fo/mo/deep | Eclecticism

fo/mo/deep – Eclecticism 

Starting a memorable groove may be easy pickings, but keeping that drive alive is another matter.  What is even more challenging is mastering these grooves in a live setting without adding extra studio clutter while always bringing out the best musicianship.  Ron Holmes, Jr., founder of jazz/funk collective fo/mo/deep believes being in the pocket is key to maintaining a cohesive groove structure.  The man also named as Fat Kat and his sextet fo/mo/deep have wowed audiences in their hometown of Columbus, Ohio for some time and finally decided to share their diverse groove pockets on a national level.  Their self-released debut, Eclecticism,presents some of modern jazz and jazz fusion’s finest hours, along with some original treats from the pen of Holmes, Jr.  Daring to take on jazz greats like Cannonball & Nat Adderley, Charlie Hunter, Lonnie Liston Smith and John Coltrane, fo/mo/deep convincingly resurrects the seventies and early eighties, a period when music was played with a focused, fiery spirit.  More importantly, the rhythm section of Holmes,and percussionists Kenneth ‘Pounce’ Pouncy and Andre Scott beautifully frame every chorus and solo while holding down the varied, sometimes complex grooves on Eclecticism.  And fo/mo/deep’s front men of keyboardist Kevin Jones and brass players N.Michael Goecke and Keith Newton complete the package with joyful and funky solo abandon.    

Goecke flexes some trombone sass on “Hummin’ written by Nat Adderley and featured on Cannonball Adderley’s Country Preacher disc from 1969.  Holmes answers back with an equally sassy acoustic bass passage.   “Mitch Betta’ Have My Bunny” cranks up the jazz funk meter on this Charlie Hunter composition from his 2001 project, Songs from the Analog Playground. Turning back the clock, the smooth as spacey dance jam, “Expansions,” revisits the Lonnie Liston Smith & The Cosmic Echoes heyday in the mid-seventies.  Keith Newton mesmerizes the senses with his flute, Jones dances all over the keys and Goecke passes on words of wisdom from one of African-American mighty musical voices, Gil Scott-Heron: “The revolution will not be televised.”  “Kiggundu’s Bazaar,” one of three tracks written by Holmes, Jr., meshes grooves with African back beats, bits of horn section experimentation and percussion barrage (three percussionists). Then there is the ‘dare to be different but it’s still fly award’ given to “Giant FONKY Steps,” with a critical emphasis on FONKY.  Recorded live at the Columbus Arts Festival in June 2010, Trombonist Michael Goeckes’ solo blows me away on this John Coltrane’s signature piece.    

fo/mo/deep has a special way to To hear the raw passion of jazz and funk played in all its full glory, fo/mo/deep accommodates on all accounts with Eclecticism.  

Peggy Oliver 
The Urban Music Scene