CD Review: Adrean Farrugia: V1.0 Live at the Senator
Recorded live during a week long engagement at Toronto's now defunct Top O' The Senator, Farrugia's debut effort as a leader features a stellar line up of some of Canada's finest players; Jim Vivian on bass, Barry Romberg on drums and most notably the multi-talented Phil Dwyer on tenor sax. Brad Goode, the hard blowing trumpeter, is from Chicago.
Six of the eight tracks on the disc are Farrugia originals. The set opens with a funky blues "Woebegone," which gives the leader a chance to show his chops with an expansive, rollicking solo. The ensemble pieces "Lightchaser (Part I)" and "(Part II)" give everyone on the bandstand a chance to stretch. Dwyer in particular stands out with a blistering solo in the first part that is evocative and textured.
Farrugia's arrangement of Wayne Shorter's "Speak No Evil" is in 7/4 time and features a funky, modern groove. The leader's solo starts off pensive and searching and ends with an impressive run of notes. Farrugia's take on the Joni Mitchell ballad "Both Sides Now" starts gently - it dances around the melody at first and eventually lands in a Bruce Hornsby kind of place, with Romberg and Vivian providing support throughout. Vivian's melodic solo here is a highlight.
"The Ten Thousand Things," which closes the set, starts off loose, sounding as if we may have joined the tune in progress and continues in that relaxed vein. Farrugia has been well known on the Toronto scene for some time as a first call sideman. V1.0 Live at the Senator shows that he has much to offer as a leader.
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