Jack Casady - Dream Factor (2003) Lossless

Founding member of the Jefferson Airplane and longtime mainstay of Hot Tuna, Jack Casady was one of the first rock bass players to explore the full melodic potential of his instrument. But on this, his first solo album after four decades in the trenches, the veteran musician showcases a more subtle skill--his peerless ability to bolster any musical framework he's involved with. With guests ranging from old band mates (Jorma Kaukonen adds his distinctive acoustic and electric lead guitar work to "Listen to the Wind" and "Sweden," respectively) to Little Feat's Paul Barrere (whose vocals and emblematic slide guitar light up the buoyant opener, "Paradise," and two others) Ivan Neville (the soulful vocals and B3 of "Trust Somebody") and the Tubes' Fee Waybill (who collaborates/sings on the anti-travelogue, "Sweden") Casady strives more for a sense of musical family than adventurous turns in the spotlight. Save for the rumbling bass cascades and playful noises of the instrumental "Outside," Casady hews to largely familiar forms here, occasionally switching over to acoustic guitar for his various collaborations with Box Set's Jim Brunberg and Jeff Pehrson (and especially the evocative country of "By Your Side") that form the album's core tracks. --Jerry McCulley