SMV
Thunder

I have always been very skeptical when it comes to the so-called "supergroups." It might be a silly prejudice, but every time I hear that different prominent personalities in music join forces to record an album, I always have some doubts: will these "lone wolves" be able to coexist? Will they manage not to step on each other's toes and not think about who is the best, but rather work together to create a truly quality product?

With this preamble, it can be easily imagined, despite the obvious enthusiasm for the names involved, how I preferred to keep my expectations to a minimum before listening to this "Thunder", an album released in 2008. The album in question is the result of the collaboration between three of the greatest living bassists, who certainly need no introduction: Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, and Victor Wooten. A trio of legends indeed, but were they able to rein in their egos and produce an album worthy of their name? The answer, I'll tell you right away, is "Yes."

It would have been easy to rely on empty and sterile virtuosity and give the masses a simple manifesto of the infinite technique these three possess, but the supergroup Clarke/Miller/Wooten chose to focus on melody and teamwork: thus hiring collaborators worthy of their talent (for example, George Duke on the minimoog and Chick Corea on piano), the trio crafted a jazz fusion work that satisfies both the musician and/or enthusiast attentive to technical details and the more casual listener in search of a catchy tune. The talent of these bassists is therefore put at the service of the song, which is not swallowed by the musicians' technique and emptied of all interest but instead comes out even more enhanced, even gaining more charm. Dizzying bass lines over always refined keyboard and drum foundations merge and switch roles every passing minute with each musician taking turns accompanying the melody and creating a perfect balance with the main theme, which is always effective and never boring. In this album everyone is a protagonist, and no one is left in the background.

Another risk that "Thunder" might have encountered was the indigestible presence of three basses within a single group, a risk that fortunately is wisely avoided: the trio manages to mold perfect harmony between the instruments, thus not causing any confusion nor an excessive presence of the bass which, while remaining the main instrument of this work, does not completely clutter the scene, leaving space also for keyboards, synthesizers (played by Miller), double bass (instead played by Clarke), piano, drums, and even trumpets and trombones; a blend worthy of the best works of this genre.

This debut by SMV is therefore a complete work worthy of the reputation of the musicians involved; if all supergroups were composed of people with the mindset of Clarke, Miller, and Wooten, the skepticism towards the phenomenon of supergroups would disappear instantly to make way for just one thing: the eager anticipation for the next album.