Charbonneau ends up setting up another awesome soul groove, but not before it sounds as if he’s going to “pick the bass apart”, given his aggressive pizzicato. Penultimate cut “Celestial Blues”, penned by Andy Bey, kicks off with bassist Charbonneau receiving one of his few features.
The rhythmic pianistic role is also expanded, later delivering a slick solo as well as increasing the punch of the overall accompaniment. The pianistic and vibe role in the “rhythmic machine” of the groove definitely stand out as notable instrumental features. “Sommet En Sommet” picks right where “Agoya” left off with its Latin influences, though it does slow the tempo. Throw in Chrétien mystical harp playing to close out the cut, and “East Flows the River” is another phenomenal spin from the orchestra. After taking time to establish itself, Steve Patterson solos yearningly on tenor, giving the horn a human-like voice. The pacing of “East Flows the River” feels natural, never pushing too fast to reach its climax. Philippe Lafreniére’s drum groove, aided by Marielle Rivard’s percussion as well, is another soulfully leaning cut. “East Flows the River” provides a contrast, taking the tempo down and returning to a moodier sound. Manic and energetic are perfect adjectives to describe this standout. Follow-up cut “Agoya” definitely has a mean bite and sass about it, driven by the infectiousness of its Latin groove. The orchestrations are brilliant, not to mention the magnificent featured vibe and tenor sax solos. Sounding like the perfect instrumental background for any soul singer, “Black Orchid” easily gets the foot tapping and the head nodding. “Black Orchid” possesses more of the “soul” part of the ensemble’s name. Unsurprisingly, after all instruments settle in on the head, “As the Crow Flies” reveals itself as an excellent song for soloing. Dark, shifting piano chords further set up the enigma, until upright bass (Philippe Charbonneau) establishes stability with another irresistible groove.
“As the Crow Flies” opens mysteriously, initiated by the vibes, followed by intensification provided from the cymbals on the drums. The vocals - simple iterations of “one life to live” - are reggae-oriented, truly flaunting the eclectic, international vibe of Souljazz Orchestra. An electrifying flute solo (Zakari Frantz) doesn’t hurt the cause either, definitely part of the Latin-jazz idiom. The Latin-soul groove of “One Life to Live” definitely highlights the cut. The brevity of “Kingdom Come” both packs a punch and feels just right in length. Brief but excellent solos courtesy of baritone sax (Ray Murray), trumpet (Ed Lister), and vibes (Chrétien) show top-notch musicianship, while the recurring piano/vibes riff is nothing short of addictive. Maintaining a minor key, first full-length cut “Kingdom Come” continues to exhibit moodiness, though it does so with an electrifying groove and alluring sounds. After an unstable beginning, balance settles in through the statement of the melody. Moody and possessing a mysterious darkness, it establishes the tone of the LP. “Initiation” opens Inner Fire, exemplifying its introductory title. Brief yet loaded, Inner Fire resides among the elite albums regardless of stylistic labels in 2014. It encompasses touches of soul, Latin, Afro, and of course jazz, among others. What is important and notable is that Souljazz Orchestra deliver a truly genre-bending, international music juggernaut in Inner Fire. Whether or not this was the vision of Pierre Chrétien and the Souljazz Orchestra behind Inner Fire is of minimal importance. In other words, each individual possesses his or her own “fire” inside.
Those three adjectives describe what personally comes to mind from a title like Inner Fire.
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