Absolutely inventive and novel, ‘Cherry Peach’ staunchly defies genre boundaries. Acidic, peppy, jazzy, quirky, and wholly exciting, this collective effort of about half a dozen exceptional talents turned out extremely well for all parties involved.
Released under the name of guitarist Ari Joshua, Cherry Peach was created in collaboration with John Medeski and Billy Martin of MMW (Medeski, Martin, & Wood), a legendary Brooklyn jazz trio formed in 1991. The trio of Joshua, Medeski, and Martin was then augmented by bassist Jason Fraticelli, and ‘Cherry Peach’ was produced with Indigo Girls, Duff McKagen, and guitarist Jeff Fielder.
The acid jazz-meets-funk amalgam present on ‘Cherry Peach’ gorgeously bridges the gap between 60s funk, 70s Hendrix-styled blues, and all the way to modern, warm, and effusive acid jazz. The slightly mad distorted solos from Joshua, existing right by the side of his restrained and extremely well colored, subdued riffs, all alongside Medeski’s characterful keyboard riffs, create a melodic foreground that is extremely rich and engaging in its notes and textures. In the background, an uber-tight rhythm section is keeping a solid backbone, made up of Fraticelli’s bouncy and groovy bass, and Martin’s solid, efficient, and joyful drumming.
‘Cherry Peach’ is a piece that displays an extremely confident personality from all angles. Fantastic melodies and performances meet warm and rich production to produce a piece of a singular texture, both in timbre and feel. ‘Cherry Peach’ speaks volumes for the terrific amount of experience its creators have among their respective careers.