THE MAY FALL CREW - Overload
ReFeel Music Group RCD0119
May Fall (keys and vocals); Niv Majar (drums); Itay Tsarfati (bass); Ido Rubin (guitar tracks 4 & 6)
There’s very little information about this band online (and that includes the band’s Facebook page and their record label website) or in the CD liner notes. However, by cobbling together bits from various sources (including a band interview on a Spanish website) I learnt that this piano trio is an Israeli band founded by Iyar Stav, who goes by the moniker May Fall. May Fall plays keyboards and sings on three of the album tracks, but he also composed all the songs and handled the recording, production and mixing.
The young band (from the band photos, I would guess they are all in their thirties) has a wide range of musical influences including jazzers like George Duke, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Oscar Peterson, Joe Sample, Lee Ritenour and Weather Report, as well as bands such as Yes, Primus and Gentle Giant.
May Fall is a self-taught musician and had an early interest in jazz-fusion. He initially planned to form a jazz trio, but he now describes The May Fall Crew as falling between jazz-fusion and jazz-rock, with elements of rock, funk, Latin, electronica, pop and jazz. You may or may not be interested to know that all members of the band are left-handed.
The album consist of twelve short tracks (the shortest is 2:15, and the longest, 4:36). The opening number, Mental Maze, brings to mind piano trios such as EST, Bad Plus and GoGo Penguin, with fast, fluent piano playing and a sizzling rhythm section. This energetic, virtuosic form of playing is repeated on many other tracks such as, Old Memories, Spaceport (a personal favourite), Express Train, Alma Oscura , Time Expander and Overload.
The variations on this theme include the piano/synth ballad Recharge; the ballad Deflection, which includes some rock guitar, and the three vocal tracks. Mood Swinger is a straight mid-tempo pop tune and bit of a surprise after the opening two jazz numbers. Indifferent is piano ballad whose lyrics explore the dark side of human nature – our ability to be indifferent to those we don’t know personally. The closing track, Oblivious to the Obvious is an uptempo number featuring a synth solo and lyrics describing the impact of religious cults. A mixed bag indeed, but nevertheless, a strong and satisfying debut album.
Reviewed by George Cole
ReFeel Music Group RCD0119
May Fall (keys and vocals); Niv Majar (drums); Itay Tsarfati (bass); Ido Rubin (guitar tracks 4 & 6)
There’s very little information about this band online (and that includes the band’s Facebook page and their record label website) or in the CD liner notes. However, by cobbling together bits from various sources (including a band interview on a Spanish website) I learnt that this piano trio is an Israeli band founded by Iyar Stav, who goes by the moniker May Fall. May Fall plays keyboards and sings on three of the album tracks, but he also composed all the songs and handled the recording, production and mixing.
The young band (from the band photos, I would guess they are all in their thirties) has a wide range of musical influences including jazzers like George Duke, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Oscar Peterson, Joe Sample, Lee Ritenour and Weather Report, as well as bands such as Yes, Primus and Gentle Giant.
May Fall is a self-taught musician and had an early interest in jazz-fusion. He initially planned to form a jazz trio, but he now describes The May Fall Crew as falling between jazz-fusion and jazz-rock, with elements of rock, funk, Latin, electronica, pop and jazz. You may or may not be interested to know that all members of the band are left-handed.
The album consist of twelve short tracks (the shortest is 2:15, and the longest, 4:36). The opening number, Mental Maze, brings to mind piano trios such as EST, Bad Plus and GoGo Penguin, with fast, fluent piano playing and a sizzling rhythm section. This energetic, virtuosic form of playing is repeated on many other tracks such as, Old Memories, Spaceport (a personal favourite), Express Train, Alma Oscura , Time Expander and Overload.
The variations on this theme include the piano/synth ballad Recharge; the ballad Deflection, which includes some rock guitar, and the three vocal tracks. Mood Swinger is a straight mid-tempo pop tune and bit of a surprise after the opening two jazz numbers. Indifferent is piano ballad whose lyrics explore the dark side of human nature – our ability to be indifferent to those we don’t know personally. The closing track, Oblivious to the Obvious is an uptempo number featuring a synth solo and lyrics describing the impact of religious cults. A mixed bag indeed, but nevertheless, a strong and satisfying debut album.
Reviewed by George Cole
