Fundementia is a group co-led by reed player Parsons and drummer Lewin. On A Whole Nother Story, they perform with two quintets, one of which was captured at a live performance. The music is a briskly flowing amalgam of acoustic and electric fluency. Parsons composed all of it. Holober is the pianist with both groups. Guitarist McCann and basist Hebert work the studio date, while Tarrow and Weiss take over these duties on the live session. The music offers two contrasting sides of the band, depending on whether Holober is on Rhodes or acoustic piano, and Parsons is on the electronic wind instrument or conventional saxophone. The electric segments have more of the characteristics of fusion, while the acoustic parts take an incisive, forward moving post-bop path. Both are lively jaunts where the motion is continual and the beat pulsating, although they do show their ballad side on one tune.

The two leaders kick off most songs with concise theme statements, then spring loose to allow for their driving brand of improvisation. Lewin is not an overpowering percussionist but instead sets a directional path with precision drumming filled with prodding accents and a pressing beat. Parsons often pairs with the guitarists in unison play, and they leap forward from there. The solos of Parsons, particularly those on tenor, spiral upward with seemingly casual ease. Holober's well-developed acoustic piano solos build in tension and maintain the thrust that signifies the direction of the band. Fundementia probes two definitive areas of jazz and accomplishes its goal on both of them. Whether acoustic or electric, they get down to business.

~ Frank Rubolino

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