Wide Hive Players – Players II Guitar

(This originally appeared on Subba Cultcha way back in 2013)


In-house label band draft in some top guitarists for an album where jazz meets soul, funk, rock and blues.

Wide Hive Players are truly an in-house affair for their California based record label, comprised as they are by musicians from across the label's roster. Label owner Gregory Howe also makes a big contribution with the compositions as well as on production and engineering duties. The band began as a live sessions project in 2009 and went on to release a well-received eponymous album of soulful, funky modern jazz.

For Players II Guitar, their second album release they've secured the talents of four guitar playing greats to come in and add some special magic to the tracks. And what an impressive line-up it is, with Larry Coryell (famed for his solo albums as well as having worked with Charlie Mingus and John McLaughlin), Calvin Keys (toured and recorded with Ray Charles as well as successful solo releases on Black Jazz Records), Harvey Mandell (Canned Heat, John Mayall), and Barry Finnerty (Miles Davis, Chico Hamilton, The Crusaders).

The result is a musical version of a four seasons pizza, each guitarists' individual style adding its own flavour to the album; there's Calvin Keys' fluid and intricate solos, Larry Coryell's expressive playing on the contemplative 'Sworn Statement', Harvey Mandell getting soulful and funky on 'Preachers Pistol', and Barry Finnerty's dexterous mastery as evidenced on 'The Paladin'.

At times laid back and languid, other times with an up-and-on-it dance floor groove, there's shades of both David Axelrod and Acid Jazz across the tracks. Despite the guitarists taking top billing, this is a definite group effort with the brass and rhythm sections in fine supporting mode. If such a collaboration had happened in an era when jazz was a more popular, less niche musical form no doubt this album would be big news. As it is, it may just be a secret waiting to be rediscovered.


Click here for Wide Hive Records website.