[HADRIEN FERAUD]

Umm...WOW!!!
I just recieved a copy a few weeks back, and I gotta tell you, with all these "wanna-be" Marcus Millers/Victor Wootens doing their thumping and double thumping with out ANY concept of what the hell they are doing, this is a nice breathe of fresh air.

As another post was put up, I too can hear sounds of Matt Garrison at times. Maybe even Tony Grey/Janek Gwizdala too, but Hadrien has a "thing" going on here, and it's his own "thing".

I don't have Industrial Zen, so I can't compare it to the playing there, but this disc has that uptown NYC fusion vibe without being pretentious.
No "look at me and how cool and out I can play but still stay in context" stuff going on. Just good (and CLEAN) honest playing.

This is going to be an interesting journey we are going on with Hadrien. This is his first solo disc, and he's already crushing others who have been established for a long time.

Sure he can burn, but he doesn't get out of control and loose sounding. Always sound like he knows where and most importantly- why he's playing what he's playing.

And he's playing a Smith. And it doesn't sound like a Smith.
I didn't think that was possible!!!!

If double thumping and more smooth jazz "slap lead" bass playing is your thing, then do one of two things:
1) Don't buy it, because you may dig it, but it's not your bag- wait for the next Marcus disc (which sounded like the last two IMO)
2) Buy it because it will give you insite to a young and upcoming player who is sure to be a common "bass name".
And hell, you may just dig it!!

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