I discovered the Aquarium Rescue Unit through Jimmy Herring, and while historical fans of the ARU would probably not even consider this record to be a legitimate part of the canon (it lacks the original founder Colonel Bruce Hampton and mandolinist Matt Mundy.) To me The Calling is actually their best. It's a much more organic piece of work than anything the Hampton-led line-up ever released and what it lacks in whimsical weirdness it more than compensates in focus and intent. It's the best funk-rock-jazz album I own bar none.
This is a stellar line-up too. I always thought that jazz musicians who could seriously embrace other musical genres (ie. not pretend to be doing other genres when actually playing jazz) had the potential to be the best ever, and this record absolutely demonstrates this. With brothers Oteil (on bass) and Kofi (on keys and flute) Burbridge, Sean O'Rourke on drums, Jimmy Herring on electric and acoustic guitars and Paul Henson on vocals, this is truly a killer band. Henson is particularly impressive and his soul/funk vocals do wonders all over the record.
I won't pretend that it isn't the Herring fascination that keeps me coming back to this one though. Herring truly is the most amazing jazz-rock guitarist in my book. His technique is baffling and yet he absolutely knows when not to play, which makes his occasional outbursts all the more potent. Nice is a good example of that, a very slow and somewhat heavy tune. When Herring comes in two thirds into the song, his sound is supremely raw, and you expect some kind of AC/DC like riffing to happen, but he breaks down into these mad jazz harmonies without ever losing the rhythmic drive.
There's really not a dud on this one, and it's a shame that ARU was never better known. They have all gone their separate ways now, of course, but if you can lay your hands on this one, don't hesitate for a second!
