Jerry Granelli

This is legendary drummer Jerry Granelli's first solo recording, and one could fairly ask why it's taken this long for it to happen. The result shows that Granelli has an acute ear for sonority, superbly well-developed chops and, most importantly for a purely solo outing, a wonderful sense of structure and form. "ShiH ― A Gathering of the Energy" displays exquisite pacing, moving from a distant low-end rumble through other drums and cymbals delicately. "Walking on a Road with Some Bells Around Your Neck" is a lively, rhythmic piece with bouncing, dancing, ringing bell sounds and tom interplay. "Wait for the Machine" is the only track with non-percussion instrumentation, an echo-y electric keyboard that converses with Granelli's highly melodic musings. Things get pretty traditional, drum solo-wise, on "What Can I Say ― Drums," a rhythmic, snare-centric, playful romp. It's great to be given this intimate glimpse of such a deeply creative musician's artistic process.