Trioxyde's third album, Hey Carlos, is considered (as the title implies) a tribute to the legendary guitar maestro Carlos Santana. This album consists of all original material, but it's clear from the very beginning that Trioxyde appreciates a raw, seventies-oriented approach to jazz rock over the more modern sound. I consider myself to be a fairly big fan of early-to-mid seventies jazz fusion, so Trioxyde's sound was certainly welcome to these ears. And it didn't disappoint. Hey Carlos is an album of extremely high quality that shouldn't go unnoticed in the jazz rock community! The grooves are irresistible, the soloing is classy and professional, and the compositions never feel dull or tired. What more can you ask for?
Hey Carlos is instrumental jazz rock played in the "old school" variant. Not once on this entire album will you hear a wailing synthesizer or super-distorted guitar tone. Hey Carlos sticks with bass guitar, drums, electric piano, and electric guitar throughout its entire duration, yet never feels dull or boring. This record could've been released in 1971 and I wouldn't have noticed the difference. Although some people may complain about the "originality" factor, I think Trioxyde has managed to create an album that is not only enjoyable, but also unique in a sense. Fans of jazz rock from the pioneers of the seventies should have a blast listening to this album - I know I sure did. Picking a highlight is difficult, but my favorite is ultimately the title track. The grooves behind the solos in that song are just unbeatable.
Trioxyde has been around for 20 years, and the high level of musicianship certainly reflects that. Every musician in Trioxyde is extremely talented and professional; there's no weak link here. The production is also spectacular - it's somewhat raw, but extremely detailed and crisp. This is the way all jazz rock albums should sound.
I didn't know what to expect when diving into Hey Carlos, but it turned out to be a very pleasant surprise! This is certainly one of the better jazz rock records I've heard in the last few years, and any fan of the genre is recommended to give this effort from Trioxyde a spin. This is a highly recommendable album that's worthy of a full 4 star rating. I'll definitely be keeping a close eye on this act in the future - they have the chops and the skill to really make some waves in the jazz fusion community. As far Hey Carlos is concerned, this is a great album that I'd recommend to just about any jazz rock fanatic!
Track Listing:
1. Shanghaï d'Hélène
2. Hey Carlos
3. Chemises déchirées
4. Prépuce à l'oreille
5. Comme des loups
6. Sermon d'hyppocrite
7. Bas du building II
8. Touche pas à ça
9. Sans nouvelle
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