John Wheeler – Big Orange

Big Orange explodes in cataclysmic fashion sending off solar flares in all musical directions seeking out all weary ears. Riding these fashionable flares to the heart of the musical universe we see John Wheeler at the forefront wheeling a cache of guitars that includes the following - Steinberger Electric, Godin Multiac nylon string, hybrid Fender Telecaster / Broadcaster with Parson’s White StringBender (Track 10), Ibanez bass guitar, MSA 12 – string pedal – steel. Other goodies used include the Roland GR-33 guitar synthesizer and an Oxygen Midiman keyboard. Riding along side we have Tom Delaney Alto, Tenor and Soprano Saxophones, Flute: tracks 1, 2, 3, 4 and 12, Mike Kirkhouse Electric and Fretless Bass Guitars: tracks 1, 3, 6, 11 and 12, Billy Slais Tenor Sax: track 10, Chris Smith Drums: tracks 1, 3, 4, 6, 11 and 12, Kevin Tokarz Keyboards: tracks 3 and 4 and Ben Wilborn Violin: tracks 10 and 11.

This CD is dedicated to John’s mother Tara Wheeler and all proceeds are being donated to Amnesty International USA. Let’s hitch a ride on these solar flares to experience what Big Orange has to offer.

Jogo Bonita – Jogo Bonita is a Brazilian phrase used to describe the game of soccer – “the beautiful game”. This is a very nice opening tune that’s much like the start of a brand new day. It’s watching the big orange rise from the east and and the warm sensation of solar energy as it touches your body. Nice chord selection to start it off with flute and sax solo’s sprinkled in and of course John’s guitar solos.

Dragons Breath – Upon first listen one can feel the moody suspenseful feeling this song creates. I felt like I was at the movies watching Tom Delaney’s sax work against John Wheeler’s guitar or how about the dragon slayer verses the fire breathing dragon. I love Delaney’s sax work on this tune as it instantly reminded me of my favorite sax player Steve Tavaglione. The fight rages on but in the end (sorry Mr. Delaney) the edginess of Wheeler’s guitar being that of the big orange flame coming out of the fire breathing dragons mouth was too much to overcome.

Nothin to It – This song represents John’s attempt into the realm of putting a contemporary twist to bebop. We sure have the change in style and pace that comes with a tune like this and Delaney’s work is once again masterful. Listen to the bouncy keyboard work provided by Kevin Tokarz and the jazz drumming of Chris Smith. It’s sure to invoke a feeling of joy and happiness.

Selma – The great thing about riding musical solar flares from the big orange is that you just don’t know what you might experience next. Selma is a city in Alabama which was the staging point for a civil rights march to Montgomery back in the sixties. The stage is set during this gospel tune that exasperates the pain and struggles of a nation and its people during this time period. Delaney’s sax and John’s guitar again seem to be the tools used to polarize the tension. What’s missing in my opinion is that big organ solo.

Slightly Blue – John Wheeler sifts gears once again and feeds a light acoustic ballad ahead of the title track. I feel a set up coming.

Big Orange – The attitude comes roaring back in a big way as the big orange is in full display and at peak intensity. This is a jazz rock fusion treat in the truest sense and one of my favorite tracks on the disk. John and Chris orchestrate the challenges throughout this tune paying tribute to greats John McLaughlin and Billy Cobham. I could have seen this tune being a ten minute or so improvisational type of jam as I’m a big fan of longer tracks.

Hirajoshi Suite

Procession – We now have a sunspot that that shoots an intensified solar flare all the way to the orient and beyond. Here we have John’s playful experimentation with Chinese and Japanese scales. It’s beautifully charming but also adds an edginess and western flare.

Hall of 100 Mirrors – Looking through the credits I saw no listing for a violin or flute on this tune and realized that this in fact is where John used the Roland GR- 33 guitar synthesizer. The Asian experiment continues with a lush landscape peppered with guitar.

Okami – Okami is a Japanese word for wolf. This particular wolf went extinct about 100 years ago on the island of Honshu. John says you can hear the wolf howling but what I hear is the distain of something that is going terribly wrong. The guitar is the crying of the last wolf before its death and the inevitable extinction of its species. The last keyboard solo signifies its death. Very hurtful and the last song of the suite.

Wake Up Call – The rooster cackles and the big orange is on the rise so its time to rise and shine while we ride John’s rollercoaster of flare. While there may be death there is also life and this tune tells us to live it to the fullest. This tune employs a nice groove with a happy melody over the top that kind of takes us full circle from the previous tune. Billy Slais saxophone and Ben Wilborn are the two new players exchanging blows of enlightenment.

Eleventh Dimension – This tune features a nomadic melody that has some real depth and feel. The trumpet is played on a guitar synthesizer and we have Ben Wilborn chiming in on violin. Being the eleventh track on the disc communicates that there is some type of order in the universe but at the same time it feels like a storm is brewing.

Miles Above – Might this song be its own tribute to two fellow musicians who joined together once again thanks to the invention of the internet. As a matter of fact we do as all Chris Smith parts were recorded in Switzerland. If you visit John Wheelers web site at http://www.johnwheelerguitar.com you can read about this and much more. This song is also a tribute to the great Miles Davis and is my personal favorite from the disk. Everyone is so pronounced on this particular track. John’s guitar is vibrant and edgy and you have Tom Delaneys raining sax solo and the executioner Chris Smith’s drum solo and work throughout. It’s a song that has that classic fusion sound from the seventies.

Ambiance Musicale – This song in word says goodbye. John asks if anyone listens to a CD from start to finish and the answer from me is yes. I like to listen to all the tracks from start to finish getting a feel for the arrangements and layout. The progressions from one track to the next can be quite surprising. On this particular disk we go from “Okami” to “Wake up Call” which are about as extreme as you can get. This keeps you on your toes and offers one a fresh approach. Ambiance Musicale is a fitting ending to one Big Orange.

Comment

Big Orange offers a wide variety of melody and styles all packaged in many different settings. Fans of many genres will find it a worthy fit in their music collections. Also as mentioned before all proceeds are being donated to Amnesty International USA.

Total spin time 51:59