Album Review: The Haas Company – Thirteen

I’ve written before of my belief that fusion gave birth to smooth jazz. The latter being an unforgivable sin, I look askance at any new release presenting itself as fusion. But at its best, fusion can be a truly exciting musical experience, so when the signs are right, I proceed, albeit with caution.

In the case of Thirteen, (one of) the latest from The Haas Company, seeing the words “featuring Jerry Goodman – violin” on the cover gave me hope. So I dove in. What I found was an engaging mix of pieces that showcase the very best of jazz-rock fusion, with some scattered bits that veer a bit closer to prog.

“Incident at the Country Club” is very much the former. With a character that recalls both prime Allman Brothers Band and Mahavishnu Orchestra at once, it’s a thrill ride of the first order, with Goodman taking extensive leads that recall his work with John McLaughlin. Band leader and drummer Steve Haas holds the complex meter down tightly, and the other players (keyboardist Pete Drungle, bassist Kirwan Brown and guitarist Samuel Hällkvist) all do their thing with brilliance, passion and skill.

“Five Seven Loop” has an odd meter and some appealing effects on the guitar. The latter engages in lively dialogue with Goodman’s fiddle. The track builds in complexity as it develops. “Back Door Party” features guest bassist Sean Lennon. It’s a funky number, with the core players laving down a groove upon which Drungle, Hällkvist and Goodman all apply layers of (occasionally skronky) lead lines.

Thirteen’s title track opens with atmospherics, quickly giving way to the album’s most aggressive track, displaying a kind of Mahavishnu-meets-King Crimson quality. The tastefully-titled “This Thing Ain’t Gonna Suck Itself” is not a Zappa homage; in fact it’s another complex, ‘70s flavored piece with lots of soloing. If you dig electric violin sparring with wheedly-whee guitar, you’ll love it. If you don’t, you will long since have developed a headache by this point, and this track won’t cure it. (That said, Drungle’s lovely Rhodes solo might help.)

The album closes with an outlier, the metallic “Sleepwalker.” A driving guitar figure that would be more at home a Satriani or Vai album introduces the tune, which quickly takes flight and remains airborne for the duration. It rocks much harder than the rest of the record, and as such feels a bit out of place. But considered on its own, it’s a winner. And it certainly blows the doors off any notions that – on this album, at least – The Haas Company makes smooth jazz.

Note: The CD features the six tracks described above. Streaming platforms serve up an extra track not reviewed here.