Transmogrified Jonesboro GA

Transmogrified

Uncle Art

Beezwax Enterprises, 1997

REVIEW BY: Tammy Childs

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 04/29/2005

Independent record label Beezwax Enterprises has developed acreative and unique way of packing their music. Each CD isspecifically designated for the buyer, with his/her name stamped onthe sleeve, and each has a serial number with a purchase date. Thismakes the purchasing of the CD a more personal experience, in anattempt to actively involve the buyer in the process. Each CD is aone-of-a-kind experience; "one of a kind, one at a time."

Transmogrified is indie-band Uncle Art's first releasethrough Beezwax Enterprises. Uncle Art was founded by DavidSeyboldt and Transmogrified is the band's debut. Although listed in thegenre of techno-jazz, I found it to be a mix of jazz, blues and abit of light rock. Band members include Seyboldt on keyboards andpercussion, Bill Boris on guitar, Peter Ballin on woodwinds andRafe Bradford on bass.

"Carmine" is a jazzy blues song. It is lively and lighthearted,and has a foot-tapping quality that makes it one of my favoritepicks. Boris' guitar work here is notable.

Adding vocals, "Polar Patrol" is an odd and individualisticpiece featuring Seyboldt on percussion. The story of the PolarPatrol is interesting. "Among the expeditions that have beensponsored by the United States Government, the Greely expeditionranks with the Lewis and Clark Expedition in importance. Bothopened new frontiers and added to man's knowledge of the unknown.Adolphus Washington Greely was well versed in Artic explorationliterature and frequently wrote on the subject... Sensationalpublicity and distortion of the facts portrayed survivors of theGreely Expedition as cannibals. Greely knew what people thought,but beyond his testimony at Congressional and departmentalhearings, where he presented sworn affidavits from the survivorsthat they had not practiced cannibalism, he made no effort todefend his leadership. 19 April 1966." From that information arose"Polar Patrol." The quirky, distinctively independent tone sets thepace for the rest of the CD. And while I can appreciate and admirethe creativity, I am unsure that I really liked this particularsong. The militaristic musical style does not appeal to me.