Rating:
Genre:
Jazz
Release Date: 03/28/2000
Run Time: 71:23
While the global dance community has never failed to make a commotion over European groovemeisters
Count Basic, the West Coast-based keyboard trio
3rd Force has slowly amassed a catalog of music as rhythm intensive and melodically irresistible as its titles are pun-inflected (
Forces of Nature,
Vital Force, etc.). So many of their cuts -- anchored by synth wizard
William Aura and enhanced by a host of eager smooth jazz stars like
Craig Chaquico,
Boney James, and
Peter White -- have made it onto the airwaves that
Higher Octave Music had no trouble gathering 13 well-known tracks to digitally remaster to form the bulk of
Collective Force.
3rd Force's productions can be simple and sparse, as on
"Here Comes the Night," which features a gentle acoustic piano intro and then a subtle, seductive groove and dreamy atmosphere behind
Peter White's high-toned acoustic melody. Other pieces like
"No Doubt" combine hypnotic synth swirls, hip-hop shuffling grooves, and an energetic flugelhorn and trumpet battle off the main melody. The two new tunes perfectly display this dichotomy:
"Dance With Me" twines sprinkles of synth-generated tropical vibes,
Grant Geissman's echoing electric guitar, and wah-wah snaps under a jumpy electric piano melody;
"Sweet Surrender" finds
White playing it cool on a lilting melody over a gently rhythmic flow, combining his nylon strings in certain parts with electronic flute and accordion sounds before he echoes those lines solo.
~Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide
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