Based on a lilting 3/4 piano pattern, a jazzy and melancholy track with funky electric piano, acoustic guitar and moody saxophone solo.
Hunter S Thompson: “Father John McLaughlin revelled in his role as ’Nixon’s Priest’ (see “A Stroke Of Cheap Genius”) for about a month, but his start faded fast when it was discovered he was pulling down $25,000 a year and living in a luxury apartment at The Watergate. His superiors in the church were horrified… the Good Jesuit Father was planning to marry his girlfriend. McLaughlin disappeared very quickly and nothing has been heard of him since.”
“Music From The Mint Hotel” is multi-instrumentalist, and composer Hakim Jamal aka Paul Ashley Wheatcroft`s new album, a musical spectrum that includes jazz-funk, soul, R&B, and hip-hop, all expertly blended to fit the concept based on an essay by famous Beat Generation writer Hunter S. Thompson, known for his book “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” among his other best-sellers.
The album’s sonic construct gives the music an exquisite fluidity that take the listener on a cinematic journey through the stories of some fictional characters gathered during the (in)famous‘Mint 400’ Off-Road race. But one should not be familiar with Thopson’s writings to appreciate this wonderful album whose technical and artistic qualities deserve the superlative.
Each of the seventeen tracks stands on its own while seaminglessly integrated with the ensemble through a cohesive sound architecture that skillfully keeps an aesthetic balance between the retro flair and contemporary beats. Layers of instruments and vocal lines re-create the sound of the 60s along with “analog” retro vibes tastefully fused with deep seductive tempos sustained by lush bass lines.
Remarkably how the nostalgic feeling permeates the sonic ensemble as a whole, the composer built a creative bridge over time from today`s cultural perspective, and this is only one of the numerous aspects of the album that make listening to it an enjoyable listening experience.
Website CD Store
