Gerald Cleaver: 22/23 (Positive Elevation/577 Records/bandcamp)

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Gerald Cleaver: 22/23 (Positive Elevation/577 Records/bandcamp)

New York's 577 Records has popped up at Elsewhere a few times, but so far for edgy free jazz.

The label now has an interesting imprint Positive Elevation which is dedicated to electronic sounds and avant-soul.

And that first category certainly suits Detroit's Gerald Cleaver who comes from the home of house music and musical innovation.

On this, his third album for the Positive Elevation imprint he brings multi-level electronics (gentle beats, rhythmic pulses, melodic washes, blips and unpredictability) and within the spacey sounds you can hear elements of hip-hop discreetly deployed but also something of a jazz flavour with alto/tenor player Andrew Dahlke (the quirky Cake).

You wouldn't be imagining it if you hear suggestion of Seventies Stevie Wonder in the grooves of A Marcha Para Baixo, pop melodies peaking through Ten and a bit of subtle MOR jazz-fusion or world music Afro electro-funk (Twins).

Probably more familiar as a jazz drummer (with the likes of Daniel Carter, Michael Formanek, Miroslav Vitous and Bill Frisell), Cleaver here once again claims a very different territory and while we concede immediately that this won't have instant or wide appeal, there is a lot going on here in a very measured chill-out way.

Very much worth checking out.

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You can hear this album at bandcamp here




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