TOSHINORI KONDO/ERALDO BERNOCCHI/BILL LASWELL

CHARGED

  1/  Called                                     (Bernocchi,Kondo,Laswell)     5.29
  2/  Cried                                      (Bernocchi,Kondo,Laswell)     5.50
  3/  Cornered                                   (Bernocchi,Kondo,Laswell)     5.15
  4/  Connected                                  (Bernocchi,Kondo,Laswell)     7.49
  5/  Cleared                                    (Bernocchi,Kondo)             4.49
  6/  Tokyo                                      (Bernocchi,Kondo)             8.58
  7/  Crooned                                    (Bernocchi,Kondo)             5.24
  8/  Changed                                    (Bernocchi,Kondo,Laswell)     5.35
  9/  Out                                        (Bernocchi,Kondo)             3.28

          Recorded at Studio Coffee Shop Amsterdam, Metal Box Studio Kawasaki, Orange
            Music, Orange, NJ, Verba Corrige Studio, Milan
          Additional recording: Bob Musso.
          Produced, recorded and mixed by Eraldo Bernocchi and Toshinori Kondo
          Mastered at Turtle Tone Studio, NYC by Michael Fossenkemper
          Material Inc: John Brown
Eraldo Bernocchi: electronic, beats, programming, treated guitar; Toshinori Kondo: electric trumpet; Bill Laswell (1,2,3,4,8): bass.

          1999 - Apollo/R & S Records, AMB 9955 (2x12”)
          1999 - Apollo/R & S Records, AMB 9955 CD X (CD)
          1999 - Innerhythmic Records (USA), INR002 (CD)

REVIEWS :

Many records these days are described as "jazzy" drum'n'bass, "jazzy" triphop etc, much of which perhaps wouldn't seriously impress the real jazz listener. This album, on the other hand, is the real thing. Bernocchi's funky drum'n'bass-rhythms accompany Kondo's skilled trumpet excursions, most of utterly dance-friendly with some slower tracks for variation. A good record that should appeal to both Drum'n'Bass and Jazz lovers.

Henrik Strömberg, originally published in Swedish in Magazine Groove, Sweden

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Long awaited by fans of dark electronics master Eraldo Bernocchi and trumpeter extraordinaire Toshinori Kondo, _Charged_ had originally been slated for release on Sub Rosa. When that deal soured, the extra time needed to shop around for a new label afforded the Italo-Japanese duo the chance to invite Bill Laswell to beef up five of the album´s nine tracks. Recorded in Holland, Japan, New Jersey and Milan, the overall result is stellar - a jazz-funk workout roughly located within the "Equations of Eternity" parameter, featuring digressions into both breakbeats and ambience and dominated by Kondo’s masterful electric trumpet and Eraldo´s erratic beats and crunchy electronics. Though at times reminiscent of Kondo´s lovely duet with DJ Krush on _Ki-Oku_, _Charged_ flexes more muscle. The aptly-named fourth track "Connected" allows a tightly-welded trio to prove that in the right hands, drum´n’bass is not quite dead yet. When left to their own devices, Bernocchi supplies Kondo with enough backbone to allow the latter to stand and deliver with confidence, though it must be admitted that Laswell´s input on bass adds that extra, palpably physical dimension that computer-generated basslines just can´t deliver.

Stephen Fruitman