The Georgia Straight Review

Straddling the boundary between jam-band rock and electric jazz (but leaning more toward the latter), guitarist Ryan Drolet's solo debut somehow manages to be both utterly delicious and quite undistinguished. It's delicious because of the ease with which the leader and his sidemen - keyboardist Dan Graham, bassist Brad Ferguson and drummer Tim Proznick - interact; there's a real group feel to the music, which comes to the fore on funkier numbers like drum 'n' bass - inspired "Stratosfear" and the appropriately springy "Rubber Band". Proznick in particular, is a delight, as he's always supportive of his fellow players but also acts as a goad, pushing their improvisations forward with incisive snare fills and cymbal splashes.

Slightly dampening Trippin' Wet's pleasures, however, are Drolet's generic compositions; apart from the disc - closing "Monkeys", with it's tricky, boppish melody, these tunes are unlikely to have anyone lining up to cover them. And the leader has obviously spent a lot of time listening to guitarist John Scofield, which is not a bad thing, but Sco's influence can be hard to shake. Still, as a debut it's a fine piece of work. We also suspect that Drolet and his friends will be entertaining live - he plays a trio show at Seb's Market Cafe on Saturday (July 30).