Words by Justin Turford
Melbourne continues to be a hotbed of serious musical talent and Lance Ferguson is one of the city’s shining lights. With being a producer, songwriter, guitarist and DJ amongst his skillset, the multi-talented man is also bandleader for Menagerie, a magnificent nine piece ‘spiritual jazz’ outfit who draw inspiration from the 1970’s canon of the essential Black Jazz, Tribe and Strata East labels while bringing this full-throated vibe swirling into the now. His time leading soul and funk band The Bamboos serves him well as there is plenty of both in this excellent collection of tunes. I first came across Menagerie on their ace ‘They Shall Inherit’ LP on Brighton label Tru Thoughts and in 2018 they dropped their second album ‘The Arrow Of Time’ on Freestyle which caught the ears of tastemakers like Gilles Peterson, Don Letts and loads more folk who know when they are hearing the real thing.
Bandleader Lance Ferguson
This new album of post-bop funky modality has finally woken me out of my January slumber with it’s beautifully realised and vibrant attitude and sound. Is there new ground being covered? Perhaps not but who cares? The whole album is so damn good! The title track is pure Black Jazz Records, the eleven minute groove is so deep in the pocket, drummer Daniel Farrugia a powerhouse of locked in but expressive rhythm, Ross Irwin’s trumpet solo one of many standout turns. Honestly who doesn’t stand out? Some of Australia’s sharpest jazz players inhabit this record and it shows, everyone is as good as the next. The opener ‘Hope’ is a life-affirming journey with gorgeous vocal harmonies and explosive brass riffing, probably the track most suggestive of LA giant Kamasi Washington’s catalogue but again it belongs to Lance and Menagerie, an abundance of freshness throughout.
‘Hymn Of The Turning Stone’ showcases the lungs and lyricism of saxophonist Phil Noy and pianist Mark Fitzgibbon’s tumbling fingers, the push and pull of Ben Hanlon’s exquisite bass holding the piece together even as it appears the song may crash away. ‘Quantum Blues’ is a wild ride with Lance Ferguson taking centre stage with a fiercely emotive guitar solo, this is modal blues at it’s best. ‘Mountain Song’ is an on the one soul tune wrapped in a jazz cloak with Ross Irwin, Phil Noy and Mark Fitzgibbon again taking turns delivering killer solos,. I could imagine Donny Hathaway vocalising over this with it’s gospel evocation. Last and certainly not least is the lead single off the album ‘Free Thing’ which allows percussionist Phil Binotto to let rip as this spoken word ode to freedom reveals a Last Poets / Sons Of Kemet bow to the band’s already bursting quiver. Brief but electrifying, the propulsive percussion, angular bass and blue-noted piano are led to a climax of positivity by the assured poem. Mentions in dispatches also to the vocalists Fallon Williams and Christin Deralas for their ecstatic harmonies throughout the album. A record to return to repeatedly, a rare and deserved 10/10 from me….
RELEASED ON JAN 15TH 2021 ON FREESTYLE RECORDS
PRE-ORDER / BUY HERE! https://freestylerecords.bandcamp.com/album/many-worlds