Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey – Winterwood (2009/2021) – Dancing in the Moonlight of our Existence

I was fortunate enough to witness several different incarnations of Oklahoma’s acid-jazz sensations, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, back when I lived in Stillwater in the 2000’s and they were a local phenomenon. They always brought so much to the table to digest gig to gig, from their earlier avant hip-hop swing through to the sophisticated live jungle mixed with modal post-bop, all hemmed together through live next-level improvisational playing. The shows I saw were always different but equally brilliant, as they musically evolved quite a bit in such a brief time. Their full history is spelled out in the documental video below.

“Winterwood” is their magnum opus, their definitive statement, a culmination of everything that came before it. I honestly think it’s one of the finest jazz-rock fusion albums of the modern era. Every song seamlessly weaves together as a whole, the instrumental stories unfolding like aural cinema. What you gain from this is a rich warm sonic bath of gorgeous piano, lush guitars, dominant bass, and polyrhythmical drumming is a sonic pleasure to behold. From the huge opener, ‘Dove’s Army Of Love‘, through to the dynamic cascading beauty of ‘Vernal Equinox‘…it’s like the original Bill Evans Trio if they grew up digesting Funk, Drum and Bass, Fusion, as well as Prog. It’s that fucking good! The production is stellar crystal clear, the sound focused intuitive, the playing ultra tight. Do yourself a favor and go find this American treasure now! I cherish my double vinyl copy! LINKS BELOW…