Mistaken
Identity Review
| Anyone who thought that Vernon Reid was done and over as a musical force once the band Living Color ended its career is not only ignorant and ill-informed but they are just plain wrong! Apart from being one of the most sought after session guitarists in New York throughout the 1980&rsquos he&rsquos played on a string of avant-garde jazz and fusion albums in addition to his short and successful foray into mainstream rock and roll. Now, with the release of his first solo CD &ldquoMistaken Identity&rdquo, Vernon pushes the envelope by combining many disparate music sources together for a hybrid of immense proportion. While in the role of bandleader one would think that this album would be filled to the brim with solo after solo. Not so. Reid actually downplays his playing in order to showcase the various other elements such as the fine contra-bass clarinet of Don Byron, turntable breaks by DJ Logic, and creative electronics and | theramin from Leon Gruenbaum, giving this album a serious P-Funk feel to it. A host of guests too numerous to list, but featuring the likes of Chubb Rock, Jaron Lanier, and Prince Paul (who also produces the album), truly make this a massive effort. Reid keeps the tracks on target with his psychedelic/metal riffing and he does manage to sneak in a lead or two. Dynamics also play a big part in this presentation with some tracks like &ldquoLightnin'&rdquo and &ldquoSaint Cobain&rdquo coming on like proverbial heavy metal thunder while others take on a world fusion feel like &ldquoUptown Drifter&rdquo and &ldquoThe Projects&rdquo and most boast a full load of humor. Standouts would be &ldquoImportant Safety Instruction! {Mutation 2}&rdquo, &ldquoCall Waiting To Exhale {Mutation 3}&rdquo, and the very Living Color-like &ldquoCP Time&rdquo. &ldquoMistaken Identity&rdquo is just one more example of the future of music combining all forms that have come before. |