The New Fuse Box: Another 3 Days

By GRAHAM REID

(Herald rating: * * *)

Three and a half years on from Fuse Box's debut, The Politiks of Jazz, the Auckland-based quartet are now a quintet, hence the refreshed band name. The addition of seasoned saxophonist Chris Nielson and new guitarist Dean Kerr brings bite to leader/keyboardist Lindsay Wakem's originals.

Nielson's tougher, woody tone - a little of Jan Garbarek here and there - proves excellent counterpoint to Wakem's thick and warm Fender Rhodes substructures and Kerr (who has worked with Renee Geyer and Marcia Hines) is a real find as he covers an intelligently considered spectrum of styles. The result is a more mature album with real depth in the writing, playing and arrangements.

Wakem's full-bodied piano work (Interlude Just Now), the album juggling cool radio-friendly jazz (the light touches of 7 Up, the Santana/Steely Dan flavour of Laughing All the Way Home) with statements of genuine artistry, and the deft playing of drummer Jason Orme and bassist Phil Scorgie hold this together: Orme with fine brush work throughout, Scorgie popping in some 70s funk where appropriate.

The New Fuse Box have made a considerable leap forward from the debut described as cafe-friendly in these pages. That holds true for this, but the extra meat here makes this a much more satisfying meal.

Label: Border