The Haas Company - 2025 - Song for Mimi, Vol. 3

(58:51; Psychiatric Records)






















Subtitled ‘Vol 3.’, here we have the third album from The Haas Company, all of which have had a different guest musician, and this time it is guitarist Samuel Hällkvist joining Steve Haas (drums) and Pete Drungle (Rhodes, Moog Odyssey, Mini Moog, various synths), the latter providing all 10 songs. In addition, Kirwan Brown and Guy Pratt (of Pink Floyd) alternate on bass, and there are guest appearances by guitarist Sean Lennon (who also provides bass atmospherics), and violinists Jerry Goodman (famed for his work with the Mahavishnu Orchestra), Nicolas Draps, Todd Reynolds, Robert Wechsler, Mark Feldman, and Scott Tixler. 

As with their other releases, what we have here is classic Seventies jazz rock fusion with Hällkvist here providing most of the lead melody, although Drungle is never far behind and it is when he really lets himself fly such as on the piano on “In Cologne” where this album really comes alive. Too often the musicians are playing it somewhat safe as they work through the scores, and the result is something interesting to those who enjoy the genre, but it never really comes alive. The best JRF bands are the ones where the musicians truly know each other, have shared countless hours on stage, and can take a theme and move with it, and unfortunately that never happens here. As with the other albums in this series, I will say that the more it is played the more one gets from it, but to say it is essential is another matter altogether. 

Kev Rowland, August 2025

Links:
https://thehaascompany.com/

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