Jim Beard - Lost At The Carnival

Musically it combines elements from acid-jazz, groove-jazz and fusion with sounds and harmonic ideas from world music and carnival songs from around the whole world. It is spiced with samples and musical quotes from all kinds of music - held together by Jim's strong sense of form and his very personal kind of humour. The instruments and sounds used are a delicate mixture between high-tech machines and rare older instruments. On "Step Inside" Jim Beard plays both a real "Wurlitzer" electric piano from the 70s and the classic drum computer "TR 808" (sampled and used with a Roland S770) as well as modern keyboards - and on the bluesy "Chunks & Chairknobs" the electric guitar of Jon Herrington is contrasted by acoustic piano and a woodwind section played by Stan Harrison.

The Songs:

1. Step Inside (6:18)( WAV 162 kB, acid-jazz groove)
2. Chunks And Chairknobs (5:36)
3. Pumpkin Fat (5:14) (WAV-sound 202 kB, inspired by childhood memories)
4. Holiday (for Pete and Gladys) (4:54) (WAV 248 kB)
5. Lost At The Carnival (7:41)
6. Jigamarie (6:58)
7. Grace In The Bubble (6:32) (inspired by Grace Jones and built on an idea from "Slave To..")
8. Michigan Roll (5:33)
9. Poke (5:32)

The musicians:

• Jim Beard - piano, "Wurlitzer" electric piano, synthesizers, percussion
• Jon Herington - guitars, harmonica, percussion
• Bill Evans - saxophones on Jigamarie, Lost At The Carnival, Pumpkin Fat
• Stan Harrison - clarinet, bass clarinet, flute, alto flute on Grace In The Bubble, Chunks & Chairknobs, Lost At The Carnival, Pumpkin Fat
• Ron Jenkins - bass on Holiday, Michigan Roll, Pumpkin Fat
• Scooter Warner - drums on Holiday, Michigan Roll and Pumpkin Fat
• Mike Mechem - drums on Chunks & Chairknobs
• Steve Rodby - acoustic bass on Chunks & Chairknobs and Jigamarie