The arrival of Misha's explosive JVC debut, Connected to the Unexpected, both clarifies and secures the future of the ever-expanding realm where urban-flavored modern hip-hop meets contemporary jazz. More than just a clever twist of phrase, the album title plugs into the keyboardist's ultra-inventive approach in fusing the various elements of his professional background - traditional and modern jazz, rock, pop, and orchestral music -- with an aggressive, rap-spiced street vibe, topping off the infectious blend with stylistic homages to rhythms from around the globe. Connected to the Unexpected leads the Emmy award-winning composer, arranger, and producer down a more adventurous yet ultimately more focused road than Zambooka, his debut as an artist in 1992. While younger fans looking for that new sound will no doubt find those grooves just the ticket, Misha also forges numerous links to the jazz masters he admired in his formative years. Behind the furious blend of jazzy piano, serious hip-hop, and Ron Bloom's rapping on "1 and the 9" lies a big-band style homage to Duke Ellington, complete with a three-piece horn section (Greg Adams, trumpet; Gary Herbig, sax; Ira Nepus, trombone). - Jonathan Widran. Allmusic
Musicians:
Misha - piano
Brian Bromberg - bass
Gary Herbig - sax
Greg Adams - trumpet
