(January 28, 2017) There’s a delightful strangeness to the ambrosia that is Boostive, especially on the first single for their Live at Kuumbwa project, “Wait ‘n’ See.” Four albums deep, lots of ingredients now go into making and mixing Boostive’s intoxicating elixir of jazz, electronica, ambient, and world music. The bohemian band from San Diego, CA is difficult to pen down, slipping away from your fingertips just when you think you have who they are within your grasp.
On “Wait ‘n’ See,” the sultry, vaguely Pacific crooning meets latter-day Billie Holiday vocals by Salami Rose Joe Louis (yes, all of that) adds to the unsettling feeling of displacement and blips of musical euphoria. But, it’s the jazz solos taken by Seiji Komo’s atmospheric electric guitar, a searing harmonica by Salami Rose, and the closing by Travis Gibbs’ astonishing trombone solo that all give the cut its depth and sophistication. The emotive backdrop of dark keys by Nathan Kocivar and laidback drums by Peter Johnston anchor it all with an indigo mood and something approaching magic. It’s not going to be the kind of tonic everyone can handle, but it goes down smooth and packs quite a punch.
By L. Michael Gipson
Boostive – “Wait n See”
