Nate Kimball - Warrior's Journey

Nate  Kimball - Warrior’s Journey
2012, TNC Recordings

If you’re looking for the next big name in jazz, you might be very happy to settle on Nate Kimball.  His list of credits is impressive: Chick Correa, Natalie Cole, Barry Manilow, The Count Basie Orchestra, Jessica Simpson and The Killers, to name but a few.  The 28-year old Las Vegas native is more than just a wizard with the trombone however; Kimball is a composer nonpareil who has been recognized by the International Trombone Association (2006, 2007, and 2010); the Reno Jazz Festival (2012); and the Nevada Jazz Society (2007).  One of his compositions, “Side Effect”, was recently premiered at the Monterrey Jazz Festival by the Las Vegas Academy Jazz Ensemble.  You’ll see why the accolades rain down on Kimball after listening to his album Warrior’s Journey. 

Kimball recorded Warrior’s Journey with four impressive cohorts.  Joe Lano (guitar) has played with Lena Horne, Mel Tormé, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, Nancy Wilson and Henry Mancini.  Brian Triola (piano/keys) is part of Las Vegas and regional favorites Moksha.  Bassist Steve Flora plays the top rooms in Las Vegas, and drummer Larry Aberman has recorded with The Vaughan Brothers, Ric Ocasek, Wynton Marsalis, David Lee Roth, Daniel Lanois, Lionel Richie and Danielle Brisebois (to name just a few).  This will give you an idea of the quality of play on Warrior’s Journey, but mere words don’t do the album justice.

Kimball sticks to classic jazz stylings, allowing the occasional progressive wave to pass through the waters.  It’s easy to see Kimball and crew fitting into any era of jazz from the Big Band era on.  Kimball kicks things off with “Warrior’s Journey”, beginning as a sleepy rumination but moving soon into a quietly energetic jazz waltz.  Kimball’s trombone is stellar, but the rest of the quintet is flawless as well.  Brian Triola adds perfect punctuation to Kimball’s lead, and whips off some amazing solos of his own.  Perhaps the most impressive part of the song, however, is when Larry Aberman takes the lead on drums.  If you want to analyze what he’s doing you’ll need a couple of cameras and the ability to slow tape on playback.  It’s amazing.

“Way Station” shows the same sort of breakdown of duties, with Kimball taking the lead, but passing it around for all to share.  What’s most impressive is how seamlessly Kimball’s quintet moves together, never seeming to miss a beat or an exchange.  “Far Away” has a distinctive, melancholy, blue-jazz feel.  Kimball brings emotions alive in the lyric trombone lines, while Brian Triola creates a bit of rhythmic dissonance that helps to appropriately shade the mood.  There is magic here.  “Road To La Coruna” takes a on a subtle Latin jazz sound, and features some of the best low-key work on the album.  Things get a bit more progressive on “Hello World”, with Kimball himself getting aggressive in his soloing style.  Triola picks up this vibe and runs with it, getting into a Vince Guaraldi groove that’s mellow yet not.  “Back Home” is an interesting closer.  You might say the ensemble play is a bit looser here, as Kimball et. al. look to push the boundaries with some off-the-cuff and speed-based solos.

Nate Kimball shows his worth as a composer, bandleader and musician on Warrior’s Journey.  With a killer supporting cast, and some of the best original jazz of 2012, Kimball challenges the world of modern jazz with a traditional-leaning album that reinvigorates the art form the way artists like Miles Davis, J.J. Johnson, Dizzy Gillespie and Harry Connick, Jr. have done before him.  Thirty years from now you’ll hear jazz aficionados discussing Kimball in the same reverent tones.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Cowboy Junkies - Sing In My Meadows: The Nomad Series, Volume 3

Cowboy Junkies - Sing In My Meadows: The Nomad Series, Volume 3

2011, Razor & Tie/Latent Recordings

Canadian mellow-rock mavens the Cowboy Junkies offer up a different sound beginning on October 25, 2011, with the release of Sing In My Meadows, the third release in The Nomad Series. Going well off the beaten path of their past works, Cowboy Junkies venture into a world of low-fi, fuzzy electric blues and folk. The result is their most compelling album since The Trinity Sessions, full of the bluesy, breathy alto of Margo Timmins, minimalist arrangements and a lot of distortion. The bare bones approach to song construction allows for stark contrasts between Michael Timmins' fuzzy guitar work and sister Margo's unforgettable voice.

Breaking out with "Continental Drift", the band spends the first two minutes exploring the open spaces in the arrangement sans vocals before Margo Timmins slips in the back door with an icy, metallic vocal line that's both warm and cold at the same time. The blues influences come fully to the fore on "Sing In My Meadows", a dark and conflicted invitation that's both beautiful and disturbing at once. "Hunted" is perhaps the most wide-open song on the album, allow room for Margo Timmins to rant and wail and show a much more carnal vocal character than fans might be used to. The closer, "I Move On", sounds more like Chrissie Hynde jamming with Junkhouse than anything you might expect from Cowboy Junkies.

Sing In My Meadows has its ups and downs, but is a thoroughly compelling left turn for a band that honed its reputation on a smooth, mellow brand of anti-folk. Sing In My Meadows plays like the band's dark secret, hidden in a closet for all these years and finally let into the light. It's compelling; aboriginal and full of a dark energy that draws you in.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Cowboy Junkies at www.cowboyjunkies.com or www.myspace.com/cowboykjunkies.  Sing In My Meadows drops on October 25th, 2011 on CD.  The Vinyl edition will follow on November 15, 2011.  Digital versions will be forthcoming through Amazon.com and iTunes, but are not yet available for pre-order.

            CD                     Vinyl

Please note that the Amazon.com prices listed above are as of the posting date, and may have changed. Wildy's World is not responsible for price changes instituted by Amazon.com.

Leonardo La Peruta Quartet - The Emotional Touch

Leonardo La Peruta Quartet - The Emotional Touch

2011, Leona Music

Leonardo La Peruta has made a name for himself as one of the most sought after progressive jazz saxophone players in Europe.  His Leonardo la Peruta Quartet traverses the styles and sounds of the 1960’s and 1970’s, from bebop to hard bop to jazz fusion.  The Leonardo La Peruta Quartet’s The Emotional Touch sounds like it could have been recorded by Miles Davis’ band in a series of outtake sessions.

The Emotional Touch opens with "Disparate In Blue", a progressive jazz jam that recalls John Coltrane's work with Miles Davis.  La Peruta shows an affinity for lightning fast runs and trills on saxophone; achieving technical perfection but occasionally over-filling the sonic space.  La Peruta's band mates match him step-by-step, with the piano work standing out as exceptional.  "Mark Makes Miles" is spritely and alive, progressive in an angular style that is more about action than musical progression.  The pianist once again steals the show with grandiose, neo-classical breakdowns amidst jazz runs.  "Very Vain Vagary" continues the alliterative naming convention of the album in an overly busy, piano-driven number.  The showy quality to this number declaims a tendency to be more about what individual members of the quartet can do than what they can play.

"No Chance, No Way" is a mellow, yet lively number.  La Peruta's saxophone dances over a rhythmic mellotron and the polyrhythmic brilliance of bass and percussion.  La Peruta and band take a more thoughtful approach here, and it shows in the quality of their interplay.  "Sky Smart Sunrise" features a diffuse, lyric style in La Peruta's saxophone that is a welcome change of pace.  The piano and rhythm section work magic underneath.  This number borders on overly busy at times, but is always pulled back before losing itself in a cacophony of notes. 

The absolute highlight of the album is in the brilliant sense of expectation woven through "Red Sur".  The Leonardo La Peruta Quartet is hitting on all eight cylinders here, with ever solo spot on, and each transition like magic.  The band takes one more shot at the triple word score with "Nap New Night", a lyric and mellow jazz number that fits in well with the general cadence of the album, but may pass without significant notice for some listeners.  "Are We Dancing?" is messy and unfocused.  La Peruta et. al. get major points for exuberance here, but that energy gets the best of them, with instruments intruding on one another at regular intervals.  The recovery on "She Could Smile" is grand.  The song is an intriguing blend of light and dark; happiness and contemplation.  Uncertainty plays at the edges of a buoyant and classy number; an intriguing experience for the listener.  "Blues Andaluz" would be a solid closer, if not for the inclusion of an alternative take of "Red Sur".  This latter perhaps a touch of the zest of the original, but only if you listen to them side by side.

Leonardo La Peruta continues the great jazz traditions of the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's, where artists pushed one another and the bounds of jazz itself, creating ever more progression and derivation in the art form.  Elements of bop, hard bop and jazz fusion can be found throughout The Emotional Touch, with La Peruta changing styles sometimes without notice.  La Peruta's quartet can be as professional as they come, although there are times on The Emotional Touch when exuberance overcomes form.  It seems likely that this is a stylistic/artistic choice rather than by accident, but these moments tend to create some serious cognitive dissonance for the listener at home.  Nevertheless, there's a lot here to like.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

  

Learn more about the Leonardo La Peruta Quartet at www.myspace.com/leonardolaperuta.   The Emotional Touch is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.

Mike Clark - Carnival Of Soul

Mike Clark - Carnival Of Soul
2010, Owl Studios

Mike Clark is something of a legend. Coming to prominence as Herbie Hancock's drummer in the early 1970's, Clark has gone on to play with the likes of Chet Baker, Tony Bennett, Gil Evans, Brand X and a host of other names in jazz music. Clark teaches regularly at camps, colleges and music shops but still finds time to create, as vividly displayed on his latest album, Carnival Of Soul. A tribute to B-3 trios, Clark finds the freedom to let go and play with a youthful energy on Carnival Of Soul, assisted by the likes of Delbert McClinton, Rez Abbasi, Delbert Bump, Jerry Z and Jeff Pittson among others.

Carnival Of Soul opens with "T's Boogaloo", a tribute to Al Tanner where Clark and friends challenge you to sit still. It's a pure mix of boogie and funk that's absolutely irresistible. "Monk's Dream" mixes bop and blues with a modern twist while Clark provides quiet pyrotechnics on the skins. " Multiple GRAMMY winner Delbert McClinton sits in on vocals for "Cry Me A River", providing a dynamic vocal line to balance the uniquely subtle and compact arrangement cooked up here. Clark shows off his New York swing style on "Water On The Moon" and channels a bit of Max Roach on "Turok Son Of Stone". The latter is pure bop with a modern twist.

Stay tuned for Clark & company's rendition of "Angel Eyes"; a classic read with electric solo work from both Delbert Bump and Steve Homan. For the true drum aficionados out there nothing will beat "Bookin'". Clark conjures rhythms that are difficult to imagine and nearly impossible to copy, treading the sort of polyrhythmic ground tread by Buddy Rich and more recently by Neil Peart. Things take a funky turn on "Zoyd", a fun little nugget that seems a tad out of place here but sounds like it was too fun to play to leave off the album. Carnival Of Soul closes with a tribute to Sid Catlett entitled "Catlett Outta My Bag". Lenny White sits in, and the ensemble invokes thoughts of Miles Davis, Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock before the album fades away into musical aether.

Mike Clark seems to create something new every time he sits down at the drums, and there is a tremendous sense of play on Carnival Of Soul. This is not just a first class jazz/fusion/funk album; it's an album alive with the joy of the players practicing their craft at its apex. Carnival Of Soul is likely to be truly enjoyed by a narrow demographic of jazz fans, but that doesn't change the fact that at the halfway point of 2010 it's among the best new jazz albums to be released this year.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Mike Clark at http://www.mikeclarkmusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/drummermikeclark.  Carnival Of Soul is available as a CD or Download from Amazon.com, as well as from iTunes.

Review: Andrei Matorin - Opus

Andrei Matorin - Opus
2009, Armored Records

Andrei Matorin appears to have been born (or at least raised) to be a jazz musician. Studying in such vaunted institutions as the Boston Center for the Arts, the Conservatoire de Geneve and the Berklee College Of Music, its likely Matorin has never experienced the starving artist phenomenon first hand, but his passion for jazz shines through every note and run on his debut album, Opus. The Brazilian-born Matorin was exposed to jazz at a young age by bassist and friend Josef Deas, who introduced Matorin to John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Oscar Peterson, Herbie Hancock and Ray Brown, among others. Matorin has never slowed down since, completing a dual program at Berklee in jazz composition and jazz performance as well as continuing to study and perfect his classical technique.

Opus opens with “Smile”, a friendly discussion between violin, piano, bass and percussion that grows into a near duet between the violin and piano; similar to two Broadway divas taking over the stage from lesser players in a finale. Offered in a wide-open arrangement with tremendous highs and lows; these peaks and valleys are measured more in intensity than volume. “Smile” is highly lyric in both the violin and piano, with Dan Pugach’s polyrhythmic drum part punctuating their conversation like a color commentator while Luques Curtis glues together with a vital-yet-unassuming bass line. “Then And Now” finds Matorin’s violin taking on a slightly darker tone. Melodically reminiscent of some of Sting’s more esoteric forays into Jazz (or at least his band’s), there is a great deal of conflict and loss woven between the lines of the song; a current than runs deep beneath the surface but touches every note even if you never quite see it.

“Coming Home” is full of reverie; joyous moments are recalled in a musical line where echoes of times past weep from Matorin’s bow like a melancholy catharsis. Brighter thoughts ensue and interweave as the listener is turned to and fro by the juxtaposition of past and present in the song. Matorin and his band introduce a slinky, sneaky feel on “Silver Blue”, sounding like a score element from an old mystery film. This is great music for skulking by a pulp-fiction private eye; not dark or ominous but almost with a comic air at times. “Trancoso” is a vibrant dance with Matorin’s violin as the main voice, but Takeshi Ohbayashi steals the show in a supporting role on piano. Chaotic subtexts feed into a classic parlor jazz feel throughout the song. Matorin underscores the chaos in the final moments of "Trancoso" before ascending to sublime ending that marks release.

“One Last Song” is a wonderful change of pace; a daydream in song that inspires images of summer days with lots of sunlight and high fluffy clouds where you can simply drift and let your mind wander where it will. Matorin is the prime mover here, waxing and waning like the breeze, but always present. The only offering on Opus that seems out of place is “Hymn No. 1”. Little about the song would suggest the contemplative or reverent nature of a hymn, and the composition fails any sort of coherency test. The focus here is on numbers: speed and how many notes Matorin can fit into a measure or line. Compared to everything else on Opus, “Hymn No. 1” sounds messy and incoherent. Matorin rights the ship however with the moody violin/bass duet “Sunday Blues”. “Sunday Blues” sounds like pure creation; it wouldn’t be at all surprising to learn that this recording was a one-off live improve between Matorin and Curtis. Curtis’ bass solo in the middle is pure chaos; something of a “huh?” moment but resolves back into the structure of the duet to close out.

Andrei Matorin is well-schooled in the art of Jazz, and his schooling shows throughout Opus, but there’s a quality that shines through here that simply cannot be taught. Matorin has a love of the music he plays that’s unparalleled, and displays flashes of genius born of love and intensity with the violin in his hand. Opus is highly creative, sticking primarily to a classic sense of jazz improvisation, digressing only when Matorin deems appropriate. Opus is an album that fans of modern jazz will be happy with, and even the stodgiest of jazz purists will gladly offer a space in their collection to.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Andrei Matorin at http://www.andreimatorin.com/ or www.myspace.com/amatorin. You can purchase Opus as a CD or Download from Amazon.com.

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: Jazz Punks - Jazz Punks

Jazz Punks - Jazz Punks
2009, Jazz Punks

Los Angeles-based neo-Jazz outfit Jazz Punks sound a bit like a super group. Drummer Hugh Elliott has played such luminaries as Angela Bofill, Herbie Hancock, Grover Washington, Joan Osborne, Robert Lamm and Laura Branigan. Guitarist Sal Polcino is an alumnus of Tower Of Power Rhythm Section. Bass man Mike Polcino is a longtime symphony and jazz musician who has toured with members of Fishbone and also serves as a director on Fox' The Simpsons. Pianist Danny Kastner is an award-winning composer who owns his own media company and had the pleasure of being fired by Donald Trump on The Apprentice. Saxaphone player Robby Elfman is a session player in LA when not composing music for television and film. Together, this talented bunch travels and play under the name Jazz Punks, and have released a self-titled EP.

Jazz Punks opens with Led Gillespie, an occasionally muddy but generally workable mash up of Dizzy Gillespie and Led Zeppelin. The marriage is a rocky one but entertaining. Another Hue is highly inventive and melodic jazz, featuring some sweet guitar work from Sal Polcino. Polcino carries over his sweet sound into Heavy Footprints, with some wild piano work from Danny Kastner, but it’s the rhythm section that makes this one tick. Hugh Elliott (drums) is a rock, and Mike Polcino's plaintive, nearly haunting bass line is the soul of the song. The combination of The Beatles and Miles Davis is quite unique and works very well. Four finds Jazz Punks in full swing on the sort of classic fare that's filled supper clubs for generations. Jazz Punks close with I Can See Miles, a hybrid of Miles Davis and The Who that's intriguing. Running out over eight-and-a-half minutes, Jazz Punks dissect and bisect Davis and The Who in ways both coldly logical and serene.

Jazz Punks take listener expectations and turn them on their collective ears. Not out to kowtow to tradition, but rather intent on marrying sometimes disparate arts and artists, Jazz Punks take risks on a big scale. When they don't work out it's almost expected; when they do the songs seems like brilliant surprises. The creation here isn't so much about making something new, but helping you hear songs you might already know intimately in new and exciting ways. This is one mark of a seasoned musician/entertainer. Jazz Punks come highly recommended, particularly if you can see them live on stage. The Jazz Punks EP is a great introduction!

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Jazz Punks at http://www.jazzpunks.com/. You can purchase Jazz Punks on CD from Amazon.com, or as a download through iTunes or Rhapsody.com.

Review: Peter Douskalis - The Dance Of The Sea

Peter Douskalis - The Dance Of The Sea
2009, Shenandoah Records

Peter Douskalis is a New York City-based Jazz guitarist with roots in the Virginia/DC area. At 22 years old he's already been part of one acclaimed duo (Peter & Alex) and performed on Disney's The Making Of A High School Musical (he was the guitarist in their production of The Wiz). Douskalis makes his first foray into the solo world with The Dance Of The Sea. Released in late 2009, The Dance Of The Sea is truly a solo effort; just Douskalis and his guitar on covers and original compositions. Aside from making music, Douskalis is continuing his education in music as a Masters candidate in Music Education at NYU. Douskalis has performed with Jazz greats Chuck Redd, Bob Cranshaw, Houston Person, Mickey Roker and Tamir Hendelman.

Lady Bird is a frenetic study in runs and stops, augmented by Douskalis' supple fretwork. This Tad Dameron creation is given vibrant new life, although Douskalis does go a bit over-the-top with the runs in the middle of the song. Up next is Benny Golson & Leonard Feather's Whisper Not, interpreted here in rhythmic fashion with Douskalis recreating the walking bass line as well the riffs and runs with his guitar. Douskalis takes on Richard Rodger's My Favorite Things next in a stirring cover that allows him to stretch his wings. Whereas the riff work seemed a bit contrived on Lady Bird, here it seems more like Douskalis is playing variations that are still in the spirit of the work. What is perhaps most impressive is Douskalis' touch and ability to emote a melody line. The fireworks are nice, but it's refreshing to hear a soloist in touch with his instrument and the sounds that come out of it.

Douskalis' The Dance Of The Sea has a pleasing melody line and solid pacing; Douskalis avoids any sort of guitar histrionics in a subtle and mature bit of songwriting. His cover of Jimmy Van Heusen's Darn That Dream sticks with the dreamy quality the song has most often been interpreted with, sounding a bit like incidental music from a Peanuts episode (picture Snoopy walking through the leaves). Perhaps the best choice on the album is Antonio Carlos Jobim's The Girl From Ipanema. Douskalis has his way with the song but sticks with the spirit imbued in Jobim's original. The song, and much of the album, excel not only on where Douskalis chooses to take songs but often where he chooses not to. Douskalis offers two takes on Miles Davis' Blue In Green, the first (Take 2) a dreamy, melancholy read that focuses on a more legato feel. The second recording (Take 1) keeps things dreamy but is a bit more pointed in feel and derivative in scope. It's these free form moments where an artist takes risks and either strikes a new path or goes too far. It's unclear whether Douskalis quite takes either fork, traversing instead a center line between the two that's interesting but fails to be provocative. The Dance Of The Sea closes with a lively take on The Beatles' Come Together. In true variations form, Douskalis gives it to us straight the first time before heading off into altered guitar player states for several minutes. The variation becomes so removed from the original not even the remaining Beatles would recognize it.

Douskalis is highly capable with a guitar, but at times he tries to do too much on The Dance Of The Sea, venturing into territories likely only to be of interest to the one playing and perhaps other guitar players of a similar vent. The creative freedom of being entirely solo is a double-edged axe, if you will. You get to do whatever you want, but unfortunately that means you get to do whatever you want. The addition of other musicians, even in a supporting role, might change some of the choices Douskalis makes here, creating a more vibrant and powerful collection. As it stands, The Dance Of The Sea is a strong effort with some identifiable flaws. It should be interesting to see what Douskalis takes on next.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Peter Douskalis at http://www.peterdouskalis.com/ or www.myspace.com/peterdouskalis. You can purchase The Dance Of The Sea as either a CD or download via CDBaby.com.

Review: God's Guns – Invasion 89

God's Guns – Invasion 89
God’s Guns

Ted Nott (vocals/bass) and Daniel Villarreal Carrillo (drums) travel under the name God's Guns, mixing elements of Rock, Jazz, Funk and Classical music into a dynamic and wide-ranging musical melting pot on their debut album, Invasion '89. The Chicago duo claim influences as diverse as Fela Kuti, Janes Addiction, Nine Inch Nails, The Mars Volta and Miles Davis. Wrap it all up in a grunge-flavored sensibility and you have a sound that's not quite like anything else currently out there.

God's Guns open with Ruby Ridge, a piece of Funk-driven rock with minimalist instrumentation (bass, drums & vocals). It's organic dance rock if you can imagine Pearl Jam playing with P-Funk's bassist sitting in. God's Guns shows a progressive leaning toward the end of the song that bears out later on. Invasion 89 features highly complex rhythms drawn from Jazz and Afrobeat styles, but musically it's all over the map.) God's Guns get expansive on Gutters Eye Blue, a melodramatic piece built around an almost derelict depression. Drum and bass fill the core here, with the vocal and violin dueling in a form of raw, forlorn grace.

God's Guns discuss the fall of New Orleans on Skeletons Of Louisiana Streets. The song is done beat poet style with sparse musical accompaniment, and focus on the moral and social degradation of the city rather than on a specific event such as Hurricane Katrina. Fires In The Fall finds the band in an introspective ode to a friend who has passed on. Driven by acoustic guitar and a dramatic vocal line reminiscent of some of Eddie Vedder's better stuff. Same Sinatra, More Insane features a searingly dramatic vocal line, but the song itself gets a bit messy. Petroleum gets messy but in true Progressive Rock circular style and ends up sounding more Psychedelic than anything. Puppet Show is a deep mess, running all over the map. It sounds as if God's Guns is more concerned with construction than progression here.

God's Guns turn out a solid if uneven effort in Invasion 89. The drums and bass setup with occasional violin or guitar is interesting, but wears as the album progresses. It seems as if may have worn on God's Guns as well, as the second half of the album is nowhere near the quality of the first half (with the exception of Fires in The Fall). When God's Guns are on their game they are an engaging band with a unique sound. These guys are definitely worth checking out, although individual songs may be hit or miss.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about God’s Guns at www.myspace.com/godsguns or http://www.godsguns.com/. You can purchase a copy of Invasion 89 through CDBaby.

Review: Hyperstory - Hyperstory

Hyperstory - Hyperstory
2009, Pureland Records

Hyperstory is the brainchild of Los Angeles musician C. Scott Blevins; a loop-driven mix of organic and electric/electronic rock crafted brick by brick. Blevins recorded in numerous spaces with varied personnel and setups to bring sonic variety and an old school feel to Hyperstory, his debut album. Brooklyn, NY's Julian Cassia contributed vocals to the project, and instrumental support came from Joey Waronker (Beck); Deron Johnson (Seal, Miles Davis); Chris Chaney (Janes Addiction) and a host of other friends and acquaintances. Blevins aimed to not only make a collection of great songs, but a great album in the classic sense. Hyperstory will be available on November 10, 2009.

After a brief Prelude, Hyperstory gets things moving with A Happening, a plodding mellow pop tune full of a melancholy angst that closes with something akin to Gregorian Chant. As an opener it's quirky enough to get your attention yet just bland enough to make you hunger for a bit more. Something Good takes a more vibrant tune, sounding something like The Moody Blues might if they were starting out today. Something Good has the right hooks and sound to break the radio wall with the right push. Will It Ever Change is a post-ambient rock tune with Chicago-style horns and an impassioned flair that flows from the previous, spoken word track, Mandate. Ascension gets a legitimate dance beat going and brings in the funk early and hard. The horns are here again, this time sounding a bit more like Tower of Power. This is a great instrumental track. Hyperstory closes out with two pleasant but essentially innocuous instrumental entitled A Reckoning and End Story, respectively. Both continue to vein established on Will It Ever Change and Ascension without really providing anything to the conversation.

Hyperstory is ultimately an album I walked away from with mixed feelings. There were a couple of great moments (Ascension, and to a lesser degree Something Good), but the rest just really didn't move me one way or the other. Hyperstory is a pleasant listen, but not something that compels me to come back. Perhaps it's all just a little too lush and a little too well produced; good songwriting but no risks. Risks are essential.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Hyperstory at http://www.hyperstory.com/ or www.myspace.com/hyperstoryofficial. Hyperstory drops November 10, 2009. Keep checking Hyperstory’s website for availability.

Review: Ted Hefko And The Thousandaires - Egyptland

Ted Hefko And The Thousandaires - Egyptland

2009, A. Ted Hefko

Ted Hefko grew up in Wisconsin, learning his love of music from the diverse artists in his father's collection: Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Miles Davis, Fela Kuti and Albert King (among others). With school on both guitar and tenor sax, Hefko began playing out in high school. After school Hefko headed down to New Orleans and a degree in Jazz Saxophone from the University of New Orleans, going on to study with Hannah Jon Taylor. Hefko has played for or with such artists as Warren Batiste, Blake Amos, Tondrae, Los Sagitarios and Los Bebes del Merengue. Hefko relocated to New York City in 2004 and has immersed himself in the city's Jazz, Rock and World scenes since then. His latest recorded effort, Egyptland blends Jazz, Southern Funk, Blues, Folk, Rock and Latin styles in almost effortless fashion.

Egyptland opens with The Roofer, a tribute to one of the many displaced from New Orleans by hurricanes (in this case, Betsy). Hefko sounds a bit like Van Morrison here on vocals and inhabits the song's character as if he lived the story himself. Wet Wool In The Rain plays with Latin sounds and Southern R&B in a delicious tune serious commercial potential. Hefko seems most at home on Twenty Three Dollars And Twenty Three Cents, a classic bit of quasi-acoustic blues, singing for all he's worth while his top notch band makes hay in the background. Hefko gets righteously instrumental on The Short Man's Complex, an entertaining tune that will have you be-bopping in your seat or even jumping up to dance. Bad Kids is something of an ode to juvenile delinquency. Not so much a tribute to it, but a retelling of one particular story that may or may not be true. The arrangement is slow and repetitive and wants to lull the listener to sleep. Egyptland closes out with Big Shoes, a pasting of phone queue jazz with some progressive tendencies.

Ted Hefko And The Thousandaires have created an album in Egyptland that runs the gamut from magic to mundane. When Hefko is on his game as a writer the music is inspired, but there are also moments here that are so tired and without energy they put the listener to sleep. Hefko is a passable vocalist with a real love for the music he plays, but the unevenness of the performance across Egyptland is a little disheartening. Closing out on an easy-listening jazz piece was also a bit disappointing, as Hefko's gig seems to be his mix of styles and originality. Nevertheless, Egyptland is a solid release with some issues, but worth checking out.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Ted Hefko And The Thousandaires at http://www.ted.heko.net/ or www.myspace.com/tedhefkoquartet. You can purchase downloads of Egyptland at Digstation. CD copies are available through CDBaby.com.

Review: The Terrence Blanchard Group - Choices

The Terrence Blanchard Group - Choices
2009, Concord Jazz

Terrence Blanchard is prodigious. The Grammy Award winning musician/composter/arranger/bandleader has more than twenty-five albums to his credit, either on his own or with others. He’s also composed music for over 40 movies, including Malcolm X, Clockers, Mo’ Better Blues, Backbeat and Eve’s Bayou. Blanchard’s latest, with The Terrence Blanchard Group, Choices, dropped on August 18, 2009.

Choices opens with Byus, a Funk/Jazz hybrid with Latin elements that starts out with a monologue from Blanchard on intellectualism vs. intelligence. Sax and Trumpet are the primary voices here, creating interesting tension in the shared melody lines while the sax gets in some prodigious runs on its own. The trumpet is a bit more reserved, sticking to more placid, traditional waters. Blanchard gives a short statement on Beethoven and representative power of music as it compares to words before launching into the down-tempo D's Choice. A slow, almost ethereal back drop is punctuated by a slow, staccato melody line that slowly grows more lyric throughout the song. Bilal steps in for a guest vocal appearance on Journey, providing a moving performance in tandem with Blanchard's ever-present trumpet. Hacia del Aire opens on a mournful note, with the Trumpet sounding the clarion call of sadness. The ever-resilient piano changes the mood of the piece however, with trumpet coming along on a more hopeful promenade. All of this is done in a down-tempo arrangement where the rhythms are unsettled and variable. The song grows into a larger conversation as the saxophone cuts in. Soon three voices are talking at once, nearly over one another. The result is a cacophony that can overpower the listener at times.

Him Or Me finds Blanchard stepping back in time for a piece that could have come of the early 1970's; Progressive and classical jazz elements mix over seven minutes to create a dynamic musical trip topped off by one of the hottest jazz guitar solos of the year. HUGS (Historically Underrepresented Groups) starts off with an eclectic and variably rhythmic piano intro before evolving into a musically explosive quintet (piano, trumpet, sax, bass and drums). There is a sense of impending chaos that looms, but the song never quite loses its bearing and flies continually in that grey region that is the line between genius and disaster. Blanchard is inspired here, outplaying his own sensibilities and reaching that hypothetical "beyond" state that musicians find in their best moments. Winding Roads is a twelve minute journey that lives up to it's name, taking the listener across musical countryside and blind corners where the scenery changes as quickly as the rhythms of the song. This is another wow moment, but it takes awhile to unfold. Bilal returns on When Will You Call, a classic sounding song that is given emotional weight by Bilal's blue vocal line. The instruments draw back and give Bilal room to work, adding in the appropriate support and fills without becoming too involved.

A New World (Created Inside The Walls Of Imagination) finds Blanchard waxing about the "Age Of Obama", the changes it portends. The song is well structured yet does reflect the tension between change, retrenchment and history that Blanchard references in his opening word. Blanchard's trumpet work is outstanding as always, but it was the guitar work that really caught my ear on this one; drawing on an early electric guitar sound (Les Paul, Chet Atkins) to censure tension while creating more of its own. Blanchard closes out Choices with Robin's Choice, opening with an air of Gershwin before exploding into a modern mix of music and noise. All action ceases suddenly at the end and Blanchard explains why we're here. I'll leave it to you to find out on your own.

Choices moves from quiet creation to cacophony of sound and hits all points in between. Fans of classic, Progressive and modern Jazz will all find something to like here, as Blanchard hits on moods from Monk to Miles and even shades in a little Gershwin here and there. Choices is not the best choice for casual listening; the music demands your attention and refuses to take a back seat. Don't be surprised if The Terrence Blanchard Group gets mentioned come award season.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Terrence Blanchard and The Terrence Blanchard Group at http://www.terrenceblanchard.com/ or www.myspace.com/terrenceblanchard. You can purchase Choices at Amazon.com, or download the album through Amazon MP3.

Review: Family Order - Family Order

Family Order – Family Order
2008, Family Order

Chicago hipsters Family Order have a new sound you’ll find intriguing. Referring to themselves as a classical jam band, Family Order brings a love of unusual chord progressions and rock instrumental music on their debut album, Family Order. The 7-track EP, released in 2008, has garnered them significant attention at home, and the band is starting to branch out across the Midwest. Keyboardist Eitan Bernstein and drummer Charlie Dresser began writing together in 2006, and pulled in bassist Ben Smith and guitarist Dan Guzman to fill out the sound on stage.

Falling somewhere between King Crimson and Maurice Jarre, Family Order constructs neo-classical/jazz/rock jams with a strong Progressive bent on their self-titled debut. Cantstandya is built on long, undulating keyboard runs interspersed with nouveau jazz breakdowns. There is funky heart to the music that drives it along its merry way while musical chaos plays just at the edges of the soundscape. Even the musically introspective middle of the pieces serves the freeform feel of Cantstandya. Marvin is nine minutes and twenty seconds of ethereal construction that is interesting to listen through. High Gleamin' Beams has an almost Easy Listening gone modern sound with some interesting voiceovers popping up at points throughout the song. Jack Buckingham has a wonderfully oceanic quality, like being rocked by wave after wave of sound; always gently but with perceptible force. Funky Republican possesses a circular, cyclic nature where the theme never seems to progress; this may an artistic political statement. Invention is a reprisal of Cantstandya in a fitting epilogue to the album.

Family Order has crafted seven unusual and highly interesting compositions for their debut. Family Order is the sort of rock instrumental CD that you can't relegate to the background. The songs will tug at you and demand to be heard in the same fashion that a Miles Davis or Yes album will do. Not everyone will dig it, but those who really get into the composition and construction of music will have a field day.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Family Order at www.myspace.com/familyordermusic, where you can find a link to download Family Order for free for a short time. CDs are currently available only at live shows but will soon be available for purchase via PayPal on the band’s MySpace page.

Review: Dan Freedman - Art Attack

Dan Freedman - Art Attack
2008, Four Hearts Music

Prodigal Sons always return home. So it is with Dan Freedman, who returns to his roots as a jazz pianist after 20 years as a software entrepreneur. Showing how close a musician always stays to their music, it took nothing more than an early 2008 concert performance by Hiromi Uehara to throw Freedman a musical headwind that would turn his life once more to music. Born in London, England, Freedman has a weekly slot on BBC Brighton as "Dan The Piano Man" at eleven years of age. After moving to Canada with his family, Freedman majored in jazz piano performance on his way to completed both bachelors and masters degrees in computer science (hence the 20 year detour). Based now in Honolulu, HI, Freedman was so moved by the performance of Uehara that he began playing again the next day. By the end of 2008, he'd already recorded his debut album, Art Attack. Freedman has plans for two more albums in 2009, and I think it's safe to say that he's not looking back.

Freedman's press materials say his greatest influences are Oscar Peterson and Bill Evans. It's very evident on first listen to Art Attack that the jazz spirits of Peterson and Evans inform Freedman's musical consciousness. Freedman takes the impressionist style and runs with it on Art Attack. As with impressionist pianists this can be both a good and not so good thing at times. Freedman finds moment of musical glory embedded in the eight covers and two originals on Art Attack, but also finds moments where the impressions pile up too high upon one another and drown each other out. On balance, the passages and songs that work far outweigh what does not.

Art Attack opens with On Green Dolphin St., a classic played in trio form (piano, drums, bass). It's an egalitarian recording where no one instrument really is subservient to others, like a musical talk show where the instruments converse. There's an Bill Evans vibe that's evident in a relaxed reading of time signatures and the willingness to bend and shape melody lines into pretzels before returning them as they were, unharmed. Freedman pays tribute to Evans on Very Early, re-imagining the Chick Corea/Hiromi Uehara version in a style almost reminiscent of Vince Guaraldi.

Sweet Georgia Brown left me a little bit lost. The Maceo Pinkard classic is performed here as a piano duet, and ultimately that is just too much. The impressionist approach combined with a second piano in duet creates a bit of musical mayhem that was just too much for this listener. Chopsticks is a jaunty series of riffs on classic piano exercise that transforms into, among other things, Rhapsody In Blue along the way. This sounds like it was a lot of fun to play; the sort of divine inspiration that comes when a musician lets themselves have fun with the music.

The absolute highlight of the disc is Freedman's interpretation of Oscar Peterson's Wheatland for bass and piano. Freedman takes us through the gentle ebb and flow of Peterson's creation with a contrapuntal left hand and a minimalist bass line. Wheatland gets to breathe its own metaphysical melody in an inspired performance. Freedman gives an interesting turn next on The Beatles' Michelle, taking the Lennon/McCarthy classic off the pins of rock music and re-inventing it as classical/jazz hybrid. Freedman focuses on dynamic development throughout the song in moving from an almost Chopin presentation to Van Clyburn before falling back to the melodic heart of the song trailing the acoustic waters from whence it originally arose.

Laughing Child is a Dan Freedman original, and in some ways just doesn't belong on this album. Laughing Child is a pop song at heart with a vocal line that cries out of the piano for a singer and words. Laughing Child could migrate to either Adult Contemporary Pop or Broadway without much difficulty, and serves as a hint regarding the diversity and breadth of writing/performing talent that Freedman possesses. Art Attack closes with the surreal and rhythmic Marimba piece Lives At Stake. Lives At Stake sounds like something that might have shown up in session tapes for an early Pink Floyd album.

Dan Freedman comes home to music after twenty years in the corporate professional realm with an inspired debut album in Art Attack. While there are moments that don't work as well as other, the effort on the whole is very much worth your time. Mixing the influences of Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Brad Mehldau and others with unique and daring choices about structure, timing and harmony, Freedman takes chances that mostly work while giving us a hint of how broad a swath he might cut musically. With two more albums planned for 2009, this could just be the warm-up. A definite must for impressionist jazz fans, jazz piano fans, jazz-inflected pop fans, or people who enjoy an artist who can take you anywhere at any moment for any reason.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Dan Freedman or purchase a copy of Art Attack at http://www.dan88.com/. You can also pick up a copy at www.cdbaby.com/cd/danfreedman.