It’s a phrase I have used about him before, but in its own succinct and snappy way, it sums Danny Merriman up nicely. He’s a groover. Throughout several generally short, sharp and shockingly well-crafted releases, he has presented us with music from all genres, sounds, and styles, but they have one common denominator. They groove. Or, more eloquently, they are bass-driven, upbeat and energetic. And those bass lines, that four-string engine room sound, is at the heart of any music he makes.
Following, not exactly hot on the heels of his last EP, the reggae and ska-infused DNA – 4, he now brings us DNA – 4.2, which leans more towards, if not jazz as such, certainly more jazz-fusion sounds. Another four songs, another four vibrant stings working hard for their keep and another quartet of music that proves that he is much more than a bassist looking for an outlet, but a talented writer, musician, producer and arranger in his own right.
Kicking off with Dan Dare, we find Dan(ny) being daring indeed. And if your only contact with such jazz-fusion escapades is the more commercial sound of the likes of Level 42, then I must point you to a reference point that I have found helpful before with Danny’s music, that of the Bristol-based leading post-punk-dub-funk-avant garde-free-jazz mavericks, The Pop Group. I cite them because there is a similar intricacy and tightly wound yet dexterous groove to be found here, something more outsider than the more commercial components of The New Funk indulged in.
As an opening piece, it sets the tone perfectly. This is not music that will be easily categorized, but then again, none of the best, most creative, forward-thinking music is. If you can put a label on it, then it stands to reason that you have heard something similar to it before. With the exception of the aforementioned band, it is hard to find easy and obvious parallels, and that is always a good sign.
You Make Me Feel Like A Million takes us into slightly looser realms. Rather than the taut sound of the opener, there is something of the trippy, baggy scene sound to it, some sort of swagger to be found in its shimmering shuffle, something slightly psychedelic and satisfyingly sumptuous. And even the vocals have that relaxed feel, adding to the devil-may-care attitude that runs through the song. As always, the bass does much of the heavy lifting, sonically speaking. Still, the lines and patterns he draws with it are so melodic, so able to incorporate riff and groove simultaneously, something typically found in different parts of song makeup, that it feels perfectly natural.
The previous ep, may have revelled in the sounds of Jamaican music, but he obviously had some ska grooves left over as they drive Take A Look brilliantly. But this isn’t the purist sound of the genre, especially by the time he has thrown in some funky horns and a heady slice of rock guitar. Remember, this is fusion, so who knows what sonic forces you will find clashing and complimenting within the music.
Come On Down rounds things off ideally, again taking us into new, if closely associated, realms. Perhaps as much because of the nature of the vocals that he employs, this is reminiscent of some of the music swirling around the crucible that eventually came together to create early hip-hop. It is funky and shot through with horns, harmony vocals, breakdowns and comebacks, urban grooves, and dancefloor moves. It sounds like one of those early turntablists who has sampled all manner of cool sounds to make new music. But of course, the great thing here is that this is the sound of Danny Merriman doing that in real time and under his own steam.
Once again, Danny Merriman delivers the goods. It is impossible to say precisely what he does because his music shifts through any number of genres, album to album, song to song and even from one verse to the next. But that, of course, is what makes it so great.
Is Un-second-guessable a word? If not, then it is now, and it precisely describes the music that he makes.