Vince Mendoza
Instructions Inside

Fusion is boring. Exasperated technicality, self-congratulation of super-virtuoso musicians without a shred of inspiration. True, in part. Completely false if you come across this CD from 1991.

Vince Mendoza doesn’t play any instruments on his albums. He is the orchestra conductor. He composes, arranges the pieces, and conducts, but who? Simply the elite of jazz fusion of those years: Joe Lovano, Bob Mintzer (saxophones), Randy Brecker (trumpet), John Scofield, Ralph Towner (guitars), Will Lee, Marc Johnson (double bass), Peter Erskine (drums), Don Alias, Manolo Badrena (percussions). Did I forget someone? Ah yes, the Yellow Jackets in full formation.

Such a slew of musicians would even ennoble a student’s basic composition. None of that, fortunately. Here the coordinates become cultured and intellectual; the compositions are of uncommon beauty, the themes become intricate, yet without giving up open and crystal-clear melodiousness.

These authentic giants are all in great shape and give us a succession of unforgettable moments: "Spirit Moves", the disc's programmatic manifesto, with Scofield's guitar navigating over a carpet of synths and percussion, and the beautiful theme emphasized by Mintzer's tenor. "Slowly I Turn", a real showcase for Randy Brecker's inspired trumpet, sailing over "sound clouds" reminiscent of Evans; the nice "call and response" between the orchestra and Scofield’s guitar in "Jung Parade"; the sublime soprano sax solo by Lovano in "Faithkeep", the stringent execution by the Yellow Jackets in "New World", where Weather Report influences surface; the Latin movements of "Steady Wonder", with a languid solo by Johnson.

Mendoza tries to give proper space to all musicians, showing a slight preference for the guitarists. Scofield appears here in a state of grace: unleashing his soloistic imagination to illuminate sound architectures that seem crafted especially for him, but also showing us his more intimate side in "Say We Did". Towner's classical guitar, not often seen in such collaborations, moves skillfully between strongly rhythmic moments ("Will to live") and the romantic atmospheres in which he's always been at ease ("Faithkeep"). But ultimately, it’s always the great leader pulling the threads of the work, giving the whole a great coherence, almost as if the tracks were different movements of a single suite. In this task, he is supported by the omnipresent yet functional electronics of Judd Miller’s synths and EVI (Electronic Valve Instrument).

The sound of the album is ultra-modern, and stands the test of time. A jazz orchestra projected into the twenty-first century, a great work, highly recommended to genre enthusiasts, even if it's now not easily found. One necessary clarification: here you will find the most intellectual and aesthetic side of fusion music, while the more rock and energetic side is almost completely absent.