Jason Rigby: The Archer

Every time I hear music like this, I remind myself that there was a contingent of listeners who hated Miles's electric period. It seems so weird to me, considering how that stuff was all about the funk. What about Sly and Parliament? I mean, it was OK for them but not for Miles? Geez whatever!

I bring this up because on "The Archer," the groove burns so hot that I worry they'll hurt somebody in a live setting someday (including themselves). Seriously, the rhythm section absolutely smokes, as does Rigby partly when he takes his own inspiring solo but especially when he pulls out those sly Ornette-isms with trumpeter Russ Johnson. Drawing a parallel back to the Miles/fusion thing (like an archer draws his bow), it still amazes me that the genre was rejected.