The Bridge - The Bridge CD Review

There is something undeniably cathartic about driving and listening to music.

Certain albums seem to be made for the open road, and The Bridge’s self-titled release is one of those offerings. With a laid back pace and narrative lyrics referring to wheels a-turning and engines spinning, it is a very befitting companion for a trip down the highway.

The young Baltimore-bred quintet delivers a melting pot of musical styles on this latest CD – from bluegrass-flavored tunes like “Flats of the Old Avenue” and “Chains,” to the incredibly funky “Bad Locomotive” and “Shake ‘em Down.” One of The Bridge’s unique selling points is the incorporation of beat box and saxophone, adding jazz and hip-hop flare into the mix as well.

From the opening song “Get Back Up,” listeners will hear the remarkably tight instrumentation between guitarist Cris Jacobs, bassist Dave Markowitz, drummer Mike Gambone, saxophonist Patrick Rainey, and mandolin/beat boxing extraordinaire Kenny Liner. Supplementing the five core members of the group are frequent guest appearances, including organist John Ginty (Citizen Cope), pianist Mookie Siegel (Phil Lesh & Friends, Dave Nelson Band), and drummer Russell Batiste Jr. (The Funky Meters).

One of the album’s most powerful displays appears in the soulful and dynamic “Angelina.” Jacobs reveals his strength on lead vocals, showcasing a broad range and pitch perfect harmonies with backing vocalists Dave Markowitz and guest Ed Hough.

“Bad Locomotive” is an instant stand-out track, filled with beefy bass lines, smoking hot guitar licks, and a blistering solo from Jacobs that is nearing Stevie Ray Vaughan status. Ominous statements like “halfway to the burying ground” and “I sold my reason for a one-way ride” conjure images of addiction and destructive behavior, which marks a brief departure from the mostly light-hearted tone found in the rest of the album.

Beyond his abilities on the guitar and vocals, Cris Jacobs is listed as the songwriter for nine of the album’s twelve tracks. He and co-founder Kenny Liner share authorship of “The Ballad of Clear Rock,” and Liner is credited with the remaining two songs.

It was an ambitious undertaking considering the band’s heavy national touring schedule, but apparently these two were up to the challenge. What has emerged is a refreshing album with broad appeal, one that literally bridges the gap between genres and generations (and it helps with road rage, too).

North Mississippi Allstars - Live 7.28.07 - FloydFest 6

I can’t even begin to describe how fantastic the guys were on Saturday night. Then again, it’s impossible for me to be objective at this point. Trust me despite my bias – you absolutely, positively MUST go see the Allstars if you get the opportunity. Straight up blues, boogie, funk, rock, country – you name it, these fellas can lay it down. Kurt Clayton has started sitting in on keys for some shows, and I had the pleasure of seeing him for the first time at FloydFest. The element he adds is incredible, never distracting, like he was meant to play with ‘em. I also got to see Chris break in his new Lakland and it was mmm mmm good. The MC pulled me aside and told me Big Chew was the best bassist he’d ever seen in his life, and he certainly got no arguments from me ;o) The brothers Dickinson were on fire as usual. Luther is not wasting any time ascending the ranks to guitar god status, and Cody is just plain killer on the drums. They were only scheduled to play til 12:15, and it was about 12:45 when they started the encore. The crowd was going nuts – I’d be curious to know how many people came to FloydFest to see the NMAs, cause they were packed in like sardines as far as the eye could see. During the “All Night Long” encore, a young man, he couldn’t have been older than 13 or 14, came out and just SHREDDED it. I was floored when I looked up and realized it was a kid. Apparently, he is/was a student at Dave Matthews’ guitar school, but skills like that can not be taught, he played like an old pro. I was jealous of his cool factor – this kid is going places. Eventually I’ll get back to you with his name….

EDIT: The "young shredder" referenced above is Willie DE - he was at the festival performing with his band, The Wave.

Anyway, if I didn’t say it enough by now, the show was amazing. I’m still quite exhausted, though. We got lost for about an hour and a half leaving the festival grounds, I was in a rental car because the Kia was broken, and I’ve spent about 15 hours on the road in the past two days. But was it worth it? Hell yeah!

PS: I wasn’t kidding when I said go see these guys (click here for tour dates ) – they’ve got gigs lined up all over the country through the rest of the year – a few supporting the Allman Brothers and the Black Crowes, and then a 6 week tour with Mavis Staples, Charlie Musselwhite, and Joe Krown. I know The Grammys are a sham these days, but still, they didn’t get nominated for three for nothing.

PS: Total praise & gratitude towards the special gentleman who made this night amazing :O)