Uri Caine - Shelf-Life (2005)

The trio of keyboardist Uri Caine, bassist/guitarist Tim Lefebvre, and drummer Zach Danziger creates very electronic, often funky, and completely unpredictable music on this eccentric set. Their wit is not absent ("Defensestration" is a strange satire of show music) and much of the set could be considered an extension on Miles Davis' bands of the 1970s, although it is not derivative. Beyond the core trio, the other musicians and singers generally only appear on one or two songs apiece. The emphasis is on Caine's trio, with ensembles that are often quite dense and sometimes overcrowded. This set takes a few listens to sort out, and it will either be loved or hated by jazz listeners, depending on their feelings toward electronic sounds.