He Never Spoke A Word
This was originally posted on the S&R blog.
We have talked about cover bands a few times here on the S&R, but this cover band is very exciting, unique and is very dear to my heart. Jazz Is Phish, a jazz ensemble that takes songs from the jam band Phish and turns them into jazz instrumentals. He Never Spoke A Word is Jazz is Phish’s debut album that features 12 classic Phish songs and creates a musical masterpiece that leaves any Phish fan begging for more. Here’s S&R’s take on this fresh new album.
Founded in 2015 by inspiration of the band Jazz Is Dead (a jazz band that plays jazz instrumental versions of songs from The Grateful Dead), Jazz Is Phish rejuvenates and brings a fresh new sound to classic Phish songs. While the band has been together for over 2 years, this is their first studio recording. During live shows, the band consists of brothers Adam and Matthew Chase and a number of prominent musicians from both the Jazz and Jam band scenes. On the record, you can hear the following musicians jam out led by band leaders Adam and Matthew Chase:
Jeff Coffin – Saxophone
Dennis Chambers – Drum
Kofi Burbridge – Flute
Chris Bullock – Saxophone
Grant Green Jr – Guitar
Carl Gerhard – Trumpet
Michael Ray – Trumpet
Holly Bowling – Keys
Anthony Wellington – Bass
Chris Deangelis – Bass
Scott Flynn – Trombone
Lenny Pettinelli – Keys
Derrick Johnson – Trombone
Josh Thomas – Keys
The guitars, bass, drums, and keys play the tunes normally as Trey, Mike, Fishman & Page would but instead of hearing vocals, the wind instruments play their renditions of each of the song’s lyrical melodies painting a ray of interesting jazz harmonies creating a sonic atmosphere that sounds truly unique. Any fan of Phish or jazz music (or anyone who enjoys impressive musicianship) should check out this album. Let’s get into the songs.
He Never Spoke A Word features 12 classic Phish songs including: Ghost, Cars Trucks Buses, Weight, Foam, 46 Days, Dog Log, Lawn Boy, Meat, Camel Walk, Magilla, Alumni Blues, and A Letter to Jimmy Page / Alumni Blues. Phans of early Phish tunes will be very happy with the band’s selections.
Ghost, Cars Trucks Buses and Weight are all fairly straight forward with nothing too unfamiliar going on with the exception of instead of hearing Trey Anastasio sing, the listener will hear trumpets, trombones and saxophones belt out the would be lyrics to some of Phish’s most beloved songs. The guitar work sounds awfully familiar as guitar player (and band leader) Matthew Chase plays a PRS Hollowbody II, a production quality guitar that is about as close as one would get to Anastasio’s Languedoc guitar.
Foam is where things get really interesting. The classic piano riff played throughout the song is now handled by a steel dream (read as Caribbean drum music) that is not only interesting to hear but gives the song a whole new vibe. Halfway through this 9:30 track (longest one on the album), the listener gets their first taste of a tastefully extended solo. The keys take off into a hair-raising solo that one would expect to hear from a live Phish concert. As the song nears its end, the steel drums play the piano riff again and the song fades into 46 Days.
46 Days will immediately sound new to any Phish phan as instead of a Trey-tastic intro guitar riff, the listener is surprised by moeg-heavy keys and a heavy 80s-style synthesizer and heavy 80’s style bass as well. It takes to about the halfway point of the song to realize a guitar is also present in the mix. The guitars are heavily distorted on top of playing through an octave shift pedal taking this version of 46 Days to a completely new direction than it has ever likely gone before. After a few bars, the guitar tone fades to a normal “Trey tone” and plays the song’s identifiable riff a few times before giving way to a soulful saxophone solo returning the song to the main refrain where it will repeat until the song fades out. Very satisfying!
Dog Log starts out with a soulful trumpet with a mute that gives way into a jazz odyssey of trumpets, trombones, and saxophones that will make any jazz fan satisfied. Next, the listen is taking into the songs classic Roaring 20’s jazz groove progressing the song into the main theme. The song is pretty repetitive at the halfway point where the trumpet makes another appearance to deliver a solo over a simple chord progression backed by the guitars and keys. After the trumpet plays a few measures, the sax take a few bars. Next, the guitar saturated with a wah effect ends the solo blissfully. The song segues back into the main theme and repeats until the end of the tune.
Lawn Boy is one of my favorites – if not my favorite – on the album. Such a simple song when done by Phish, but this band takes it to a whole new level when a soulful saxophone does its best imitation of Page McConnell. Trumpets play the next verse alongside the sax. After this verse, Matthew steps up to the microphone and sings along with the notes he plays on guitar in a solo fashion but without words (just like Trey does live!), showing to how much depth these musicians go not only keep Phish’s music fresh by adding a heavy jazz element to them but also keeping what makes Phish, well Phish. The song comes to an end somberly, and as satisfying as this jazz rendition is, there simply is no replacement to Page belting out “old factory hues”, sorry saxophones.
Meat, Camel Walk, and Magilla are all quite fun and enjoyable, however, no real surprises stand out here. The real magic for these songs lies in the live settings. I highly recommend you check them out if they come near your town. I saw them at the Brooklyn Bowl this past winter and was simply blown away.
Wrapping up the album are a few songs rarely played by Phish live: Alumni Blues –> Letter to Jimmy Page –> Alumni Blues. The first Alumni is pretty standard to what you expect from a jazz version of the song until about the 1:30 mark where a trumpet comes in and plays around with the theme perfectly followed by a heavy synthesized key solo before giving way to the full band back on the main theme. The song ends with trumpets and trombones going back and forth creating a fun jazzy call and response. Letter to Jimmy Page has flutes and sax playing the iconic riff followed by the guitar blistering the solo on top of them both then repeating back to the iconic riff by the flutes and saxophones followed by another cool guitar solo leading the band back into Alumni.
He Never Spoke A Word is a classic example of how to take other musicians’ music and making them your own. There is always A Case For Cover Bands and playing songs exactly (or as close to) like the record, but Jazz Is Phish take songs and put their own spin on them truly making them unique compositions. It is a great listen both mindlessly in the car or around the house, or through high-quality speakers at a music listening party. Phish Phans, jazz fans, and music fans should all go check out He Never Spoke A Word, you will not be disappointed.
Jazz Is Phish’s He Never Spoke A Word is available on their website here and also is streaming on Spotify. Go check it out, it’s the album cover that resembles Fishman’s moo moo, you can’t miss it!
Until next time, let the music play!
-S&R