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
John Sargeant, writing on NeuFutur as Sargeant, is the founder and editor-in-chief of NeuFutur Magazine, where he has covered independent music, PC hardware, consumer tech, and gaming culture since 1998. With over 25 years of continuous digital publishing experience, he has written thousands of hands-on game and record reviews, conducted in-depth hardware field testing, and analyzed digital media monetization trends. His work prioritizes first-hand evaluation and long-term product testing.
Beats: Independent Music, PC Gaming & Peripherals, Consumer Tech, Webmaster Tools
Testing & Ethics: All hardware, software, and media reviews are conducted through hands-on evaluation in accordance with NeuFutur’s editorial independence standards; sponsored consideration is strictly excluded from editorial ratings.
Contact: editor@neufutur.com