If a musician could win a medal for good taste, that distinction would easily have gone by now to Pino Palladino. An electric bassist highly regarded across the musical spectrum, Palladino helped define the sound of some of our biggest stars, from David Knopfler to D'Angelo.
Now he has finally stepped out with his own debut, made in collaboration with producer and multi-instrumentalist Blake Mills. Notes with Attachments is an album in the making for more than 20 years, but it also has the vibe of a pandemic recording. It’s a genre-less exploration featuring two artists in love with their craft — a meticulous orchestral beat tape and sound journey. Layers upon layers of sound wash over you, drawing inspiration from all over: North and West Africa, Cuba, and the United States.
It should come as no surprise that two of today’s most brilliant behind-the-scenes guys would create something so inventive and unexpected. Every listen brings a new wrinkle.
Speaking of which: in the middle of our conversation about the album, we land on a bold statement about a key contributor on the album, drummer Chris Dave. In terms of sheer influence, is he on the same level as Tony Williams?
