It is common talk in Phish circles that the band’s road manager Brad Sands may have, simply, one of the "best damn jobs in the world." Till recently, when along with Anastasio’s long time friend Chris Cottrell, Sands was provided with one of the "most daunting jobs in the world;" weeding through all the live shows from the Trey Anastasio Band’s summer and fall 2002 Tours, and then compiling the most spirited moments over to Anastasio for review. The finale is a collection of twelve forward thinking-distinct compositions, showcasing the true essence of an improvisational big band, possessing a choice of ten musical weapons.
The title song "Plasma," built around marching band horn arrangements, and regimented percussion may sound as thematic as the
Rocky soundtrack, if not for Anastasio’s signature laid guitar lines, and delicately undisturbed vocal refrains. Both sides pull and play, with the beauty coming in the balance. The Page McConnell classic, "Magilla" is revamped to display the song’s true jazz potential, incorporating a big band splendor, both tasteful and polished. A Middle Eastern charm allows "When" to seduce and sedate with sultry harmonizing vocals of Anastasio and Jen Hartswick, culminating in a shared giggle as the song closes. Continuing on the global spectrum, the band moves into the full on Latin fiesta of "Mozambique." Enlisting a vibrant tag team horn intro which later builds into a tornado of energy augmented by Cyro Baptista’s spontaneous tribal background vocals, the song climaxes into Anastasio’s triumphant "Sound of Music" guitar tease. The flute and bass interplay of "Every Story Ends In Stone" further challenges the listener with a spooky, pulsating beat that keeps progressing forward with the expectation of something bigger, but ultimately wavers unexpectedly into silence.
Where disc one experiments in texture and volume, disc two transcends the boundaries of improvisational jazz. "Night Speaks to a Woman" reaches into more Phishy waters with a mesmerizing multi-instrumented keyboard rampage by Ray Paczkowski, and Anastasio’s space funk guitar leads. The jam spirals and builds, almost begging for a conclusive vocal jam, only to segue back into Hartswick’s vocals, that flourish "like water on the breeze." The 21-minute "Inner Tube" explores the trance-fusion side of the band, with a hypnotic jam that rides one wave of sound after another; gelled together in the studio from several live performances. Although exhilarating at times, the energy dies down, and then is stabbed with a new rush, fully reflecting its "tube" and ocean wave inspiration. With ten members, including horns, keyboards, and a three person rhythm section, the sound is certainly full, though Trey’s guitar wails through it all on the groove heavy "Simple Twist Up Dave." Plasma continues to redefine the overwhelming impact a Trey Anastasio led band can produce in the live setting.
Glide Magazine is pleased to offer a pair of floor seats to the sold out TAB show at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City on May 26, 2003. Click here to enter.
