Returning to his roots in Brooklyn, bassist John Patitucci brings along his guitar quartet to explore the sounds that drew him to the instrument in the first place. At least according to Brooklyn’s liner notes. Of the handful of originals here, only “Band Of Brothers” and “JLR” carry with them any traces of the pop music Patitucci claims informed his early love of music. With both featuring a lightly funky groove, they’re a welcome respite from the more faceless contemporary jazz that permeates much of the album.
Having long since proven himself a virtuoso on the instrument, it’s refreshing to hear him largely lay back, allowing guitarists Adam Rogers and Steve Cardenas to do the lion’s share of the soloing. But with this configuration, Patitucci’s bass is often lost in the mix with the other two guitarists, cropping up only during his few solos, and threatening to disappear completely when he spends more than a few bars on the upper reaches of his custom Yamaha six-string. While he should be applauded for reigning in his virtuoso tendencies, there’s simply not enough substance on Brooklyn to warrant the return trip.