Posted on: November 20, 2010 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Despite the fact that many individuals only know Kevin Eubanks for the time that ey spent on The Tonight Show, ey is a pretty voluminous performer. This means, that since 1980, ey has been a considerable part of well over 20 distinct recordings. “Zen Food” represents eir latest work, the seven full-length ey has released in the 2000s. There is a sort of clarity present in this release, one in which Eubanks understands eir eclecticism and attempts to showcase every facet of eirself.

The disc begins with “The Dancing Sea”, a track that provides listeners with a brief introduction while still going off into intricate ad heady arrangements. “Spider Monkey Café” bounces listeners to a slightly different sound, fostering a sense of spontaneity and wonder that is present through the entirety of “Zen Food”. “Los Angeles” is a perfect microcosm of the different attitudes, people, and feelings present in the City of Angels, while the penultimate track, “Offering” seems much more narrow and humble in its feel.

I was not too familiar with Eubanks’ musical stylings before receiving “Zen Food”, but each of the album’s 10 tracks foster a desire in me to check out eir previous music. With Eubanks’ smart guitar work to light the way, I have no doubt that I will be delving into each cut that ey has released over the course of the last thirty years. I f you are a fan of jazz, blues, funk, and even soul, make it a point to go forth and pick up a copy of “Zen Food” at your local well-stocked independent music store. Barring that, grab a coffee in this cold weather at Barnes and Noble and see what’s up.

Top Tracks: The Dancing Sea, I Remember Loving You

Rating: 7.3/10

Kevin Eubanks – Zen Food / 2010 Mack Avenue / 10 Tracks / http://www.kevineubanks.com / http://www.mackavenue.com

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