Jeff Clark - Just Visiting

Jeff Clark -Just Visiting
2012, Jeff Clark

If you haven’t heard of Jeff Clark before, don’t be surprised.  He’s an example of the kind of talent it takes to be a music superstar, but perhaps just never quite gets the right break.  Instead, Clark is a local legend in the Austin, Texas scene.  With his former band Too Smooth, Clark was a contemporary of ZZ Top, Johnny & Edgar Winter, Steve Miller and Steven Stills.  Over the years, Clark has shared the stage with the likes of Rush, Aerosmith, The Kinks, Ted Nugent and Judas Priest, to name a few.  Clark’s latest effort is to revisit some of his best material from over the years, with the help of some old friends.  Just Visiting found Clark working with old band mates and friends, including Brian Wooten (Trace Adkins); Danny Swinny (Suede); Tommy Taylor (Eric Johnson) and Mark Miller (Bubble Puppy).

Clark kicks things off with a blast of 1980's goodness in the form of "We Can Make It", with the help of guest vocalist Christopher Cross. The guitar and synth driven sound falls somewhere between Asia and late Genesis. "Soon You Will Be My Girl" has a definite pop sensibility, and the vocal triads are a perfect reminder of the AOR radio days. Clark sinks further back into the early 1970's with "Mamie Mama", featuring some slinky guitar work and an irrepressible beat.

"Everything With You" is a piano driven ballad full of deep melancholy. Clark's vocal weaknesses are exposed here, particularly on slow passages that climb into his upper register. In spite of these limitations he does a solid job. The sound quality here is not as good as elsewhere on the album, however. "Believe In Me", by contrast, sounds more slickly produced. The guitar work and vocal style here are typical of the classic rock era, and Clark does it all with working class flair. "You Are My Life" is a heartfelt ballad that sounds like first dance material. The lyrical turns here are a tad awkward at times as Clark dances with cliché, but the song is heartfelt and well presented.

Clark and his band strap on their jet packs for "Tonight", a high energy rock and roll love song with a chorus that will get stuck in your noggin and stay there. "I've Got You" is a solid album track that continues Clark fascination with love songs classic and atypical. The darker quality of the arrangement is nice, and once again brings to mind Asia.  “Trilogy” digs deep into the 1960’s for Beatles-esque sound, but updated with twangy country-style guitar.  This is a nice listen; it doesn’t bowl you over but helps build an appreciation for Clark’s subtle talent as a songwriter, composer and guitarist.

Heart-felt sentiment and a touch of schmaltz come together in perfect measure on “25 Years Later”, celebrating the longevity of love and also the blessings of a God who would bring together so perfect for one another.  This prayerful element to the song may be a turn off to some listeners, but it’s as heartfelt as the love Clark expresses for his wife.  Clark closes things out with “Man Of Fortune”, a reminder that Grace plays a greater role in our destiny than talent or even luck.  The solid classic rock arrangement is reminiscent of Canadian rocker Kim Mitchell, and the groove is a solid one that you can dance to.

While not necessarily billed as a greatest hits package, Just Visiting definitely fills the bill as one.  Jeff Clark is a hidden gem, the sort of musical talent you want to text your friends about.  Or perhaps you’re a hipster and want to keep him to yourself.  Either way, Just Visiting is an album you’ll visit again and again. 

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.jeffreyb-clark.com.

Lee Ritenour - Six String Theory

Lee Ritenour - Six String Theory
2010, Concord Records

Lee “Captain Fingers” Ritenour really needs no introduction. A participant in better than 3,000 recording sessions, Ritenour was an in-demand throughout the 1970’s and is considered a pioneer in smooth jazz and jazz-funk. Over the years Ritenour has amassed on GRAMMY Award and seventeen (17) additional GRAMMY nomination. Ritenour recently released his 43rd album, Six String Theory, drawing from multiple music styles to create a set

Six String Theory opens with measured, soulful play on "Lay It Down". Ritenour builds the song in intensity until he explodes in a flurry of fretwork halfway through, growing into a more distorted jazz-inflected romp. "Am I Wrong" opens with an enticing-yet-simple blues riff played off against harmonica. Ritenour's vocal is soulful and bluesy and the tune is quite catchy. "L.P. (For Les Paul)" is done in an improvisational jazz form, allowing the guitar and organ to stake out significant territory and create. The rightness of Ritenour's band is frankly amazing; their energy contagious. Ritenour blends southern rock, blues and even a tinge of gospel on "Give Me One Reason", using a big, fuzzy guitar sound to give the song a bit more oomph than you might be used to. It's a brilliant reading on a classic tune.

Ritenour turns a bit more aggressive on "68", a powerful rocker with blues roots. Ritenour pulls off some serious riffs with attitude. The style of play here is somewhat reminiscent of Kim Mitchell's style with Max Webster. "Moon River" finds Ritenour back in improvisational forms for a highly variant but intriguing version of Mancini's "Moon River" before moving into the tight and lively "Why I Sing The Blues". "Daddy Longlicks" is the sort of song guitarists live to play; Ritenour mixes speed, precision and musicality in a fashion that Chet would approve of. Sting's "Shape Of My Heart" takes on new life here, as Ritenour injects the song with a heart that is present in the original but magnifies it several times over to bring out the elusive melody of the song.

"Drifting" finds Ritenour making use of the entire guitar in a rhythmically complex but thematically simple song that's worth spending some time on. "Freeway" Jam is a rock instrumental falling somewhere in the gap between 1980's melodic rock guitar and Eric Johnson. The nod to Johnson continues on "Fives", which finds Ritenour in some very unusual time signatures while creating dark melodic musical tendrils in one of the more intriguing pieces on the album. Ritenour closes with Luigi Legnani's "Caprices, Op. 20, No. 2 and 7", played beautifully and with a quiet reserve that speaks to period as much as to Ritenour's tremendous ability to be a stylistic chameleon with a guitar in his hands.

Six String Theory finds Lee Ritenour sampling styles and sounds across genres and occasionally blending styles in expected ways but with unexpected grace. Ritenour has long been one of the greats with a six string, even if his star never shines as bright as those of Clapton, Knopfler or Beck. Six String Theory is serious guitar work that you'll enjoy whether you're a serious guitarist, a weekend picker or even just a fan.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Lee Ritenour at http://www.leeritenour.com/ or www.myspace.com/leeritenour. Six String Theory is available as both a CD and Download from Amazon.

Review: Michael Lee - Face Forward

Michael Lee - Face Forward
2009, Michael Lee

Michael Lee hails from the fertile ground of Longwick, England. Among the many crops cultivated there over the years is an impressive instrumental and songwriting talent has just begun to show itself on Lee's solo debut, Face Forward. Lee previously gigged under the band name Soul Capture, but thought to emphasize his solo efforts and persona more. The result is sonically pleasing album with more instrumental meat than your typical pop fare. Lee draws on the British tradition of high melody, ranging from Folk-based Rock N Roll to Progressive compositions with a few ballads thrown in for good measure.

Face Forward opens with Land of Change, a pleasant if slightly innocuous opener that's more significant for the introduction of Lee's gorgeous upper range and his subtly intricate guitar work. Lee gathers momentum with Trust, a catchy and upbeat tune that downplays the vocal line without giving up any energy. Lee's guitar work would seem to gather inspiration from sources such as Andy Summers, Ray Phiri and Mark Knopfler, making it all sound easy in the process. There's even a bit of King Crimson in some of the later passages in the song. Despite gives us a closer listen to Lee's lower vocal register, which isn't as enjoyable as the upper; here Lee sounds congested or constricted in the throat. The melody, however, is interesting, with a highly artistic, almost baroque feel. Progressive inclinations make themselves known in the guitar line.

Lee brings out great interplay between guitar and piano in Tired, almost as if a spirited conversation is occurring between the two. Tired is about reaching out in a relationship where one person is simply not paying attention, making the instrumental work a distinct parallel for the story line. Add in some gorgeous vocal harmonies and a melancholy timbre and you have quite the listening experience. Mystery Of Life might be the most fetching song on Face Forward; the sort of quiet but resolute ballad that could be a keynote song in a musical. Lee keeps things simple here, letting the uncomplicated beauty of the melody lead the way. Youth finds Lee lamenting the loss thereof, engaging again in the practice of trying to parallel the story in the instrumental arrangement. Youth starts out sounding somewhat you and simplistic with a lot of energy, becoming more complex and full of shadows as the song progresses, accented by Eric Johnson-like guitar licks.

In The Picture plays like an overdone 1980's ballad. The mood is again melancholy, as the subject is an unsettled relationship with two suitors, but you can almost hear Lou Gramm tackling this song in his waning days with Foreigner. Distant Future is one of those songs that seems destined to end on mix-tapes made by love struck teenagers (and none too few adults). Lee eschews cliché, putting aside sappy declarations for a simple statement in song that will resonate with anyone who's ever felt the blush and flutter of new love. On Never Enough Time, Lee steps forward with a tune that sounds like it might have come out of a Pearl Jam recording session. Lee softens the edges but cuts an intriguing path with distinctive minor key harmonies and complex, flowery guitar work. The positive message involved doesn't hurt a bit, either. Face Forward opens with a purposeful piano part, drawing in drums that add an incessant, urgent feel to the song. This isn't Baroque Pop, but it badly wants to be. Strings, bass and guitar add support, but Lee's piano is the star here, telling an epic tale in just over five minutes that will be like a cup of manna for Prog Rock fans. Face Forward winds down dusk with That Day, a piano-based tune featuring some of the most starkly intriguing vocals on the album. Lee performs a virtual duet through much of the song, at times creating differentials that are worthy of a shiver or two down the spine.

Sometimes you can see it coming. Something about the album cover or the track list tips you off that an album will be special. Other times, it's a somewhat non-descript guy on a relatively normal seeming album cover. There's nothing in the track list or press kit that really gives you a clue. Then you press play, and the artist takes over your life for forty-five minutes to an hour. It's that way with Michael Lee. This unassuming guy Longwick spins tales in instrumental packages so intriguing you can't help but drop what you're doing and give him your full attention. Face Forward might not turn out to be Lee's perfect moment, but he dances with the concept so closely on Face Forward you'll root for him to get there. And you'll keep coming back.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Michael Lee at www.myspace.com/michaeleeuk, where you can purchase a copy of Face Forward using PayPal.

Review: Marbin - Marbin

Marbin - Marbin
2009, Marbin

Chicago-based experimental jazz duo Marbin create out-of-the-box compositions using traditional forms and sounds that are anything bit. Closer to Pink Floyd than John Coltrane, Dani Rabin (guitar) and Danny Markovich (saxophone) defy branding with songs that range across genres. Forming in Israel, the duo was active there in parts of 2007 and 2008, before relocating. Since coming to Chicago, Marbin have worked with multiple Grammy winner Paul Wertico and appear on his album Impressions Of A City. Marbin released their self-titled debut EP in 2009.

Marbin opens with Abadaba, a mystic nouveau jazz offering big on ambience. Abadaba sounds more like a pensive rumination than an attempt at structured thought, evoking images of a gritty landscape and a sense of fractured peace underlying it all. Markovich takes the lead here in a style reminiscent of some of Sting's early forays into Jazz. Voice and guitar lead the way through Yodo, a lovely sidebar on the way to Mei. Mei is steeped in a dark beauty that conceals an uneasy edge just below the surface. The saxophone has a field day on Mei, driving through runs that would exasperate Miles Davis against the same sort of post-apocalyptic urban musical landscape.

Rabin takes center stage on Miyazaka, a brief but aesthetically pleasing composition that lilts its way into the more somber Crystal Bells. Crystal Bells plays out like a slow-growing, five-minute crescendo full of ambient synth, clockwork guitar and percussion and a melody that meanders pointedly above it all. Cuba finds Marbin blending Latin Jazz with a post-Modern pop sensibility, weaving adeptly amidst the surreal nature of the union. Darker contemplation returns on Rust, with distorted guitar playing out Jazz/Rock riffs over a straight Rock beat. The guitar work treads on some of the same territorial grounds as Eric Johnson here, but with a bit more chutzpah. Marbin closes with the bereft lullaby, Sleep Now, which carries an almost morose sense of peace.

Marbin is a challenging listen and a challenge to review. Marbin paints in musical oils, capturing the dark and half-light moments in music that is both thought provoking and uplifting at times. The instrumental work on Marbin is exquisite, and while the tone of Marbin isn't one to inspire huge Pop success, it's hard to imagine anyone not finding at least something to like here. That being said, Marbin is not the most accessible recording. Jazz and instrumental fans will stick around long enough to get into the good stuff, but pure pop fans with digital attention spans may not connect with Marbin.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Marbin at http://www.marbinmusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/marbinmusic.

Review: HB3 - The Veldt

HB3 - The Veldt
2007, Zegnotropic Records

HB3 is setting music free with a sound that combines organic electric instruments with electronic sounds and effects in fashion that might just be unique. Bridging the gaps from Charlie Parker to Eric Johnson to Yes and through Ravi Shankar on the way back, HB3 paints with a broad musical brush that's as interesting as it is hard to predict. HB3's latest album, The Veldt, is loosely based on the Ray Bradbury short story of the same name. HB3 looks to create a musical place of pure imagination and creativity both as a refuge from the world and a means to understand it.

The Veldt opens with Overture (Behold The Sea), sounding a bit like Mannheim Steamroller with Eric Johnson on guitar and Rick Wakeman sitting in on keys. Keyboard, guitar and piccolo bass pass the major and minor themes back and forth in a composition with theatrical implications. Pay Me Pray Me is described by HB3 as a prayer to Eros; the song itself is hard to decipher on the lyric side but plays like a very repressed alt-rocker with progressive tendencies in the chorus. The Veldt plays off of African rhythms and a somewhat demented bit of song construction to create a fantastical vision that crosses cultural and musical boundaries with each sonic breath. Perhaps the most interesting interlude in the song is a bass solo that sounds like it has been amplified with some electronic effects.

Casual Betrayal sews together threads of Brit Rock, Folk and 1980's keyboard-driven New Wave; the song explores the lack of honor in modern society and how it is passed from generation to the next like a social disease. HB3 manages to sound quite a lot like 54-40's Neil Osborne on this track. Manimal! combines Hip-Hop and Electronica with Horror-movie style themes. Manimal! is all over the musical map and is better heard than described. Harmonium takes Dennis DeYoung-style keyboard work (you might pick out distinct similarities to the opening of Fooling Yourself) and builds into something reminiscent of some of the experimental soundtrack work of the late 1980's. Fans of Giorgio Moroder will find themselves on familiar territory for much of the song.

On 007, HB3 pays tribute to Isao Tomita with a composition that runs the gamut Sci-Fi and Space Age novelty. Computers and spaceships as they may have been sonically imagined in the 1960's and 1970's reign here. Close But No Cigar is one of the most intriguing compositions here; I spent a dozen or so trips through this song trying to come up with a "sounds like" comparison and couldn't find anything that quite fit. The closest I came is to think of Pink Floyd as produced by William Ackerman. The Veldt closes out with Lion & Lamb which turns out to be something of a musical reprise of the entire album, in turns. Most or all of the major thematic elements of the individual songs come back in Lion & Lamb; a sort of musical yang and yin that compels the album while drawing all of the pieces together.

It's rare to come across a recording that's wholly original. HB3 achieves this not by fearing or shunning his influences, but by embracing them wholeheartedly and using them to loving create new ideas with old phrases. In a medium governed by eight basic notes it is often the music musicians themselves consume that drives their creations. HB3 takes all of these musical ideas that have entered his mind over the years and resets them as something wholly new and original. The Veldt is brilliant.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about HB3 at http://www.hb3.com/ or www.myspace.com/fromthelaboratory. You can purchase The Veldt as either CD or download at CDBaby.com.

Review: SE Kim Trio - Moment

SE Kim Trio – Moment
2009, SE Kim

SE, Kim is a graduate of The Berklee School Music with a Masters in Jazz Performance from NYU's Tisch School. He is a regular performer on the greater Metropolitan New York Jazz scene, performing at venues such as The Blue Note, the Plaza Hotel and The Desmond Tutu Center. Kim has played or worked with the likes of John Scofield, Joe Lovano, Kenny Werner and George Garzone. His style of play is mellow jazz, with guitar tendencies not too distant from folks like Scofield, Pat Metheny and occasionally even Bill Frisell. His band, the Se Kim Trio, recently released their debut CD, Moment. Let's check it out!

Moment opens with 150, a mellow jazz guitar journey nearly eight minutes in length. Se Kim plays with mild distortion and a congenial demeanor that shines through his music. Listeners might almost divine that Kim isn't so much as writing or playing on 150 as he is channeling some vital musical communication from the universe. Kim crosses over from his mellow, almost supper-club jazz stylings during longer compositions to try out experimental and acid jazz detours, but generally returns to the more genteel styles before closing out each song. Hope You Know sticks a bit closer to a classic mellow jazz sound.

Night Light has a very active melody line for this tempo. Listeners who've yet to notice might realize here how ever-present Kim's guitar is on his trio's recordings. The guitar is always the primary voice in each phrase of each song, with drums and bass relegated to providing a framework for Kim's noodling. While Kim is very accomplished as a jazz guitarist, it would be nice to hear the other instruments take center stage once in a while, even if it's just to change things up a bit. Maybe It's Better This Way returns to the supper-club sound with a Latin Jazz twist in one of the most melodically pleasant songs on the disc.

West 4th captures the spirit of Greenwich Village perfectly in song. There's a funky "different drummer" feel to this composition that's distinctive compared to the rest of the album. You Are Free To Go ranges a bit more towards a pop sound, with Kim sounding a bit like Eric Johnson stylistically (if Johnson played Jazz). Direction sounds like a song that was perhaps written with a vocal in mind. It's more of a musical frame than a full composition where the melody is implied rather than expressed. The Se Kim Trio closes out with Jam, a musical daydream that noodles along at unexpected and unpredictable lengths.

Se Kim is a highly talented musician with a great ear for melody. I think he tries to do too much on Moment. Kim's guitar is always front and center, turning the trio into a soloist with two backup musicians. The guitar and bass here are more than competent, and with a bit more range in their roles could add significant creative tension and release into the process for SE Kim. Kim is good enough to avoid this most of the time, but there is a tendency to drone on at times for the need to fill space with sound. The interplay of equal roles between musical voices can turn a good album into a great one; a great one into a legend. From a writing standpoint Kim certainly has a gift, and he didn't get through Berklee and NYU as a performer without a certain level of talent, but the ability to share the spotlight will turn Kim into a great songwriter and performer. For now, Moment is a strong listen.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about SE Kim and the SE Kim Trio at www.myspace.com/sekimguitar. You can purchase a copy of Moment at www.cdbaby.com/sekim or download the album through iTunes.

Review: Gary Stuart King & Amigos - Life Of Its Own

Gary Stuart King & Amigos - Life Of Its Own
2007, Gary Stuart King

Guitar maestro Gary Stuart King lets loose with some ripping Progressive and Classic rock solo guitar work on Life Of Its Own. Influences from Eric Johnson to Yngwie J. Malmsteen abound, with occasional bows to Jeff Beck, Joe Satriani and even Steve Howe. King finds a serious groove on songs such as Schmack, Ruf Tup and Little Dreamers, throwing around riffs like nobody's business. King even shows a softer, melodic side on Spring Rituals and Song For Sheila, although the latter breaks out into some pretty serious lick trading in the middle. Beyond X, the lead track, is probably my favorite, with its urgent, post-jazz fusion and sensibility and mellotron accents.

Life Of Its Own is one of the better rock instrumental albums I've heard. Gary Stuart King can play guitar with the best of them, and doesn't waste your time with endless runs when he can use his prodigious skills to construct, destruct or accent inherent melody line of each composition. Of course, he does get some pretty mean runs in as well. This one is a must for novice guitar rockers. This is how you do it well.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Gary Stuart King at www.myspace.com/garystuartking. You can purchase a copy of Life Of Its Own at www.cdbaby.com/cd/garystuartking.

Chantry – The Emancipation Of Elizabeth
2008, Alessandro Monopoli

Chantry is the musical alter-ego of Italian guitarist and videogame programmer Alessandro Monopoli. Based in Southam, Midlands, England, Monopoli creates his own brand of gothic/melodic guitar compositions that verge at times on the edge of progressive rock. Chantry has previously produced music for videogames and a demo, but The Emancipation of Elizabeth is their debut album. Chantry features guest artists such as Riccardo Crespi and Enrico Vicario.

Monopoli looks to enroll in the pantheon of guitar rock gods with The Emancipation of Elizabeth. Mixing the melodic lyricism of 1970’s guitar rock with the harder edge of Prog, Chantry bedevils and beguiles with their musical creations. Shades of Malmsteen, Jeff Beck, Clapton, Tommy Shaw/James Young and Eric Johnson rear their heads throughout the ten tracks presented here. Be prepared to be blown away as Chantry opens with Shine, and aggressively rhythmic guitar work with angelic vocals. Monopoli showers and sparks notes, phrases and runs from his guitar like a transformer on fire, filling the listener’s ears with a visceral sense of the music.

Emergence finds Chantry opening up the floodgates on a melodic tear that hint at both the technical proficiency and creative passion poured into the music here. Flawed Archetype plays across the Prog/Classic Rock paradigm with big harmonic guitars, a driving rhythm and neo-Classical construction. My personal favorite track here is Red Roses In The Snow, an epic guitar ballad that won’t leave you alone once you’ve heard it. You’ll also want to check out Velvet Darkness They Fear and L’Amor Per L’Ultima Volta.

Monopoli creates musical fireworks on guitar in a way that is both reminiscent of the classic guitar icons of the rock era and refreshingly new sounding. The Emancipation of Elizabeth is perhaps the most exciting guitar album of the decade, in that it not only allows the guitar virtuoso to show off his chops, but drives musical constructions that are more complex and complete than many in the same genre. Chantry is a must for up-and-coming rock guitarists.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Chantry at www.myspace.com/chantrymusic. The Emancipation Of Elizabeth is available digitally at http://www.tunecore.com/. CDs are just becoming available. Contact Chantry through his MySpace page for availability.

Review: Alpha Transit - Transit Comes Alive!

Alpha Transit - Transit Comes Alive!
2008, Transit Music

Alpha Transit was born in the fall of 2003 as a trio, interested in combining rock, jazz, funk, blues and electronica in a jam format. Adam Berzowski (keys), Geoff Howard (bass) and Tim Rush (drums) labored as a trio for two full years before adding guitarist Kirk Tatnall to complete their sound. Together and individually the members of Alpha Transit are responsible for nineteen recordings, most or all of which play into Alpha Transit's catalog in one fashion or another. Relying on structured improvisation and a bit of inspiration, Alpha Transit make music that hearkens back to the days of progressive rock, where riffing was an art form and not just a way to extend a meager set list into a 90 minute show. Alpha Transit took the stage of the Milwaukee Ale House in the summer of 2008 to record a show, packaged for you as Transit Comes Alive! (Along with the companion CD Made In Milwaukee). If you're into progressive rock or jazz then this is going to appeal to your taste buds.

Transit Comes Alive! opens with Tapping Chaos, a smart, funky jazz jam. The song works, although there is one keyboard solo in the middle that sounds like the tractor beam from the old Galaga arcade game. Next up is Leap, a lively eleven-and-a-half minute jam comprised of Spyro Gyra style fusion and electronic elements that give it a spacey sound. Second Chances moves into the progressive rock realm. It starts out strong but gets bogged down in repetition toward the end.

Simply Put starts out sounding like a country rock tune, morphing into classic rock and even jazz at times throughout the song. This is probably the most well-rounded and pleasant listen on Transit Comes Alive! Cuff mixes elements of jazz and rock, sounding vaguely like an Eric Johnson composition at times. Star is fairly standard fair with lots of improvised runs. The keyboard work here is particularly impressive, sounding like an old Hammond B3. Yeah, No! closes out the set at 17 minutes of frenetic music activity.

Alpha Transit delivers a series of musically satisfying jams and improvisations on Transit Comes Alive! This album will generally appeal to aficionados of modern jazz and experimental rock. Outside of that realm it may not spark a lot of interest. It's a solid album, just not terribly commercial and therefore is likely to be a niche recording. A good listen though.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Alpha Transit at www.myspace.com/alphatransit. You can pick up a copy of Transit Comes Alive at www.cdbaby.com/cd/alphatransit2.