A godfather of original funky fusion has lately made it a point to demonstrate that there’s still no one who can make this kind of music better than him. Since reviving the Jeff Lorber Fusion moniker in 2010, Jeff Lorber has been stamping out an album every year of so with no letup in quality. His fifth since the JLF comeback is just around the corner, too: Prototype is coming out March 24, 2017 courtesy of Shanachie Entertainment, Lorber’s first for the label.
Today Shanachie released an advance single from Prototype, “Hyperdrive,” that you can dig to your heart’s content in the stream above. And you’ll want to, because this snappy groove features those signature polyrhythms so tightly woven into a worldly, catchy keyboard/sax-rendered melody and capped off by an accomplished Lorber Rhodes aside.
What “Hyperdrive” doesn’t have is Haslip on bass…because another bass legend Nathan East is filling in. Lorber contributed this song for an East project but East left it off of his record; Lorber was quite happy to take it back and put it on his own next record.
1. Hyperdrive
Drums: Gary Novak
Keyboards: Jeff Lorber
Bass: Nathan East
Alto Sax: Andy Snitzer
Rhythm Guitar: Paul Jackson Jr.
Melody Guitar: Chuck Loeb
Horn Arrangement and Performance: Dave Mann
Mixed by Peter Mokran
2. Prototype
Drums: Gary Novak
Keyboards: Jeff Lorber
Electric Bass: Jimmy Haslip
Alto Sax: Andy Snitzer
Guitars: Michael Thompson
Horn Arrangement and Performance: Dave Mann
Mixed by: Jeff Lorber
3. Test Drive
Drums: Gary Novak
Keyboards, Synth Bass, Guitar: Jeff Lorber
Electric Bass: Jimmy Haslip
Alto Sax: Andy Snitzer
Guitars: Michael Thompson
Guitar: Jarius Mozee
Horn Arrangement and Performance: Dave Mann
Mixed by: Peter Mokran
4. What’s the Deal
Drums: Gary Novak
Keyboards, Synth Bass: Jeff Lorber
Electric Bass: Jimmy Haslip
Tenor Sax: Andy Snitzer
Guitars: Michael Thompson
Guitar: Jarius Mozee
Horn Arrangement and Performance: Dave Mann
Mixed by: Peter Mokran
5. Vienna
Drums: Gary Novak
Keyboards: Jeff Lorber
Bass: Jimmy Haslip
Tenor Sax: Andy Snitzer
Guitar and Solo: Larry Koonse
Mixed by Jeff Lorber
6. The Badness
Drums: Gary Novak
Keyboards, Synth Bass: Jeff Lorber
Alto Sax: Andy Snitzer
Electric Bass: Jimmy Haslip
Guitars: Michael Thompson
Horn Arrangement and Performance: Dave Mann
Mixed by Jeff Lorber
7. Gucci
Drums: Gary Novak
Keyboards, Synth Bass: Jeff Lorber
Soprano and Alto Sax: Andy Snitzer
Guitar and Guitar Solo: Larry Koonse
Guitars: Michael Thompson
Guitar: Paul Jackson Jr.
Mixed by: Peter Mokran
8. Hidden Agenda
Drums: Gary Novak
Keyboards, Guitar: Jeff Lorber
Alto Sax: Andy Snitzer
Electric Bass: Jimmy Haslip
Guitars: Michael Thompson
Guitars: Paul Jackson Jr.
Horn Arrangement and Performance: Dave Mann
Mixed by Jeff Lorber
9. Park West
Drums: Gary Novak
Keyboards, Synth Bass, Guitar: Jeff Lorber
Alto sax: Andy Snitzer
Electric Bass: Jimmy Haslip
Guitars: Michael Thompson
Horn Arrangement and Performance: Dave Mann
Mixed by Peter Mokran
10. River Song
Drums: Gary Novak
Keyboards: Jeff Lorber
Soprano Sax: Andy Snitzer
Electric Bass: Jimmy Haslip
Guitars: Michael Thompson
String and Orchestra Arrangement and Performance: Dave Mann
Mixed by Jeff Lorber
All Songs written by Jeff Lorber except Hidden Agenda co written with Jimmy Haslip
Recorded by Jeff Lorber at JHL Sound Pacific Palisades CA except for the following:
Dave Mann horns recorded by Dave at Mannerism Studio, NYC
Michael Thompson recorded by Mike at Cocoa Butt, Culver City, CA
