Navigate Left
  • A student shovels dirt over the 2024 time capsule outside of Kendall Hall. The time capsule will be unveiled in 2074 as they are unveiled every 50 years. Taken by Grace Stark on April 23.

    News

    Chico State holds annual Time Capsule Ceremony for graduating seniors

  • Update on tuberculosis and meningitis cases

    News

    Update on tuberculosis and meningitis cases

  • Theres nothing wrong with Taylor Swift ... shes just not my favorite artist! AI image generated by Ariana Powell using Adobe Firefly on April 19.

    Opinion

    An alt-girl in a Swiftie world

  • Taylor Swift released her new album, The Tortured Poets Department, in April. Generated by Ariana Powell using Adobe Firefly on April 24.

    Arts & Entertainment

    An alt-girl’s perspective on “The Tortured Poet’s Department”

  • A pair of hands writing down which songs to add to your playlist next to some headphones and a cup of coffee. Image generated by Adobe Firefly by Itzel Saucedo

    Opinion

    Are Metro Boomin and Future’s collab albums worth listening to?

Navigate Right
Chico State's independent student newspaper

The Orion

Chico State's independent student newspaper

The Orion

Chico State's independent student newspaper

The Orion

Bogg’s ‘Summer Harvest’ album review

SummerHarvest.jpg
Photo courtesy of Bogg

It’s impossible not to like Bogg.

The 2-year-old modern jazz band manages to make Britney Spears’ “Toxic” hip and musically intriguing.

It’s a fitting kick-off for “Summer Harvest,” the group’s locally-recorded third album filled with an eclectic mix of covers, from Charlie Parker’s “Scrapple From the Apple” to System of a Down’s “Toxicity.”

If someone thinks they don’t like jazz, they probably haven’t heard Bogg. The magic of Bogg lies in the fact that its musicians make jazz, about which many people have misconceptions of being stuffy or inaccessible, very accessible and fresh.

And this doesn’t stop with “Toxic.” It continues with the band’s intriguing choice to cover fan boy and girl favorites like “Zelda” and “Stickerbrush Symphony,” which is emotionally moving.

Bogg doesn’t just stick to a standard jazz sound. On tracks like “I Shot the Sheriff,” the rhythm gets downright funky and groovy.

And the execution of the covers is impressive throughout the album because Bogg’s musicians, who’ve been on the scene for years dabbling in folk, progressive rock and theater, are impressive.

Matthew Weiner’s impeccable violin skills shine in tracks like “Everybody Wants To Rule the World.”

And when it comes to keyboardist Josh Hegg, it’d be hard to imagine the musician ever making a misstep when putting his hands to the keys.

Michael Bone and Gavin Fitzgerald are the masters of cool and a dynamic rhythmic pair. And its never been cooler to be a bassist with local musicians like Gavin Fitzgerald around, whose solo in “Don’t Speak” is as captivating as any front-man’s guitar solo.

The only way this album could be better is if it had original tracks from Bogg. But, honestly, it doesn’t matter if it contains them.

The versatile, top-notch quartet makes the album’s covers recognizable enough to inspire listener intrigue while also switching up arrangements to make something familiar beautifully new and exciting.

Ashiah Scharaga can be reached at [email protected] or @AshiahD on Twitter.

Leave a Comment
More to Discover

Comments (0)

All The Orion Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *