Mood Swing by John Barrett

There are two sides to this story, contrasts you see from every angle. He’s a nimble-toned smoothie who’s played with the Yellowjackets’ Russell Ferrante; he’s an old-style houserocker who started in the R&B clubs of San Jose. Recording in Texas, he’s spinning the sounds of Brazil – when he isn’t bringin’ the blues. All this on his first date as a leader. Many styles, but only one mood – and it’s a beauty. Feel the breeze as we head south on "We’re Still Here": sweet rounded notes as the rhythm ticks softly. The B-3 comes forward, a mellow partner to the gentle guitar (or rather, guitars – that’s Ray on an overdubbed rhythm part.) It’s a slow drifter, with room for a surprise: there’s a hint of Martino in the solo. The island breeze fades, and before us is "Verbena Way", a stretch of raw blacktop with a roadhouse nearby. The single-string is tough and greasy; shades of Freddie King, whose "Heads Up" appears later. On the side is Robert Skiles; his easy boogie goes down smooth. To cool off, we go to the beach: Ray floats metallic chords, and a sax calls from the distance. Wait for the end: a flute calls, the saxes respond, and Ray spins a flourish. It’s called "The Light", and sounds like dusk: the lovely end to a romantic day. The mood can’t be better… And the blues come back. Spooky chords waft by, a pattern of shifting clouds. Before this Ray twangs, a sound authoritative and dark. He starts to howl and the comp gets busy, like sheets of rain. He’s "Comin’ Home Baby", and his presence is welcome. "Tidal Wave" is "Still Here" gone active: tough drums, a little distortion, an eternal chord from the organ. It’s a shade of light blue, and wonderfully restless. "Watermelon Man" lives on that wonderful riff, carried mostly on guitar. Ray spins some smoke, and Skiles has his best moment – it’s the tune you remember. And you should. "What’s Up" moves in funk territory – Ray opens with wah-wah, then chords with a little fuzz. The tone is impressive, even if the tune’s on the plain side. Now he tries octaves, with a springy sound. His attack is strong, prodded a bit by the organ – now add some distortion, and he’s a guitar hero. That’s a nice moment, and here comes the last. "Heads Up" stomps hard at the barroom: soaring notes that end in broad wiggles. Pay attention to Skiles: his boogie influences Ray’s solo, as it did on "Verbena". The riffs keeps getting stronger, and no one wants it to end. Least of all you. Rating: *** ½. Some tunes sound alike, but this has a lot going for it. The blues are superb, and the smoothies show variety. It’s all inviting, and the mood should do it for you.

Guitarist Ray MacCarty debut CD Mood Swing presents MacCarty as a versatile guitarist - there is indeed a fairly wide mood swing throughout the program. The CD opens with a fairly smooth contemporary piece called "We're Still Here," then launches into a Texas-flavored 12-bar blues, "Verbena Way." Russell Ferrante's "The Light" swings back to the contemporary side, then a cover of "Comin' Home Baby" is presented in a slowed-down, bluesy setting. MacCarty puts his stamp on several other familiar covers, Ralph MacDonald and William Salter's "Mister Magic" (just imagine guitar instead of sax on the early Grover Washington, Jr., hit), Herbie Hancock's "Watermelon Man" (also Texas blues flavored), and Ronnie Laws' "Always There." MacCarty rocks out a little with the wah-wah pedal on his original "What's Up With That." The album closes back in Texas with Freddie King and Sonny Thompson's blues "Heads Up." MacCarty's sidemen serve the music well, although there are few solo opportunities and no notable musical personalities emerge. I found myself wishing, at times, that the selections would be a bit lengthier; at between three and four and a half minutes, the groove just gets going when the song comes to a close.

Reviewed by: Lee Prosser

Ray MacCarty is one of the most versatile of contemporary jazz guitarists. He grew up musically in San Jose, California in the decades of the 1960s and 1970s. "Mood Swing" is a CD that will find its way into the hearts of jazz listeners in different ways. The pianist Robert Skiles shows off his stuff on the piano very well indeed on "Verbena Way," and reminds the listener of a young Dave Brubeck! On "The Light," Brad Evilsizer gives a fine performance on drums with John Mills on sax and flute. "Coming Home Baby," has Ray MacCarty on guitar backed with Kyle Brock on Bass and Kevin Conway on drums -- this song will grow on you with its subtle harmonics, and I listened to it five times and got a different electrifying feeling each time it played! On "Tidal Wave," Ray MacCarty leads, as he does on all selections, backed with Chris Maresh on bass, Riley Osborne on Wurlitzer. Other selections include "Mister Magic," Herbie Hancock's classic jazz composition excellently performed by MacCarty, "Watermelon Man," "What's Up With That?" a composition by Ray MacCarty, "Always There," and "Heads Up." It will be nice to see what Ray MacCarty creates next in his future CD work! MacCarty has style, sensitivity, class, and a brilliant feel for both blues and jazz, and everything in-between. "Mood Swing" is that perfect kind of cd which you can take with you anywhere, play anywhere, and have an enjoyable listening experience throughout the entire cd! A perfect performance by a perfect guitarist of the 1990s. Give it a listen, and enjoy!

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You can email Ray at Raymaccarty@yahoo.com