Good For Cows - Bepop Fantasy

Good for Cows is a San Francisco-based jazz duo featuring Devin Hoff on bass and Ches Smith on drums. It’s fairly difficult to effectively critique improvisational jazz without a technical music theory background, so I’m working off gut instinct here people… I think the verb “to compliment” is best used in a positive manner when three or more objects are involved, because two objects obviously MUST compliment each other, regardless of the outcome. What does that have to do with this album you may ask? Well, the bass and drums on Bebop Fantasy compliment each other, but they don’t necessarily compliment each other. In other words, more is less. Or in other other words, Good for Cows works best when one instrument takes the lead and the other provides background structure and tempo. When Devin and Ches are both doing their own thing, Good for Cows sounds competitive and uncooperative. Bebop Fantasy has a Jekyl and Hyde identity. Half of the album is well calculated, smart and good looking while the other half is unpredictable and confusing. Take Medeski, Martin & Wood for example. The threesome compliment each other nicely because at all times at least one player is maintaining stability while the other two go exploring. Good for Cows plays in the same improv pool as the boys from MMW, but Devin and Ches have a more difficult time keeping focused. Like the saying goes: Two’s company; three’s a craft. [www.goodforcows.com]