The 13 Steps to Riches

Chris Poland's "voice" is instantly recognizable. His guitar tone is thick, warm, yet edgy. He's sort of a cross between Bill Frisell and Joe Satriani, with the tone obsession of the former and the accessibility of the latter. His instrumental trio Ohm: features fretless bassist Robert Pagliari, who played fusion with him before Poland joined Megadeth in the '80s. As for drummers, Circus of Sound employs three, all quite capable. The standout, however, is Kofi Baker, son of Ginger Baker. This is appropriate, since Cream is one of Ohm:'s major inspirations. Baker is ferociously funky, and the record picks up noticeably with his work at its end. Ohm: play fusion in the purest sense: jazzy, with complex chords and copious swing.