Munyungo

Jazz Weekly

by George W. Harris
December 2019

He’s played on albums ranging from Miles Davis to Marcus Miller. Here on his own, Munyungo Jackson plays a surfeit of percussion instruments from all over the world on this panoramic collection of upbeat and life affirming tunes. The ensembles range from solo treatises by Munyngo as he  plays balafon, talking drum, shells, voice and voice on the Caribbean title track to nine member ensembles which include tenor sax titan Kamasi Washington and passionate vocalist Dwight Trible on the ethereal “Desert Crossing.” Justo Almaro’s flute floats on “Salsa” while the leader’s timbales simmer like fried rice under Ebony Fay’s voice on a fervent read of “Afro Blue.” Keyboards by John Beasley thicken up the African heat of  “Rain Forest”  with West African heat provided on the soulful “Malian Flight.” A rich duet between Jackson’s kalimba and vocalist Harry Thompson make for a life affirming “Peaceful Streams,” with the loving dedication of the music and attitude to God. You can feel the thankfulness on every note. Take two every morning!

The Toledo Blade

November 2019
by Tom Henry

A longtime percussionist for Stevie Wonder, four-time Grammy winner Munyungo Jackson has played drums, congas, bongos, timbales, and numerous other instruments for an amazing list of other A-list musicians, including Miles Davis, Sting, Kenny Loggins, Keb Mo, Herbie Hancock, Dianne Reeves, the Zawinul Syndicate, Ronnie Laws, The Temptations, The Four Tops, and The Supremes. In fact, he now has some 1,200 instruments in his arsenal.

On this disc, the free-spirited California native offers a 15-song set that is a real genre-bender, offering anything from a euphoric, transcendental sound to hip hop and other types of more aggressive music. I found the title track, the first number on the album, to be an especially pleasing mix of salsa and mellow sounds, offering a beautiful musical landscape for listeners. To me, it is the most memorable piece on the disc, which in some respects tries to do too much.  

I found myself yearning for more of the Morning Sun opening style. But it’s all good. Jackson calls his music “Jungle Jazz, because it’s a mixture of African, Latin, and Caribbean grooves complimented by my American jazz roots swingin’ hard, with my worldly funky upbringing accenting each song.” I’m not sure if ‘Jungle Jazz’ would be my term for describing what he does, but the African, Latin, and Caribbean grooves augmented by American jazz roots pretty much nails it.  

You can’t go wrong with this West Coast percussion legend and his open, sometimes airy vision. It’s a solid disc, even if it meanders a bit more than I wished.