Few styles of music are more maligned than jazz fusion. Detractors insist that in merging the least appealing elements of jazz, rock and R&B, the form is devoid of substance. The Kansas City guitarist Jeff Shirley defies these haters with two new albums reviving the halcyon era when bands like Return to Forever, the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Brand X roamed the earth.
“Mount Meru,” the opening salvo of Contigo, immediately transports the listener to 1974. The musical chops, complex modulations and, yes, wicked shredding, will please admirers of the jazz-rock associated with Al Di Meola. Carlos Santana, a similarly revered guitarist, is honored on “Time For Fun”.
The elements of progressive rock on "Transients", a standout track on Modes of Nature, allow Shirley’s collaborators- the credits include Dawson Jones, Antonio Reyes, Mark Slimm, Spencer Smith, Brian Steever and Kevin Young- to demonstrate their range.
Big, bold and occasionally garish, Contigo and Modes of Nature exude a palpable sense of joy that mitigates most of the albums’ excesses. Shirley’s artistic playfulness and conspicuous generosity make him a persuasive ambassador for jazz fusion. In the hands of Shirley, the undervalued form is still vital.