Carnival '99
This Boulder, Colorado, quintet does many things well, but nothing great. This double-CD set, culled from 13 different performances, shows off their breadth as they move from electro-bluegrass to fusion to funk to prog-rock like kiddies in a toy store. While they certainly have the chops to pull it off, they wind up playing away from their strengths too often. Everything from bluegrass stomps like "Shenandoah Breakdown" andJimmy Martin's "Hold What You've Got" to jazz staples made famous byDave Brubeck,Weather Report, andMiles Davis, to theMeters' "Hey Pocky Way" is fair game. There's an infectious energy and a lively experimental spirit at work, and their stylistic range keeps things interesting to say the least--especially over the course of a long live set. But without a bit more focus and some more compelling originals, there are too many low points to suffer through, especially for those of us listening at home without benefit of the live vibe.--Marc Greilsamer