THE HAAS COMPANY, VOL. 4: Thirteen Featuring Jerry Goodman

With the release of Galactic Tide, Vol. 1 in 2023, veteran drummer Steve Haas and keyboardist/composer Pete Drungle’s collective The Haas Company is quickly evolving into the ever-adventurous, willing to explore anywhere (hence titles like Galactic Tide and Celestial Latitude) 2020s equivalent of the legendary Mahavishnu Orchestra.

Which makes legendary fusion violinist Jerry Goodman – who played with John McLaughlin and company in the ensemble’s first incarnation – the perfect featured artist on Vol. 4, enigmatically titled Thirteen. Though Swedish guitarist Samuel Hällkvist is still part of the unit, Goodman’s still mindblowing violinspirations a refreshingly unexpected twist in the Haas Company’s emerging story, which previously showcased the freewheeling guitarisma of greats like Frank Gambale and Andy Timmons.

As compelling as Goodman’s features are, longtime fans of the group know Haas is a full-on jammin’ ensemble where everyone (that means, Haas, Drungle and bassist Kirwan Brown) gets a turn to blow minds on the hypnosis-inducuing, ear busting sonic journey. Every intriguingly titled piece has its share of captivating passages and moments of majestic fire,, from the fiery, cinematic “Incident at the Country Club” and the mood shifting electric guitar and violin driven “This Thing Ain’t Gonna Suck Itself” through the blistering romp “Sleepwalker.”

Curious Beatles fans may want to enter the fray via the slinky coolness of “Back Door Party,” which features guest Sean Lennon’s low key throb on bass.