Friends Of Dean Martinez – Retrograde
What in tarnation was Bill Elm thinking when he first put together the Friends of Dean Martin(ez) in 1993? In a relatively short period of time, his ever-widening circle of Friends have imperceptibly mutated into a top-notch, wholly sophisticated, noirish, high-lonesome instrumental ensemble. Basically, the group serves as a dynamic, interactive vehicle for Elm’s idiosyncratic voicing on the pedal steel guitar. Still, the emotive ambiance that the players achieve is noteworthy — not just for their artistic scope, but for the inventiveness they bring to an oft-neglected musical genre.
On Retrograde, Elm is accompanied by a number of accomplished musicians including Giant Sand’s John Convertino and Joey Burns, keyboardist Chris Cacavas, Van Christian, Tom Larkins and sax player Ralph Carney. Inspired by the classic ’50s steel-guitar sounds of Santo & Johnny, Friends Of Dean Martinez run through a variety of strangely familiar aural motifs. It’s all here: the classic blue Hawaiian sway, the twisted movie-muzak in the shape of spys-who- surf instrumentals, and a proverbial and constant homage to Ennio Morricone. All of this and more, with just a touch of the stuff that the cocktail lounge culture is made of.
Make no mistake, Elm’s pedal steel work practically glows in the dark, and the rhythm section of Burns and Convertino — who are no longer with the band — are as malleable and telepathic as they come. From the John Fante-inspired “Ask The Dust” to the moody exotica of “Monte Carlo” and the solemnly evocative “I Will Wait For You”, this disc has letters from 3 a.m. written all over it. Whether cooking Mexicali-style or just laying back with some chamber-jazz, Elm and company seem to know exactly when and how to shoot out the lights.