Justin Tibbs
A Funky Nightmare
Representing the great state of Ohio, Justin Tibbs is a Saxophonist and Composer from the Akron area. He’s been making a name for himself on the Akron and Cleveland scene for over a decade via his work with Acid Cats, Angie Haze, Bethany Joy, and bassist Jared Lees - to name a few. A graduate of the University of Akron (triple major, no less), he’s released several solo projects and established some exceptional partnerships with equipment makers Earthquaker Devices and Barefoot Buttons. This song, “A Funky Nightmare” is from the LP “JT’s Electrik Blackout,” a full-length project from one of his many personal projects. Here’s our review:
Right away we’re blown away by the mix and tones. The rim & snare is one of the best I’ve heard in years - it reminds me of the work that Sheffield Labs was doing in the 90’s with albums from Pat Coil and Freeway Philharmonic. It’s rare when you hear something this clean and the touch of grease is perfect (if you’re curious, I listen to all these tracks on a set of Adam’s monitors, Bluetooth earbuds, as well as a full Mackie system with 15’s & 18’s - I’m a nerd like that). I’d love to know the mic’s used for the Trumpet & Tenor carrying the lead line, as well as the desk settings - just stunning mix work. Sitting beautifully on the bottom is Jared Lees’ baseline. Nothing too fat, nothing too crisp - just a well rounded tone, right in the pocket, matched beautifully with the kick. The Rhodes tones are so so so so damn nice. Love the crunch and the pan fade all throughout the solo. No idea who engineered and produced it, but I hope Justin buys that person a drink.
As far as form goes, it’s pretty straight ahead. You’ve got an intro, a head (A section) and a syncopated B section. The A & B are played twice - once in the beginning and once at the end, with solos from the trumpet, Rhodes and Tenor between the A & B. Thankfully, they use the B section in the solos to add some depth and modal opportunities to solo over. The arrangement is exceptional and never gets old. Why? Because Tibbs and his band know how to make it all work - and that takes years of study. The head (A section) has a solid melody, the B section gives you a nice breather and amps you up at the same time, and all three solos display confidence and proper timing. Nothing arrogant. Underneath it all is an incredible rhythmic arrangement from the drummer and bassist.
What most non-musicians don’t understand is that jazz really isn’t that difficult if you cut it into sections. Yes, you always need a great melody, but the progressions aren’t that different from what our ears are used to hearing. The trick - and the great ones know how to do it - is to take those progressions and make them interesting via your note choice, phrasing and silence (yes, silence, look up what Miles told Herbie about it). “A Funky Nightmare” is a great example of that. Take it to the extreme and you’ll sound like the later years of John Coltrane. Water it down and you’ll sound like Kenny G. Tibbs knows how to find the accessible middle - showing his proficiency without being boastful. If you are a fan of Spyro Gyra, Nelson Rangell, Boney James - this has more edge to it, more bite. It’s more in the vein of Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock and Dave Weckl. It’s a beautiful track that deserves a tremendous amount of recognition.
Make sure you scroll down to catch all his socials and other tracks. He leads a Trio (in addition to this full band) and has done a great job putting together a complete social media profile. Scrolling through his videos (like his rendition of Wayne Shorter’s solo on “Armageddon”), you can tell he is a true student of the instrument and an exceptional musician. There’s a great live version of another track from this record on his YouTube channel - you’ve got to check out “Dance of the Espada” - the groove is killer and the growl on his tenor is beautiful. Great work Justin - we’ve got you on our rotation now!