cover over Gilmore's basic rhythm matrix nor his extrapolations, and Gilmore in return keeps everything in his kit emphatic and bouncy, never clustering up compeers. Andrews, though, cuts loose with fire in tracks like Slugger, then lays back into mellow chords. Then catch Gilmore's work on the same cut, heaving like a monster, and that's after Bey's touched off chordal strums and poppin' percolating runs in the intro.
My Finest Hour is a chops-based effort more than anything else, and I wouldn't have been surprised to see cuts from it included in the old Guitar Recordings releases for connoisseurs of the more technical side of playing. When Bey gets hypersonic, those fingers practically fly off his hands, but, really, he's into the artisanry of the bass' role and much of this is like a fine steak dinner or maybe just some damn good gumbo: savory and with lots of meat to it. Expect, at times, early McLaughliny textures and notes from Andrews, Extrapolation period, as well as atmospherics that wouldn't have been out of place with Alphonse Mouzon or Larry Young. One very small criticism, though: Gilmore needed more bass register recorded on his lines, the absence of it makes his work more thin than it should be and thus takes about 10% away from the CD's timbrals and atmosperics. Other than, tho', I'm happy as a mofo.
Gapplegate Guitar And Bass Blog
Today an album from a very fine electric bassist, Ali Bey. My Finest Hour (self released) presents a power fusion trio of Larry Andrews on electric guitar, Breon Gilmore on drums, and Bey on four-string.
There are some guests here and there but in the end it is Bey and the trio who shine forth. Ali is a technically endowed, expressive presence throughout. Some great bass playing is in order. But then Larry and Breon are also fine players.
It is original fusion-rock music of appeal that you hear. And yes, the bass is out front and beautifully extroverted!
Ali Bey is no joke and his band take no prisoners!! Put it on and revel. If you are a bassist, you will want to go woodshed.
Straight No Chaser - A Jazz Show
I’ve already got this CD on heavy rotation. That rapid-fire thumping you hear from my office – that’s Ali Bey.
A product of the fertile Detroit Jazz scene, Ali has been playing electric bass since the age of eleven. Ali’s musical development was strongly influenced by both parents - his father’s love of Jazz, Blues, and R&B and his mother’s encouragement for him to study gospel music. Time with mentors like Harold McKinney, a Grammy nominated composer and arranger; trumpeter Marcus Belgrave; and Jazz Master and acclaimed Saxophonist Donald Walden paved the way for Bey to become an in-demand funk, fusion and straight-ahead jazz bassist. Both as a sideman and with the Ali Bey Quartet (Breon Gilmore (drums), Larry Andrews (lead guitarist), Raphael Statin (saxophonist) and Bey (bass guitarist)), he has become a fixture in the Motor City.
My Finest Hour, his CD that has caught my attention, is a wonderful mix of old-school fusion bass and straight ahead playing. Right from the get-go, “’Dam’ I Got a Toothache” sets the tone – lightning fills over shifting a time signature and a driving beat that wouldn’t be out of place on mid-70’s Return to Forever. Bey uses Gilmore and Andews as his core collaborators, but wisely fills out the sound with not only Statin but Ladarrel Johnson on sax (especially on his rave-up “Ace in the Hole”) , and Raymond Davis Jr.’s keyboard on “Sanktum Sanktorium.”
This is not just an album for fusion fanatics, though. Check out the soulfulness of “Ace in the Hole” or the chill of “Joe Cool” and you’ll know that Ali Bey has more than a few good tricks in those four strings
Something Else!
Ali Bey’s My Finest Hour is a sleek and swinging recording, one that features an abundance of grooves and a whole of funk. The bassist delivers the stuff of Detroit by not downplaying the connective tissue between musical genres. There’s funk, jazz, rock, R&B, and even gospel flavors simmering in this stew.
Bey took up the bass guitar at the age of 11 and surrounded himself with quality musical influences, like his parents and the jazz instructor Donald Walden. He honed his skills and formed his first quartet in 2009, connecting with the likes of drummer Breon Gilmore and guitarist Larry Andrews. The group seared through the Metro Detroit area.
With My Finest Hour, Ali Bey slims down and uses a trio setting. Gilmore is back on the kit and Andrews supplies the guitar. Other musicals include Raphael Statin (soprano saxophone), who was in that original quartet, and saxophonist Ladarrel Johnson. Drummer Eric Joe touches down on three tracks and Larry Tucker also hits the sticks on “Ace in the Hole.”
The sound is agreeably rhythmic from the outset, with the kickoff jam “‘Dam’ I Got a Toothache” warming things up. Bey pares out the melody, while Andrews strums in. Joe’s drums provide plenty of colour and his fills are fiery without running a fever. The cymbal splashes are energetic accent points, dotting the funk-infused phrases that lead to Andrews’ solo.
“Larry and Ali’s Theme” continues the vibe but jacks up the pace, thrusting through an accelerated that once again benefits from Joe’s hot fills. There’s a point in which Andrews and Ali Bey almost get tangled up in strings and the resultant routine brightly spreads out to the main melody line.
Other highlights abound, like the neon evening roll of “Brooklyn Blues.” Johnson’s saxophone is a welcome presence because it provides a sense of richness without crowding the unit. And his return on “Ace in the Hole” blends fluidly with the melodic foreground.
While My Finest Hour isn’t always the most innovative work, it does feature roughly 46 minutes of sweet and soulful sounds. It’s a funky, groovy midnight run of a record, a satisfying listen that parks Ali Bey right where he needs to be in the world of jazz fusion.
The Jazz Page
My Finest Hour from bassist Ali Bey is a showcase of outstanding virtuosity. The Detroit native demonstrates the craftsmanship of a player who his found his voice through much study and commitment. Bey stands strongly in the tradition of bass players not content to simply take a seat behind other soloists. The voice of the bass very much drives this effort and is the forefront of what happens on this effort. The music is a fusion of rock, soul and jazz influences with a nice sonic range from uptempo grooves to ballad. Bey’s touch as a composer is equally impressive, as he wrote and arrange every track on the recording. Joining him are Larry Andrews on guitar and Breon Gilmore on drums. Guest performers include Raymond Davis, Jr. on keyboards, Ladarrel Johnson on tenor and alto saxophones, Raphael Statin on soprano sax and Larry Tucker and Eric Joe on drums on alternate tracks on the production. A truly quality effort.
Progressive Rock Page
My Finest Hour is an excellent electric bass album by Detroit musician Ali Bey. Most of the album contains powerful jazz fusion with funk and rock elements, showcasing outstanding bass work by Ali Bey along with the fabulous drummer Breon Gilmore and talented guitarist Larry Andrews.
The album opens with the jazz-rocking ‘“Dam” I Got A Toothache’ featuring impressive bass lines, rhythm and solo guitar, and creative drumming.
Next is the fiery ‘Larry and Ali’s Theme’ where drummer Breon Gilmore delivers a stellar performance.
‘Sanktum Sanktorium’ is a piece that begins with great electronic keyboards added to the trio and grows into an intense climactic conclusion with a memorable bass solo.
‘Brooklyn Blues’ sounds like the pre-requisite smooth jazz saxophone piece found in many modern recordings.
The next piece is titled ‘Slugger.’ It starts with solo bass work that progresses into tasty funk jazz that presents a series of engaging bass and guitar improvisations.
The saxophone returns and dominates ‘Ace in the Hole.’
‘Joe Cool’ brings back the great funk jazz sound featuring the trio format.
The last piece is faster-paced, with a Weather Report vibe, featuring a different saxophone player, Raphael Statin, with a more attractive style.
The lineup on My Finest Hour features Larry Andrews on guitar, Breon Gilmore on drums; and Ali Bey on bass.
The special guests are Raymond Davis Jr. on keyboards; Raphael Statin on soprano saxophone; Ladarrel Johnson on alto, tenor saxophone ; Larry Tucker on drums; and Eric Joe on drums.
Ali Bey was born on August 1, 1970 in Detroit, Michigan. He began playing bass guitar at age eleven. Ali’s musical development was strongly influenced by both parents. Ali’s father introduced him to jazz, blues, and R&B and his mother is a Gospel singer who encouraged him to study gospel.
Herbert Nicholson, a music teacher at Drew Middle School in Detroit, recognized the talent in Ali and directed him towards jazz. He grew up listening to all types of music and developed a special love for traditional jazz and jazz fusion.
Ali’s professional career began during high school with composer and arranger Harold McKinney. Ali played alongside Harold McKinney around the Detroit Metropolitan area for 2 years. After high school, Ali became friends with Marcus Blegrave, a well-known jazz trumpeter, and the two played jointly for two years. In 1989, Ali was introduced to Donald Walden, a jazz master and much-admired saxophonist who at the time was the jazz instructor for the City of Detroit Summer Youth program.
The Ali Bey Quartet was formed in 2009; featuring Breon Gilmore (drums), Larry Andrews (lead guitarist), Raphael Statin (saxophonist) and Ali Bey (bass guitarist).