Smooth Jazz Daily

Ron Holmes – Eclecticism – Vibes & Tribes

Ron Holmes – Eclecticism – Vibes & Tribes

Bassist and bandleader Ron Holmes is best known for his formation fo/mo/deep. This band sees its roots in the experimental school of the 70s, a time when jazz, soul, and funk were one and the same. One of their album – released in 2010 – was entitled Eclecticism. Ron understands this term not as a mere title but as a style of music. John Petric describes it as followed: “The group has managed to do something that’s actually quite difficult for local, national or international talent, and that’s to go into a studio and transfer its live charisma onto a disc: Eclecticism.” In other words, Ron understands the term not as an elitist singularity but as music without boundaries that captivates listeners with its radiating energy.

Ron created the album as multi-instrumentalist. He comments: “Yes, with samples, keyboards, midi voice controllers, bass, drum machines and pads. That Dubler2 voice midi system was a game changer. Took 2 weeks, while I was recuperating from hip surgery. 3 months to learn how use the stuff… Hahaha had a lot help from my sax player.” With a thick cigar in his mouth, Ron kicks off the album and presents the casually strolling Isn’t it Time (For That Cigar). Virtuosity on drums and keyboards is the moment that immediately strikes the ear.

While the rhythm maintains the same groove, Ron switches instruments to the transverse flute on Stir It Apart. Bugsy (Miss Literally) features an incredibly dynamic saxophone that blends perfectly into a conglomerate of drums, keyboard, and horns. It speaks volumes about Ron’s sense of humor that he titled the shortest track on the album Long Day, Long Month (Don’t Last). The partly experimental nature of his music is evident in pieces such as Lo Lo, in which tantalizing sequences of notes are the main motif of the song.

Where We Walked Before is a lively reminder of past regions we once wandered through. Caribbean ska music that encourages dancing. Yet, Still (Wanting You), with its romantic flair, stands out somewhat from the previous tracks. The album picks up speed with On My Way (With a Quickness). Undoubtedly a musical testament to virtuosity. The electronic rhythm in particular picks up an incredible speed that only an excellent drummer could keep up with. Ron obviously liked it, because The Yaya Club (Red Sea) keeps up the tempo. The shuffle beat has a taste of salsa picante. Groove in the Air Vibes resumes the style we became familiar with in Where We Walked Before. Definitely a mixture of Ska and African Rhythm.

Such a Beautiful Soul is an energetic piece with a powerful saxophone that, based on its structure, could well be a live recording. The album culminates with What a Groovy Time, an electrifying funk jazz piece with a brutally driving saxophone that brings beads of sweat to your forehead.

The further I listened into the album, the more it captivated me. Stylistically incredibly diverse, the overall impact of Vibes & Tribes is absolutely impressive. Every music promoter should check out Ron Holmes’ live act.

Smooth Jazz Daily

Tuesday, February 24, 2026
Jazz chill music

Vibes & Tribes: Ron Holmes Launches the Eclecticism Project with Genre-Bending 8-Piece Statement

Bassist and bandleader Ron Holmes unveils a bold new chapter with the Eclecticism Project, culminating in the release of Vibes & Tribes on February 6, 2026 via RHMedia, LLC. Known as the visionary force behind the acclaimed jazz fusion collective fo/mo/deep, Holmes now expands his sonic palette even further, assembling a dynamic 8-piece ensemble that fuses Afro-Beat, Jazz, Funk, Soul, and Groove into a high-energy, full-bodied statement of purpose.

At its core, Ron Holmes – Eclecticism is rooted in collaboration and curiosity. The music moves fluidly across stylistic boundaries, shaped by the musicians in the room and the lived experiences they bring to the stage. Holmes describes the project in simple, grounded terms: it’s about connection—making music with people and for people. Just a cat following the groove wherever it leads. That ethos animates Vibes & Tribes, a record that celebrates both individuality and collective spirit.

Holmes’ reputation for forward-thinking fusion dates back to fo/mo/deep’s formation in 2007. Over the years, the group has consistently pushed contemporary jazz and funk into new territory, earning critical praise for albums such as Syzygy (2019), The Groovy Goodness (2014), A Beautiful Bang (2012), and Eclecticism (2010). With the Eclecticism Project, Holmes builds on that legacy while embracing an even broader musical vocabulary, drawing inspiration from Afro-Beat rhythms, jazz improvisation, funk drive, and groove-centric soul textures.

Vibes & Tribes is performed by a powerful 8-piece configuration featuring a commanding horn section and Afro-Latin percussion, evoking the spirit of the great supergroups while remaining firmly rooted in the present. The sound is expansive and celebratory—music designed to move bodies as much as minds. Holmes’ bass anchors the ensemble with authority and warmth, providing both rhythmic propulsion and melodic counterpoint as the arrangements unfold.

The album’s twelve original tracks offer a wide-ranging yet cohesive journey. From the sly swagger of “Isn’t it Time (For That Cigar)” to the punchy urgency of “On My Way (With a Quickness)” and the infectious drive of “The Yaya Club (Red Sea),” the record pulses with vitality. Pieces such as “Yet, Still (Wanting You)” and “Such a Beautiful Soul” reveal a lyrical sensibility beneath the groove, while “Groove in the Air” and “What a Groovy Time” lean fully into the celebratory ethos that defines the project. Select tracks, including “Stir It Apart,” “On My Way (With a Quickness),” “The Yaya Club (Red Sea),” and “Such a Beautiful Soul,” are poised as potential singles.

Holmes’ Eclecticism Project is marked by its refusal to be boxed in. Instead, it embraces multiplicity—honoring the diasporic threads that connect Afro-Beat to funk, jazz to soul, and groove to communal ritual. The result is music that feels both deeply rooted and forward-looking, equally at home on festival stages, in jazz clubs, or blasting through summer speakers.

Based in Ohio, Holmes continues to evolve as both composer and bandleader, carrying forward the mission that has defined his career: to create music that celebrates the human spirit. Vibes & Tribes stands as the latest testament to that vision—an exhilarating sonic tapestry that invites listeners into a shared rhythmic experience.

 

https://jazzchill.blogspot.com/2026/02/vibes-tribes-ron-holmes-launches.html

 

https://www.distritojazz.com/discos-jazz/ron-holmes-eclecticism-vibes-tribes


Ron Holmes – Eclecticism: Vibes & Tribes

"Vibes & Tribes", released by Ron Holmes under the Eclecticism project, is the latest chapter in the career of American bassist and front man Ron Holmes.

After years leading the jazz-funk collective fo/mo/deep—with albums like "Eclecticism" (2010), "A Beautiful Bang" (2012), "The Groovy Goodness" (2014), and "Syzygy" (2019)—Holmes presents his most ambitious vision yet: an octet exploring the diaspora of Afrobeat, funk, jazz, soul, and groove across twelve original tracks. The album's brief forty-minute runtime feels far too short.

The ensemble is the main protagonist; a powerful horn section (trumpet, saxophone, trombone), African and Afro-Latin percussion (congas, bongos, shekere), blues/funk guitar and Holmes' solid bass as the anchor.

One of the album's greatest strengths is its rhythmic richness. The percussion and bass lines build a solid and dynamic foundation, upon which nuanced melodic layers unfold.

The album lives up to its title; from the first bars, Holmes makes it clear that his intention is not to be pigeonholed, but to engage in dialogue with multiple musical traditions, especially those linked to contemporary jazz, funk and nuances of world music.

Everything is original, highlighting Holmes' compositional maturity: catchy melodies, fluid rhythmic changes, and space for collective improvisations without falling into gratuitous virtuosity.

"Vibes & Tribes" is an ambitious, solid, and unpretentious work that delivers exactly what it promises: a multicultural groove feast. Ron Holmes solidifies Eclecticism as a vibrant and relevant project in contemporary jazz-funk.

Ron Holmes manages to build a sound universe where different musical "tribes" coexist without losing their identity.

If you're looking for uplifting music without complications, this is a definite winner.

(The only drawback to the album is that, being a self-produced album, there is no information available about the participating musicians).

Delein.

Musicians: Ron Holmes (bass)
Year: 2026
Style: Jazz funk