Stretching out from his role as funk band Galactic’s in-the-pocket drummer, Stanton Moore teamed up with electric guitar/bass virtuoso Charlie Hunter and saxophone deconstructionist Skerik for his first solo record, All Kooked Out. Having studied under the tutelage of New Orleans’ baddest jazz drummer, Astral Project’s Johnny Vidacovich, Moore has always had the ability to do more than hold a groove, and while his role in Galactic certainly provides him with ample space to express himself, he seems to relish this current experimental setting as a place to work with new voices and arrangements.
Moore plays all over the beat on All Kooked Out, sometimes laying a bit behind it and letting things simmer, other times getting slightly ahead of it, making the music feel about to trip, just before his command of rhythm snaps things back into place. It is this aspect of his partnership with Hunter that is most impressive. Perhaps due to Hunter’s rhythmic prowess — he plays a custom eight-string guitar with three bass and five lead guitar strings, which he plays simultaneously — he and Moore synch up so perfectly that when they accent a beat together, it sounds as if they’re being directed. Hunter’s talent also shines in his effort to not be overtly present on the record, proving that understated, supportive playing is more the sign of a great musician than any self-indulgent chops. Skerik, on the other hand, makes a point of proving wrong every band director who has told a saxophone student that squawks are bad by accenting his phrases and solos with noises so far off the charts that writing them out would be an exercise in futility. His outbursts create an intriguing dynamic counterpoint to Moore and Hunter’s polished pairing.
Many notable New Orleans musicians make guests appearances here, among them Michael Ray (who, with his interstellar trumpet blasts, seems a perfect match with Skerik), sousaphonist Matt Perrine, guitarist Brian Seeger and part-time Galactic tenor and baritone saxophonist Ben Ellman. These larger groupings make for the more danceable and energetic tracks on the record, but it’s in the trio setting that all the creative nuances and time control Moore possesses really shine. All Kooked Out can knock you down, scratching your head at the raw talent of the players, then make you want to jump up and dance — cerebral then physical, on progressive tracks. At the very least, the record is a superb showcase for New Orleans’ hottest young drummer. At best, it’s the most interesting and progressive jazz project recorded in the city since Astral Project’s Elevado.
