Steve Kimock Band
Live in Colorado Vol. 2
(Steve Kimock Productions)
Steve Kimock is a guitar virtuoso.
He seamlessly switches from jazz to country and back again over the course of a single song. He conjures up shades of Jerry Garcia, John Scofield, Duane Allman, John McLaughlin and Michael Houser in his own clean tone.
Yet for all Kimock's talent, bassist Alphonso Johnson makes the Steve Kimock Band's Live in Colorado, Vol. 2 a fantastic album. When Johnson, who has since been replaced in the band by Leo Traversa, grabs the helm on jams, Kimock, drummer Rodney Holmes, guitarist Mitch Stein and keyboardist Jim Kost become free to go in any direction while Johnson keeps the band grounded.
Johnson's talent is especially apparent in \Why Can't We All Just Samba,"" which starts with a drum solo by Holmes and goes into ambient guitar by Kimock and Stein. But Johnson takes over about four minutes into the 21-minute piece with a simple, driving, funk line and never relinquishes control. The song climaxes with a jam in which Kimock calls to mind Houser and Allman while Johnson holds down the low end by playing variations off the same funky theme.
Johnson's ability is also evident in ""Long Form Part I,"" ""Electric Wildlife"" and ""Avalon,"" as he again steers the band with simple yet powerful funk riffs. The other band members wander into Grateful Dead and Mahavishnu Orchestra territory but usually find their way back to Johnson, who takes them to the next stop.
While Johnson shines during the band's best moments, the fact that Kimock is the titular band leader sometimes prevents the band from reaching its full potential. There are several instances throughout the set where Kimock takes the wheel but as talented as he is, he has a tendency to get tied up in being the frontman instead of a member of the band.
When Johnson is not guiding the band, as is sorely obvious during parts of ""Severe Tire Damage"" and ""Elmer's Revenge,"" Kimock strays away from his band mates. The result is often more perplexing than anything else.
At times Live in Colorado, Vol. 2 displays the Steve Kimock Band at its experimental best. On several songs, the five musicians play together so well that even the most lyrically inclined listener can enjoy the instrumental journey the band creates. What keeps this, and so many of their other releases, from being outstanding, however, is that a few songs are Steve Kimock and his band rather than the Steve Kimock Band.
