Ozone Quartet

Ozone Quartet - Cloud Nineology - 2005 - Flat Five Records

After three demo recordings and many live shows, Ozone Quartet gained recognition as a band that was paving new ground and reintroducing the best influences in rock-fusion. Ozone Quartet's first CD, Fresh Blood, drew the attention and support of progressive rock and jazz-fusion music aficionados from around the world. The band's other releases include Nocturne, Live at Local 506, and Cloud Nineology. Ozone Quartet's CD releases have received critical acclaim and international radio airplay. Ozone Quartet's sound has been compared by critics and fans to progressive rock-fusion pioneers like King Crimson, Dixie Dregs, and Mahavishnu Orchestra. © 2004-2008 Ozone Quartet. All rights reserved http://www.ozonequartet.com/about.html

Ozone Quartet was originally called Cloud Nine, and had to change their name due to trademark laws. So was born Ozone Quartet, and Cloud Nineology represents the period of 1992 to 1998 in the history of the band. If you are not familiar with the music of Ozone Quartet, these guys play a very majestic instrumental medley of progressive rock and jazz-fusion stylings, sort of like a marriage of Mahavishnu Orchestra, King Crimson, and the Dixie Dregs. The first four tunes on the CD were recorded in 1992, and see the early sound of the band as it was starting to take shape. As always, the band is led by the soaring violin work of Hollis Brown, and she is all over songs like "Fresh Blood" and "Flying in Circles" alongside the crunchy guitar work of Graham Fry, the nimble Chapman Stick grooves from Wayne Leechford, and the acrobatic drum work of Steve Smith. The guitar tone of Fry is thick and heavy on the songs from 1994 like "Surge" and "Stash", as he adds an almost metal edge to the decidely fusion feel that is given by Brown's violin flights. The band goes for a more rootsy jazz touch on "Lift", a real beautiful piece, and weave intricate guitar & violin lines on the slightly heavy and complex prog number "Freak of Nature". Cut to 1995 for the songs "Thief" , "Hypnosis", and "Grasshopper", three more songs later featured on the bands Fresh Blood album. Here, Ozone Quartet were really hitting their stride compositionally speaking as well as musically, as the songs are extremely melodic and full of many twists and turns. The addition of new drummer Fran Dyer also helped quite a bit, as his intricate style on "Thief" adds an almost ethnic feel to the music. "The Barbarian" of course is an ELP cover song that was to be featured on a tribute album that was never released. Here is where we see the appearance of new guitarist Kenny Thompson, who joined for the Nocturne album in 1999, and was later replaced by Jeremy Shaw. "The Barbarian" is an interesting tune for Ozone Quartet to record, as since they do not have a keyboard player, Brown, Leechford, and Thompson fill in the gaps where Keith Emerson added his arsenal. Cloud Nineology is a nice retrospective of the early years of Ozone Quartet, and would be a great place for those new to the band to start. Fans of the group will of couse need to add this to their collection while they wait patiently for a new recording from the band. © - PP © Sea of Tranquility http://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=2649

A good collection of the Raleigh, NC instrumental prog-fusion band's early work. Ozone Quartet was originally called Cloud Nine, and all the music on this album was originally released under that name. This CD includes the first ever recorded cover song by Ozone Quartet, "The Barbarian" by Bartok, Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. The album contains some first class heavy progressive jazz fusion with great virtuosic playing. If you are into artists like John McLaughlin, Steve Morse, or early King Crimson you may enjoy this album. ["these guys play a very majestic instrumental medley of progressive rock and jazz-fusion stylings, sort of like a marriage of Mahavishnu Orchestra, King Crimson, and the Dixie Dregs": My thanks to Mike for that apt description of OQ's music] "Listen to the band's brilliant "Fresh Blood" album

TRACKS

1. Cottonhead 2:45
2. Flying in Circles 2:43
3. Room #7 3:33
4. Fresh Blood 3:53
5. Surge 2:59
6. Stash 4:12
7. Lift 4:27
8. Freak of Nature 3:49
9. Thief 6:15
10. Grasshopper 4:50
11. Hypnosis 5:14
12. The Barbarian 4:48

All music compozed by The Ozone Quartet except Track 12 by Bartok, Emerson, Lake, Palmer

BAND

Jeremy Shaw - Guitar
Hollis Brown - Electric Violin
Fran Dyer - Drums
Wayne Leechford - Chapman Stick

BIO

In 1992 the grouping of Wayne Leechford, Hollis Brown, Graham Fry, and Steve Smith formed Cloud Nine. Under this name, they released two albums and started to make a name for themselves. By 1995, the group had a new drummer in Francis Dyer and was working on a new album. When that album (called Fresh Blood) was released in 1997, it was under the name Ozone Quartet for legal reasons. That CD also saw Kenny Thompson take over as guitarist for the band. In 1999, the group released a second CD, Nocturne. That release again found them in need of a guitarist, and Jeremy Shaw stepped in to fill that position. However, his tenure would not be long lasting, as at the end of the tour to support the disc, they broke up. © Gary Hill © 2010 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-ozone-quartet-p355288/biography