If you are familiar with Frogg Cafe’s two studio albums you know the band has always sported an inventive, improvisational spirit. On "Noodles" this spirit takes center stage. Recorded live in the studio on June 26, 2002, all of the material on the album was performed in one take over the period of four hours (with humorous voice over’s by Dr. Mac and Brother Bam).
"Noodles", founding guitarist Frank Camiola’s Frogg Café swansong, is a fascinating look at a band’s creative process and demonstrates its many influences - jam, jazz and avante-garde classical and good old fashioned prog. Perhaps the album’s highlight is “Tagliarini” a 14 minute jam built on a fascinating rhythmic figure full of possibilities - somewhat reminiscent of Birdsongs of the Mesozoic. Bill Ayasse first offers a colorful violin lead before handing the figure’s reins to Nick Lieto and his trumpet. From there the piece builds in intensity in a very Crimsoid manner.
While offerings of a band’s studio improvisations or demos often disappoint and sometimes seem gratuitously commercial, "Noodles" is a rare example that satisfies.
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