JAMES BLOOD ULMER Part Time (Rough Trade)

Now that Ulmer doesn’t have to deal with being “the next big thing,” he can concentrate on his music which, coincidentally or not, has been improving of late. Basically, he’s found the right band members: electric violinist Charles Burnham and drummer Warren Benbow are not only distinctive players in their own right but they listen so well, knowing when to lay back and when to cut loose. The absent bass isn’t even missed because of Benbow’s busy bass drum and Ulmer’s chunky funk chording. This live LP is exceptionally wellrecorded and shows off the full spectrum of the band’s sound, from the constantly exploding “Part Time” to the more conventional song structure of “Mr. Tight Hat.” True, Ulmer’s voice, which sounds sorta like Hendrix with a mouth full of John Lee Hooker, is an acquired taste, but I don’t care if I understand every word or not; the music comes through loud and clear. M.D.