by Greg Prato
In the '80s, there appeared to be an onslaught of fusion releases that managed to incorporate elements of funk into the mix, while also favoring an incredibly clean production. Although the style appeared to go largely out of vogue in the '90s, several veteran players continued to stick to their guns, including drummer extraordinaire Dennis Chambers. Chambers has been releasing solo albums since the late '90s, yet he's probably best known as a hired gun, having played alongside several renowned artists of the rock world -- Santana, Steely Dan, and Parliament-Funkadelic -- as well as guitarist John Scofield. In 2006, Chambers united with three other musicians equally skilled on their respective instruments -- bassist Jeff Berlin, guitarist Dave "Fuze" Fiuczynski, and keyboardist T. Lavitz -- and issued the ten-track jamfest Boston T Party. If you're a fan of expertly played modern-day fusion jams, Boston T Party should certainly be your cup of tea, as evidenced by such tracks as "D'funk'd" and "Around About Way." But if it's tight song structures you're after, Boston T Party is the complete opposite.