Teddy Presberg: Outcries From A Sea Of Red (2010)

Glenn Astarita

Senior Contributor since 1997

Longtime contributor to AAJ and Downbeat, Jazz Review, EjazzNews, Radio DirectX.

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Published: March 7, 2010

Teddy Presberg: Outcries From A Sea Of Red

Guitarist Teddy Presberg's brand of jazz, funk, and infusion of psychedelic wah-wah guitar parts, offers a stylistic amalgamation that hints at the past and aligns with a modernistic ideology, coupled with memorable hooks. Outcries From A Sea Of Red is an extension of previous roads traversed and features saxophonist Jim Stevens with other guest artists.

Presberg wraps relatively simple, yet catchy melody lines into bluesy struts and medium-tempo funk grooves, all tinged with his resonating guitar licks. The musicians rev it up on occasion amid some edgy improvisational exercises. However, the leader fuses a deep-rooted groove with lyrical and rangy guitar parts that abet the overall harmonic structures of a given theme. In effect, Presberg's alignment of deep-funk with psychedelic rock musings equate to a compelling listen.

The guitarist fuses old time hard-rock treatments with a bubbly pulse and tears it up with Stevens on "Saint Louis." In other spots, Presberg renders Delta blues motifs while keyboardist Chris Stevenson injects a jazz influence and a few antiquated synth sounds into the mix. Ultimately, Presberg doesn't overstate his cause via these shuffles and mid-tempo boogaloos that are wondrously driven and shaded by his oscillating guitar lines and blasts from yesteryear. No doubt, he's a unique performer and warrants widespread recognition, partly due to his clever integration of time-honored guitar techniques and sustainable compositions. He seldom fails to entertain.

Track Listing: $4/Gal; Politics; Free Love Redux; Timebomb; Naturally; Beyond Busted; Nancy; Theme De La Rouge; Delmar Blues; Bella's Boogaloo; Saint Louis; Cornbread Middle West; Thanks Maw; Juicy Peach; Passion; Outcries from a Sea of Red.

Personnel: Teddy Presberg: vocals, guitar, harmonica, percussion; Jim Stevens: alto saxophone; Chris Stevenson: piano, Fender Rhodes piano, organ; Randy Boyce: vibraphone; Grover Stewart: drums; Shlomo Ovadya: bass, percussion; Eric Nolley: drums; Grover Stewart: drums; Nathan Frost: percussion; Bella Presberg: percussion.

Record Label: Outright Music
Style: Funk/Groove