Ducks Can Groove

Ducks Can Groove - Crankable Grooves - 2012 - Grooveyard

"Individually they are highly skilled musicians and, collectively, they are a force to be reckoned with." - Experience Hendrix (official Jimi Hendrix fanzine)

KILLER 5TH STUDIO DISC FROM THIS WAY-KOOL HENDRIX-INSPIRED POWER TRIO FROM SWEDEN FEATURING STEFAN EDFELDT ON GUITAR. INCLUDES 10 ORIGINAL TRACKS OF AWESOME, BLUES-BASED, RETRO-FUELED, COSMIC HEAVY GUITAR JAMS THAT WILL TRIP YOUR MUSICAL BRAIN INTO THE OUTSKIRTS OF INFINITY. COMBINING A CREATIVE MIX OF INSTRUMENTAL & VOCAL TRACKS, D.C.G. PRODUCE & DELIVER THEIR BEST DISC TO DATE. A DEEP, DYNAMIC, OLD-SCHOOL GUITAR ROCK GROOVE THAT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO FANS OF HENDRIX & PLANKTON. © 2012 & BEYOND - GROOVEYARD RECORDS, INC. http://www.grooveyardrecords.com/duckscangroovecrankablegrooves-.html

STARTING WITH THE FIRST TRACK WE GET ORIGINALITY FROM DCG, NOT JUST COMPLIMENTS TO JIMI. THE "BINGO GAME" MELODY IS PLAYED IN A HUMOROUS, AVANT-GARDE FASHION AND IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING NOT TO BE MISSED. ONE WOULD HAVE TO BE A BRAINLESS NEANDERTHAL FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF URANUS CIRCA -2000 BC TO NOT THINK THIS IS NOT JUST A GOOD RECORD, BUT A GREAT ONE!!!! MORE POWER TO DUCKS CAN GROOVE - THEY MAY BE DUCKS - SWEDISH ONES AT THAT, BUT MAN, CAN THEY THROW DOWN A NASTY, EBULLIENT GROOVE!!!! MUSIC LOVERS, ENJOY! - LARRY CORYELL (MAY 2012)

IMAGINE IF JIMI HENDRIX HAD SURVIVED INTO THE 21ST CENTURY AND GOTTEN INTO YOGA AND MEDITATION. MOREOVER, IMAGINE IF HE STARTED EXPERIMENTING WITH GROOVE/BEAT'N JAZZ IN A CONTEMPORARY AND SENSUAL WAY. PUT ALL THAT TOGETHER, AND QUITE A BIT MORE, AND YOU WOULD GET A HINT OF WHAT DUCKS CAN GROOVE IS UNLEASHING ON THIS CD. STEFAN EDFELDT'S HENDRIX-SOAKED GUITAR LEADS THE WAY THROUGH EXPERIMENTAL SONIC LANDSCAPES THAT CAPTURE THE IMAGINATION, SERVING TO AT ONCE CALM THE NERVES AND TITILLATE THE SOUL. A MUST LISTEN FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN 70S GUITAR VIRTUOSO MUSIC MIXED WITH PROGRESSIVE, THOUGHT-PROVOKING BLUES RIFFS. UN-FREAKIN-BELIEVABLE!! - STEVE ROSEN (AUTHOR) (MAY 2012)

Crankable Grooves by Ducks Can Groove is one of the Best albums I have heard and I am a Guitar Player and DJ at WUSB and WBAI and I am Cranking this album every chance I get. Very creative and well executed. The guitarist explores special effects in the spirit and expertise of Hendrix. Blues licks over modern tracks. Modern Psychedelic music. Composition and production is slick,polished and hip! - ***** Surprise Real Creative Music being made!, December 5, 2012 By & © Ahmad Ali © 1996-2014, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates http://www.amazon.com/product-reviews/B009XDSNTK/ref=cm_cr_dp_syn_footer/176-2859443-6125159?k=Crankable%20Grooves&showViewpoints=1

Terrific mix of groove soaked modern acid jazz, old school psychedelic blues and rock/fusion retro funk from the unique Swedish band, Ducks Can Groove. DCG are a great and unusual band in that despite being regarded as an “eccentric power-trio", they are considered as being one of the best Hendrix tribute bands on the scene today. There are no Hendrix covers on this album. All the tracks were composed by the Swedish guitarist, Stefan Edfeldt. However, the vibes and musicianship on this album are tremendous and it’s a highly enjoyable listen. Check out the band’s great “This Is Typical” album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 137 Mb]

TRACKS

1 Wild In The Aisles 5:18
2 Still Driving 5:14
3 Act Casual 6:00
4 Ezy Pezy 4:11
5 Ya Don't Stop (Part 1) 3:47
6 Activate Level Match 5:09
7 Keepers Of Analog Faith 4:09
8 We're Family 4:37
9 Ya Don't Stop (Part 2) 11:43
10 Stefan Eats The Bingo Game Show 5:50

All tracks composed by Stefan Edfeldt

MUSICIANS

Stefan Edfeldt - Guitars
Goran Backlund - Bass
Erik Edlund - Drums
Gustav Lindqvist - Turntable on Tracks 4 & 5
Helena Hillerbo - Vocals on Track 4
Olle Soderlind - Vocals on Tracks 6 & 8

BIO

Since their start in 2000, Swedish power trio DUCKS CAN GROOVE have recorded three Hendrix tribute-albums and three original albums (Different Frogs Different Times 2009, This Is Typical 2010 and Crankable Groovcs 2012) Hailed for their unique brand of eccentric power-trio rockfusion retro funk, the group is also considered as being one of the best Hendrix tribute acts you could ever catch. "CRANKABLE GROOVES" by Swedish DUCKS CAN GROOVE, released on Biba Records, June 2012. This is the groups third album of exclusively original material, penned by guitarist Stefan Edfeldt. The solid foundation of drummer Erik Edlund and bassplayer Göran Backlund is augmented at times by vocalists Helena Hillerbo and Olle Söderlind, plus DJ Gustav Lindqvist scratching. The music is best described as a blend between raw psychedelic blues-mania and innovative modern beats. Feedback, drumsticks and remote controls are some of the tools leader an guitarist Stefan Edfeldt uses to create his unique percussive sound. Stefan has through jams and shows around New York City and L.A, been given the "stamp of approval" by former Hendrix bandmates and musician friends. Highlights are shows with Buddy Miles, Larry Coryell and Jack Casady. The Ducks have a standing invitation as the sole European band to play one of the biggest annual Hendrix tribute events in North America. The most recent show in November of 2011 in N.Y.C. included Larry Coryell and Leon Hendrix among others. Ducks Can Groove brought the audience to standing ovations with their blend of Hendrix-covers and original material. "This band is a real jazz and blues outfit that Hendrix himself would have loved to jam with. " - David Kramer productions, music documentary filmmaker/promoter N.Y. Nov 2011 For more information, promo requests, booking, buying our cd..s, or to set up an interview, please contact exp (@) duckscangroove.com © 2006-2014 eMinor Incorporated http://www.reverbnation.com/artist_1194481/bio

Liquid Tension Experiment

Liquid Tension Experiment - Live 2008 - Limited Edition Boxset (LTE Bonus Disc 1 CD) - 2009 - Ytsejam Records

Liquid Tension Experiment is an instrumental supergroup formed by Mike Portnoy at a request from Magna Carta records. It consists of four members: Mike Portnoy, John Petrucci, Jordan Rudess, and Tony Levin. Three of these members have been members of Dream Theater, although when he joined Liquid Tension Experiment, Jordan Rudess had not yet joined Dream Theater, and Mike Portnoy left Dream Theater during 2010. Liquid Tension Experiment has released two albums, Liquid Tension Experiment and Liquid Tension Experiment 2. They have also released two albums as Liquid Trio Experiment, Spontaneous Combustion and When the Keyboard Breaks: Live in Chicago. Spontaneous Combustion was the result of jam sessions by the other three members of the band while Petrucci was with his wife, who was giving birth. When the Keyboard Breaks: Live in Chicago is a live recording of a concert in Chicago when Rudess' keyboard malfunctioned, and the other members of the band jammed while Rudess was on the phone with Roland. Additional Liquid Tension Experiment live recordings are available through Portnoy's Ytsejam label and website, www.ytsejamrecords.com. - http://dreamtheater.wikia.com/wiki/Liquid_Tension_Experiment_(band)

Liquid Tension Experiment's music could be described as the meeting of jazz fusion, heavy metal, latin music, funk, progressive rock and enormous doses of improvisation delivered by some of the best musicians the worlds of progressive rock, progressive metal and jazz have to offer. This bonus disc is part of a DVD/CD Limited Edition Boxset by LTE. The disc includes seven fantastic improvised jams from four of the greatest musicians in the jazz fusion business taken from various gigs played in June 2008 in Bethlehem, PA, NYC, Chicago, IL, and San Francisco, CA. Read more details on this album @ http://ytsejamrecords.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=32 These guys are masters of their respective instruments, and if you like sporadic, improvised progressive jazz rock/fusion of the highest calibre, then this album may appeal to you. Listen to LTE's "Liquid Tension Experiment 2" album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 130.6 Mb]

LTE BONUS DISC [TRACKS]

1. NYC (Early Show) Improv Jam #1 (6:54)
2. NYC (Early Show) Improv Jam #2 (7:41)
3. NEARfest Improv Jam #1 (3:42)
4. NEARfest Improv Jam #2 (5:43)
5. Chicago Improv Jam #1 (7:58)
6. San Francisco Improv Jam #1 (10:41)
7. San Francisco Improv Jam #2 (13:17)

All tracks composed by Levin, Portnoy, Petrucci, Rudess

MUSICIANS

John Petrucci - Guitar
Tony Levin - Bass, Bass [Chapman Stick]
Jordan Rudess - Keyboards
Mike Portnoy - Drums

Tetrafusion

Tetrafusion - Absolute Zero - 2009 - queensix/Tetrafusion

Tetrafusion is an experimental/progressive metal band based out of Shreveport, Louisiana. Having just released their debut album “Absolute Zero” in February of 2009, the band has begun to garner global acclaim from rave reviews and new fans worldwide. While the band is currently writing for their sophomore album, plans for vocalist Gary Tubbs (also the group’s keyboardist) are taking shape. Though established on the foundation of instrumental jams and their unorthodox approach to songwriting, Tetrafusion promises to stay true to their home in the progressive genre while continuing to hone and polish their style as a result of sheer musical innovation. Choosing not to have used a vocalist for their debut, Tetrafusion forced listeners to direct their attention to the music rather than on the lyrics, where it should be focused. Although soon introducing lyrics to current and future listeners alike, the music itself will continue to remain as the primary focus in all future endeavors. © http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/tetrafusion

Tetrafusion is an experimental progressive metal band from Louisana, and Absolute Zero is their debut album. This is how the band describe the album in the booklet: Absolute Zero is a concept album based on cosmology, along with the associated theorems and laws behind it. The album depicts the life of the universe from beginning to end via the form of instrumental music. Along with this, each of the eight songs on this disc, some of which are divided into multiple movements, is explained in great detail. Starting with the 10-plus-minute "The Beginning," the album takes on a fusion of fluid, articulate guitar and keyboard parts built around a bass-centric drive. A perfect choice to represent the overall vibe of the album, the song weaves crushingly heavy passages and atmospherically dense sections with subtle changes in tempo and melody. Both bass and guitar solos abound, where the guitars take on a liquidy flow during the solo passages. The use of cello and piano on "Dark Matter" helps establish a more laidback yet emotionally engaging context while the transition from the soft acoustic passages to the fierce, head-spinningly agile guitar work on "Energy" contributes to the diversity of Absolute Zero. Of particular note is track four, "Gravity." It starts off with a gorgeous piano motif that eventually takes on a jazzy feel. It is informed by constantly ascending and descending melodic patterns. According to the information given in the booklet, the acceleration of gravity is 9.8 metres per second, which is symbolized by the song's opening riff in the 9/8 time signature. From here on, each section sees the band morphing the melodic drive, constantly dropping one beat with the arrival of a curious Latin breakdown and shifting to 4/4 or 8/8 rhythms, and then to 7/8, losing yet another beat. It sounds very mathematical perhaps, but unlike many instrumental prog bands, Tetrafusion's songs are absolutely listenable and painstakingly well composed. The aptly titled album finale, "The End," is equally complex if not the highlight of the whole album. At over 15 minutes, it is the song that depicts the inevitable fall of the universe. Alternating between passages filled with symphonies of riffs and piano-supported melodic interludes, the song turns into the soundtrack of the apocalypse. The first movement, "Expansion," sees the quartet building (expanding) the melodies from a time signature standpoint while the second movement, "The Big Freeze," depicts mankind's reaction to this catostrophe. Without doubt, the last movement, "Absolute Zero," functions as a summary of the album, or the life of the universe in this case, and gets particularly emotional during the piano-driven medley to "resurrect" its former phases. If the wailing guitar solo at the end doesn't devastate you, then you're not breathing. Overall, Absolute Zero is highly recommended, especially to fans of instrumental progressive music. This is so far the only instrumental disc I've liked from start to finish this year. - ****/5 A concept fully realized, August 12, 2009 By & © Murat Batmaz (Istanbul, Turkey) © 1996-2014, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates http://www.amazon.com/product-reviews/B001RCAK50/ref=acr_dpdigitalmusic_text/178-7302387-3046267?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

Sound: In the past couple years it's become increasingly difficult to find good instrumental music, let alone good music in general, but Tetrafusion's debut album Absolute Zero could change that. Absolute Zero is definitely one of the best albums of the year despite the lack of a singer. The album is based on the concept of the universe starting with the Big Bang and finishing with the universe's demise, without a single word being uttered. The thing I love about this album is that it feels like an epic music journey from start to finish. Every song just flows, for instance the song Dark Matter it begins with a cello and a piano playing together and at 1:28 the cello disappears and a perfect transition to guitar begins without skipping a beat. Another great song on this album is The End, my personal favorite; it's a 15-minute epic and even if this were the only song on the album I would still pay 10 dollars for it. I only have one problem with the whole album and it's that at some points in the album the distorted guitar lacks tone; it's not even that noticeable and it rarely happens but that's the only thing stopping me from giving this album a 10. // 9 Lyrics: Despite the lack of any singing in Absolute Zero Tetrafusion still does a great job telling a story. In the song The End the band has no problem expressing the feeling of inevitable doom and chaos. Even without lyrics, this song has epic written all over it. // 9 Overall Impression: The thing that stands out on Absolute zero is the amazing layering and the unbelievable transitions. I listen to a lot of music, but never have I heard a 15-minute instrumental song that kept my interest the whole time. Absolute zero is definitely a modern masterpiece. I, without a doubt, put this in my top ten best albums of 2009. If you don't get hooked within the first song this album isn't for you. Absolute Zero is a definite buy for people who like Dream Theater, Genesis, Between the Buried and Me, Yes, King Crimson, or progressive rock in general. Although Tetrafusion is amazingly talented they have yet to have any real commercial success, and That's sad thing about music the best bands are always in the shadows of bands like My Chemical Romance or The Jonas Brothers so I ask that everyone help support Tetrafusion and buy Absolute Zero you wont be disappointed. // 10 - [Reviewer rating: 9.3 / 10 Reviewed by & © ARS0NiiST, on may 08, 2009 © 2014 Ultimate-Guitar.com or its affiliates. All rights reserved http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/reviews/compact_discs/tetrafusion/absolute_zero/

Crank up your speakers music friends and get ready to go on a ride! Tetrafusion's Absolute Zero is a melodic metal masterpiece. The album's first and last tracks are appropriately named 'The Beginning' and 'The End' respectively and will take you on a journey from the moment you hit play until the very last note, leaving you wanting more. The Beginning' starts off with an intriguing bass riff that will perk the listener's ears to wonder what is coming next. Driving guitar and riveting drums kick in next followed before too long with cosmic keys that launch the listener on a journey through the heavens. Absolute Zero is not only a fantastic album with eight outstanding tracks on it, but it is also a concept album that easily rivals any predecessors. Through technical virtuosity and musical ingenuity, Tetrafusion takes us on an epic journey detailing the birth, life and death of the universe from its explosion into existence to its fading out at the end. With no lyrics, the listener must rely on the ear-satisyfying blended themes, the soul stirring recurring motifs and the underlying melodies that bind the album together. This is done with masterful precision to leave the listener feeling at the end as though he truly has just witnessed one of the greatest mysteries of mankind. So who is Tetrafusion? Take note as this is a band well worth becoming acquainted. Gary Tubbs(keyboards), Mark Michell(bass), J.C. Bryant(percussion) and Brooks Tarkington(guitar) combine to bring us this marvelous progressive foursome. Formed in October of 2006, the group began as a jazz/slow jam band but as their music became more creative and innovative they changed their direction to progressive experimental metal. Absolute Zero is shockingly their first full length album and I hope the first of many. Special mention has to be paid to the final track on the album, 'The End'. This fifteen minute epic piece details out the end of the universe as we know it from the catastrophic feelings humanity faces as it meets its demise to the final conclusion of the existence of the universe, absolute zero. From beginning to end this piece is a masterful whirlwind in and of itself with unexpected time signature shifts, brilliant key changes and a remarkable blend of varoius musical styles . Just when you think the metal can't get any better it changes entirely to a haunting, stunning solo on the keys then launches into a bluesy riff before circling back to the metal. It will keep the listener on the edge wondering what will come next while uniting the entire album for an outstanding conclusion. If you love progressive metal Absolute Zero is a must have for your collection. If progressive metal is not your thing, I would highly recommend you give this album a try because I believe you will find yourself pleasantly surprised. I give this album Four and a half Froggs only because I know their next album will be a five. - from Tetrafusion - Absolute Zero (by Eowyn Langholf) POSTED BY PROGFROGG AT 3:42 PM © http://progfrogg.blogspot.ie/2009/06/tetrafusion-absolute-zero-by-eowyn.html

Tetrafusion is an American progressive metal band formed in 2006 in Shreveport, Louisiana. "Absolute Zero" is their debut album and is a progressive metal release very much in the Dream Theater, Liquid Tension Experiment, or Symphony X mould. "Absolute Zero" is a "concept" album, supposedly dealing with the cosmic birth and death of the universe. Some of these "concept" albums are often offputting to many music fans as they often contain a series of musical pieces that are repetititious, devoid of any real imagination, and musically drift aimlessly along without any memorable structures or melody. Two very good concept or thematic albums are Ry Cooder's "Paris Texas" soundtrack to the movie, and Brian Eno's "Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks" which was written about the Apollo moon missions. Both these albums conveyed feelings, sounds and emotions very relative to their themes. It is very difficult to compose music that can convey to the listener the ideas behind certain themes and concepts but there are exceptions. Going back to Tetrafusion's "Absolute Zero" is a good album in that the "concept" behind the album is probably irrelevant because the music by itself is really good. Check out Tetrafusion's "Altered State" album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 140 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. The Beginning - Michell, Tarkington, Tubbs 10:14
a). The Big Bang
b). The First Star
c). The First Galaxy
d). As We Know It
2. Dark Matter - Tarkington 8:28
3. Energy - Tarkington 3:34
a). Potential
b). Kinetic
4. Gravity - Michell, Tarkington, Tubbs 4:30
5. Inertia - Bryant, Michell, Tarkington, Tubbs 6:17
6. Momentum - Michell, Tarkington 5:45
7. Time Lapse - Bryant, Michell, Tarkington 3:01
8. The End - Michell, Tarkington, Tubbs 15:00
a). Expansion
b). The Big Freeze
c). Absolute Zero

MUSICIANS

Brooks Tarkington - Guitars
Mark Michell - Bass
Gary Tubbs - Keyboards
J.C. Bryant - Drums

Yang

Yang - A Complex Nature - 2004 - Cuneiform Records

Yang, a French quartet whose stunning compositons combine intricate guitar parts with driving rock, is the newest project led by French guitarist and composer Frederic L’Epée. L’Epée’s former projects include founding two of the most intriguing all-instrumental bands to emerge from France and capture international interest: Shylock and Philharmonie. Yang, L’Epee’s post-Philharmonie band, extends some of Philarmonie’s compositional ideas while adopting a harder tempered, more rock-based approach. Featuring the 'standard' line-up of two guiarists, bass and drums, Yang play a dynamic instrumental music that rocks hard, and which bears comparisons to groups such as Gordian Knot and King Crimson. L’Epée formed Yang in September, 2002. Yang’s debut album consists of 8 compositions written by L’Epée with each of the specific band members in mind. The band recorded the album quickly, spending only 3 days in the studio in a conscious attempt to harness the power and spontanaety of live performance. Featuring intricate and often beautiful guitar pieces embedded in harder-tempered rock compositions, complex rhythms and melodic modes not previously seen in L’Epée’s work, and a rich variety of guitar treatments, A Complex Nature is an inventive, dynamic and accessible instrumental work that rocks hard. It is, in L’Epée’s own words: “the next step after Philharmonie’s last albums: Rage and The Last Word.” This exciting and hard-rocking album features some subtly stunning work from all players, and is probably as close to an 'air guitar' album as you will ever hear from Cuneiform! © all rights reserved http://cuneiformrecords.bandcamp.com/album/a-complex-nature

If you like the music of the King Crimson after 1974, this album is surely for you. It has all the marks of a KC classic, but do not think it's just another copy/paste work. These French guys are making an extremely powerful combination of Fripp sounding guitar with modern fusion elements. Get it, you won't regret it! A true masterpiece. - ***** Progressive rock at very high level! By & © Alex on December 21, 2004 © 1996-2014, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates http://www.amazon.com/Complex-Nature-Yang/dp/B0002T7YZI

Guitarist Frederic L'Epee has long been thought of as France's answer to Robert Fripp, ever since his '70s work with the clearly King Crimson-influenced progressive band Shylock. With his '90s group Philharmonie, his solo work, and the debut album by his latest outfit Yang, however, L'Epee has moved far beyond mere mimicry. Complex Nature, despite its forbidding and slightly pretentious title, is actually an entirely accessible instrumental rock project featuring a two-guitar (L'Epee and his former student Julien Vecchie) front line over the rhythm section of bassist Stephane Bertrand and former Philharmonie drummer Volodia Brice. The eight compositions were recorded quickly, giving them a less polished edge than the occasionally too-polite Philharmonie, and unlike L'Epee's solo work, which occasionally trifles with mere prettiness (kind of like Bill Nelson's less-inspired releases), each of them starts with a well-crafted melodic and rhythmic base over which the players develop some complex interrelations. The concise nature of the pieces -- nearly all of which are in the four- to six-minute range -- means that the solos by L'Epee and Vecchie don't have time to veer off into unmanageable tangents, and showboating is kept to a minimum: Yang is definitely a group, with a rhythmic interplay that recalls great guitar bands like Television (especially on the dramatic ballad "Compassion") and, yes, King Crimson (particularly on the opening "Les Deux Mondes," which also features a terrific overdriven rhythm guitar riff by Vecchie that recalls Mission of Burma's telegraphic style). This is thoroughly enjoyable, straightforward instrumental art rock with few of the style's usual drawbacks. © Stewart Mason © 2014 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-complex-nature-mw0000390085

Brilliant instrumental rock fusion from the great French guitarist Frederic L'Epee and Yang. This band has been compared to the mighty King Crimson, and nothing wrong with that if you can produce music of the quality of the monumental Robert Fripp & Co. Yang have easily achieved that with this inventive, progressive rock/fusion album. This is quality stuff and albums of this calibre are rare nowadays. HR by A.O.O.F.C. Listen to Yang’s “Machines” album and promote real original fusion and progressive rock [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 112 Mb]

TRACKS

1. The Two Worlds 8:13
2. Subterranean 6:38
3. Innocent Seducer 5:48
4. Compassion 4:28
5. Homme-Enfant 4:43
6. Impatience 7:04
7. The Red Mask 5:28
8. Pride 5:54

All tracks composed by Frederic L`Epee

MUSICIANS

Frédéric L'Epée, Julien Vecchié - Guitar
Stéphane Bertrand - Bass
Volodia Brice - Drums

Kai Eckhardt, Fareed Haque, Alan Hertz, Kit Walker (Garaj Mahal)

Kai Eckhardt, Fareed Haque, Alan Hertz, Kit Walker (Garaj Mahal) - Gasoline Angel - 2000 - X-group

The masterful San Francisco's fusion band, Garaj Mahal fused the concept of jazz with a unique, original and eclectic mix of world rhythms encompassing pop, soul, progressive rock, studied jazz and modern jazz fusion, Indian music, focused funk, and jam-band styles. The highly obscure "Gasoline Angel " proved at the turn of the millennium that the future of good, spontaneous, innovative, eclectic and original jazz fusion was alive and well. Bassist Kai Eckhardt, speaking about "Gasoline Angel" said, "That was our own bootleg. It was produced in a split second. Suddenly there was this CD. Someone backed it financially, and we quickly went into the studio for one day—a very spontaneous decision. You're not going to see many of those. It's a collector's item. It's got a great sleeve—all of these people in the back of a truck". “Gasoline Angel” is definitely not for the snobby progressive fusion purists, but great music just the same and HR by A.O.O.F.C. Check out the band’s “Blueberry Cave” album on this blog. Buy Garaj Mahal's outstanding "w00t" CD and support great modern fusion and real music. Read a lot more about the band @ http://www.garajmahal.us/ and read a brilliant interview with the highly intelligent and great musician Kai Eckhardt @ http://innerviews.org/inner/eckhardt.html [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 114 Mb] N.B: This official album never seems to be included in Garaj Mahal’s discography. Has anybody out there got the artwork and sleeve notes for the album? TVM

TRACKS

1 Alap
2 Ivory Tower
3 Make a Hippy Happy
4 D-Tuned
5 Sudan
6 Kai-ma Sutra
7 Little Rascals
8 Sore Loser

All tracks composed by band members, individually and collectively

MUSICIANS

Fareed Haque - Guitar
Kai Eckhardt - Bass
Kit Walker - Keyboards
Alan Hertz - Drums

BIO (WIKI)

Garaj Mahal is a four piece band, based in the United States, playing a fusion of jazz, Indian music, rock, and especially funk: Kai Eckhardt (bass), Fareed Haque (guitars), Alan Hertz (drums), Sean Rickman (drums) and Eric Levy (keys). The band was formed in 2000 with the largely fulfilled expectation that the technical virtuosity each band member has been known for would bring about great music. They are one of the modern low- to mid-profile bands that allow their music to be recorded live at shows, and distributed in torrents, and musical archives. In early 2007, Mahal's "Blueberry Cave" won in The 6th Annual Independent Music Awards for Best Jam Album. According to Bassist Kai Eckhardt the band has disbanded with no plans to play again. After 11 years of touring, nine albums recorded and roughly 1000 shows played, the East/West Coast band Garaj Mahal has put an end to its appearances. There are currently no plans for future shows. Kai Eckhardt, August 14, 2011

Anders Osborne

Anders Osborne - Coming Down - 2007 - MC

You would never guess from his music that Anders Osborne was born in Uddevalla, Sweden, and raised on Gotland Island in the Baltic Sea. Anders became interested in music at an early age by listening to his father, a professional pop and jazz drummer who played the same German club circuit as bands like the Beatles. Anders originally played drums but switched to guitar. By 17, he had already travelled through Europe and the Middle East, eventually arriving in the U.S. At different times, he lived in New York, California, and New Orleans. Never settling he toured Southeast Asia finally returning to New Orleans, where he's lived now for over ten years. “Coming Down” is a great album and a typical Anders Osborne recording in that he combines roots rock, blues, folk and R&B all influenced by the lively and diverse music scene of New Orleans clubs. Anders has said that, "I don't look at music in categories at all. I like all kinds of music, but as long as I can feel the roots, feel some sort of heart and soul, feel the connection to everything, then it's real for me." Although Anders is a killer guitarist but on this album his guitar is not at the forefront and you won't hear any extraordinary soloing, however "Coming Down" is an honest album with great compositions with quality lyrics and superb musicianship. Check out more of Anders on this blog, and buy his “Peace” album and support real music. For more “scorched-earth rock”, check out music by the brilliant James McMurtry [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 116 MB]

TRACKS

1. Coming Down (4:51)
2. Spotlight (4:48)
3. Summertime in New Orleans (4:03)
4. Back on Dumaine (5:37)
5. Oh Katrina (4:28)
6. When IM Back on My Feet (7:49)
7. I've Got a Woman (3:48)
8. My Old Heart (6:26)
9. Miss You When I'm Gone (3:30)
10. Lucky One (4:21)

All tracks composed by Anders Osborne excerpt Track 5 composed by Anders Osborne & John Scott Sherrill, and Track 9 composed by Anders Osborne & Troy Verges

MUSICIANS

Anders Osborne - Guitar, Vocals
Ethan Pilzer - Bass on Tracks 1,2,3,6,9,10
Gordie Sampson - Piano on Tracks 1,2,3,6,9,10
John Gros - Organ: Piano on Tracks 4,5,8
Wally Ingram - Drums on Tracks 1,2,3,9: Djembe on Track 6
Eric Bolivar - Drums on Tracks 4,5,8
Kirk Joseph - Sousaphone on Tracks 4,5,8

BIO

"Up and coming" may have been a good way to describe guitarist, singer, and songwriter Anders Osborne earlier in his career, but Osborne's fame has now spread beyond the borders of New Orleans, a city where he first cut his teeth and developed a reputation for incendiary live shows. Osborne was born in Sweden in 1966. His father was a professional drummer and a jazz fan whose early-'60s jazz combo played clubs throughout Europe. At a young age, he became fascinated with the singer/songwriters of the '60s and '70s, but then traced those artists' roots back to more basic blues. He traveled around the world, earning money from shows, and settled in New Orleans, where he has been based since 1990. Osborne artfully blends blues, funk, soul, and classic R&B to create his own distinctive synthesis of styles. Osborne's most widely available early album is 1995's Which Way To Here, recorded for OKeh/Sony; two other independent label releases from the late '90s and early 2000s may still be around for those willing to search: Live at Tipitina's appeared on Shanachie in 1998, followed by Living Room the next year. The introspective Ash Wednesday Blues was issued in early 2001. In 2002, Osborne cut his final two albums for Shanachie, the wonderfully raucous, enigmatic collaboration Bury the Hatchet with Big Chief Monk Boudreaux of the Mardi Gras Indian Tribe the Golden Eagles, and the blues- and Americana-drenched Break the Chain. He didn't record again until 2006, when he released the larger band session Osborne Orchestra. Osborne was playing nonstop in New Orleans and occasionally in Europe during this period. His 2007 recording, Coming Down, issued on the M.C. imprint, was the most intimate collection of songs he released to date, and walked the line between the nakedly confessional and his observations about living in N.O. after Hurricane Katrina. Live at Jazz Fest 2008, featuring Osborne's killer road band, appeared that year. In 2009 he signed with Chicago's Alligator label. His first offering for the imprint was the driving, boisterous American Patchwork, issued in 2010. Osborne toured nearly nonstop after the album and produced recordings for Johnny Sansone, Tab Benoit, and Mike Zito. He released Black Eye Galaxy in the spring of 2012; he co-produced the album with Galactic's Stanton Moore and Warren Ricker. During relentless touring to celebrate what was his most critically acclaimed album, Osborne took a break late in the year to record the uncharacteristically casual Three Free Amigos, a semi-acoustic, six-track EP which was released in Feburary of the following year. Later that fall he returned with the full-length Peace. © Richard Skelly © 2013 Rovi Corp | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/anders-osborne-mn0000026276

Jarle H. Olsen

Jarle H. Olsen - Quadrasonic - 2011 - JHO Music

Hailing from Norway, Jarle H. Olsen is one of today’s finest guitarists and composers of melodic progressive metal. His full-length debut album, Quadrasonic, showcases his talents through its emotive atmospheres, surgically precise performances, and lavish harmonies. Rooted in neoclassical metal and fusion playing styles, Jarle has forged a recognizable voice on his instrument; one which he never fails to pair with memorable melody and elegant songwriting. © 2007-2014 Guitar Messenger. All Rights Reserved.

"The long awaited debut album from Norway's #1 guitarist. Featuring some of the best musicians in the business. Especially recommended to fans of prog/metal/fusion and bands such as; Dream Theater, Symphony X, Malmsteen, Satriani, Vai etc." © http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jarleholsen

"I never thought this album was ever gonna sound like this. So complete, so interesting, so mature, and last but not at least not at all boring or annoying. And I would like to focus on the last characterisation; It is quite common for many Instrumental bands/albums to make the impression that they lack of something, that there is something missing from the whole project. That's probably (well, apparently speaking for myself but that may be your concern, too) because of the vocals that don't exist alongside with the instruments, to complement one another. But you don't have to worry, Quadrasonic is way different than what I wrote just above. It's almost like having the guitars singing. Jarle H. Olsen, the founder of JARLEHOSLEN (giving his name to the band) is a pretty talented guitarist, having spent a lot of time to come to the point of making his writing come to reality through playing the guitar. And that's because of the technical difficulties a mediocre (or even higher) guitarist could face trying to play the Uuadrasonic's songs. Nice prog and heavy riffs, catchy and ingenious solos, relaxing and sexy slow parts are some of the main points of the album. I must not forget to do mention the oriental melodies used at times. The first band that came to my mind while listening to JARLEHOLSEN was SYMPHONY X (probably because of the guitarists, Jarle and Romeo have some common elements). To sum up, this is the album where inspiration meets technique. You gotta give it a try, I highly recommend this to any metal fans. If you like melody and progressive playing, you are gonna love this." - Metal Inquisition 09/12/11

"‘Quadrasonic‘ is the new album from Norwegian shred master Jarle H. Olsen featuring Alex Argento on Keyboards, Rodrigo Garcia on Bass and Bjarte K. Helland on Drums with guest appearances from Jan Martin Kleveland and Manuel Soto. Jarle cites Iron Maiden, Yngwie Malmsteen and Marty Friedman among his influences and I really hear a bit of all of these players and more on this album, for instance the intro to ‘From Deep Within‘ wouldn’t sound out of place on Iron Maiden’s ‘Seventh Son…‘, having said that the rest of the track doesn’t sound like Maiden at all but I like when I hear a hat tip to influences. Another example would be ‘Enigmatic Mind‘ which is a like a heavier version of Yngwie Malmsteen mixed with John Petrucci. I make these comparisons not only with Jarle’s playing but with his compositional style too, this is a very mature sounding album with some incredible technical rhythm and lead playing, Jarle has a very precise and clean style so that even when he is sweep picking arpeggios they are very even in both tempo and attack, just check out ‘Event Horizon‘ to see what I’m talking about (here is a lesson on the intro that Jarle recorded for Guitar Messenger – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4aZZ0uL1tk). ‘Quadrasonic‘ is a very atmospheric sounding album and features some amazing technical melodic playing I particularly liked the final 3 part suite (if I can call it that) called ‘Osiris‘, ‘The Omnipotence‘, ‘The Resurrection‘ and ‘Journey To Duat‘ all very distinct sounding and ‘Journey…‘ has an awesome odd time riff. Try this album if you like modern progressive shred instrumental albums by artists such as Jeff Loomis, John Petrucci and Marco Sfogli." - GuitarNoize 08/11/11

Norwegian guitarist Jarle H. Olsen’s new album Quadrasonic features a tightly produced collection of progressive metal compositions that are brimming with soaring melodicism, clever arrangements, and absolutely insane chops. Olsen is joined on the all instrumental disc by keyboardists Alex Argento and Manuel Soto, bassists Rodrigo Garcia and Jan Martin Kleveland, and drummer Bjarte K. Helland. Every track on Quadrasonic is credited to Olsen, and while the album is clearly dominated by his vision and impressive guitar playing, Argento’s keyboard work leaves a lasting impression here as well. Though Olsen’s writing on Quadrasonic definitely has some neo-classical shades, it’s also highly progressive, resulting in a Vinnie Moore-meets-Planet X sort of vibe on several tracks. And while the majority of the songs are either uber-heavy (such as “Pro-10,” “Enigmatic Mind,” and the arpeggio-laden “Event Horizon”) or at least feature heavier sub-sections, there’s plenty of melodic playing and writing on the album as well. On the ballad “From Deep Within,” for example, Olsen uses deeply stacked guitar harmonies to create a dramatic, almost melancholic mood. Even here though, odd meters and tricky lines are employed which lend a prog-rock vibe to the track. “Dark Matter” and “Chimerical Moments” are perhaps the album’s best examples of Olsen’s ability to seamlessly blend his melodicism with balls-out metal. Heavy riffs ride alongside clever, memorable lines in these songs, while the arrangements are such that everything has room to breathe. Both of these tunes are greatly enhanced by Argento’s keyboard contributions as well - his tones and playing provide great texture, and the tandem lines he peels off with Olsen are unreal. The album closes with a three-part suite (titled “Osiris”), which features an interlude-like middle section of keyboard accompanied solo guitar bookended by aggressive riff-driven tracks. The final song, “Osiris - Journey To Duat,” fittingly ends with some of Olsen and Argento’s best interplay on the album. Throughout Quadrasonic, Olsen’s technical display is simply stunning. His picking and legato chops are as fast and clean as anything you are likely to hear, and his vibrato is very well-developed. While this album is certainly overflowing with amazing technique - from Olsen, and everyone else for that matter - it’s more than a mere shred record. Quadrasonic is an album where the chops are used first and foremost to execute the smart, progressive ideas the songs call for, and to enhance the overall vibe of the disc. If this fine, well-produced effort is any indication, Olsen is one player whom we are certain to hear more from in the future. - © Nov 10, 2011 l By ABLX STAFF - By & © Rich Murray © 2003 - 2012. Abstract Logix and / or contributing writers. All rights reserved - See more at: http://www.abstractlogix.com/reviews_view.php? http://www.abstractlogix.com/reviews_view.php?idno=325idno=325#sthash.OVFmA8NJ.dpuf

A high calibre instrumental progressive metal fusion album with a strong neoclassical element from one of Norway's most skilled guitarists. Jarle's influences include Symphony X, Cacophony, Planet X, Yngwie Malmsteen, Alex Skolnick, Jason Becker, Marty Friedman, George Bellas, Greg Howe, Paul Gilbert, Vinnie Moore, and Michael Romeo. The tracks are not all going to blow you away with frantic shredding. "From Deep Within" is one of the "quieter" tunes whereas on tracks like "Event Horizon" and "Dark Matter" Jarle shifts up a few gears. However, there's not a dud track on the album and Jarle's tone is terrific throughout, and there are plenty of great solos to enjoy. Alex Argento provides sensational keyboards and Bjarte K. Helland on drums really needs to be heard. Keyboardist, Manuel Soto from the great Chilean prog rock band Crysalida plays some wonderful keys on "Exordium". This album received many great reviews, and deservedly so. A very impressive album from a remarkable guitarist and HR by A.O.O.F.C. Read an interview with Jarle @ http://www.guitarmessenger.com/interviews/jarle-h-olsen-interview/ Jarle plays lead guitar on Pitch Black Mentality's ‘The Pitch Black Reality’ album which is thrash metal and ok if you're into that genre, but watch out for further solo releases from Jarle H. Olsen and/or Quadrasonic. Promote real music [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 134 Mb]

TRACKS

1. Exordium
2. Pro-10
3. Dark Matter
4. Enigmatic Mind
5. From Deep Within
6. Event Horizon
7. Chimerical Moments
8. Osiris - The Omnipotence
9. Osiris - Reawakening
10. Osiris - Journey To Duat

All tracks composed by Jarle H. Olsen

MUSICIANS

Jarle H. Olsen - Guitars
Rodrigo Garcia - Bass
Jan Martin Kleveland - Bass on Tracks 5,7,8,10
Alex Argento - Keyboards
Manuel Soto - Keyboards on Track 1
Bjarte K. Helland - Drums

ABOUT JARLE H. OLSEN

"I started messing around with my older brother’s guitar at the age of 12. A year later I received my very first guitar for Christmas which was a B.C Rich. In those days I was seriously into bands like Iron Maiden, Testament and Metallica and learned every song and solo from their albums. I could put on an album and play along with it from the beginning to its end, none stop". "After some time I got my hands on a Carvin guitar. This was the beginning of the long lasting relation with Carvin and was the guitar that changed my playing style a lot. I never really started practicing before some years later when I discovered more progressive and technically advanced music. I suddenly realized that I had limitations playing wise and I was composing music that I wasn’t really able to play. This issue annoyed me because I wanted to be able to play whatever was on my mind without any limitations. So I spent the time practicing, studying, analyzing and breathe music 24/7 while constantly composing as well". "I had already played in various local bands, but never felt satisfied with the musicianship and wasn't able to express myself through the music that we played. So I was fed up with that way of working and decided to focus on my own material which eventually became "JHOP". After many years of member exchanges I finally found the right guys to join forces with. The chemistry is now very good and everyone seems to fit the project and music perfectly with their own styles and musical sense". Music of choice and influences: Iron Maiden, Testament, Metallica, The Cure, Depeche Mode, Planet X, Marillion, Sting, TNT, Dream Theater, A-Ha, Madonna, Supertramp, Deep Purple, Symphony X, Yngwie Malmsteen, Alex Skolnick, Adrian Smith, Greg Howe, Robert Smith, Jason Becker, George Bellas, Paul Gilbert, Marty Friedman, Joe Satriani, Vinnie Moore, Virgil Donati, Deen Castronovo, Vinnie Colaiuta, lots of C64 and Amiga500 game music, Bach, Rachmaninoff, Messiaen and lots of classical music, tons of movie score music, the great Ennio Morricone, John Barry, John Williams, James Bond scores and everything else that affects me and sounds good to my ears. © 2000-2011 jarleholsen.com All Rights Reserved. N.B: Read full band bio @ http://www.jarleholsen.com/JHOP/band_bio/jarle.html#Top

Michael Lee Firkins

Michael Lee Firkins ‎- Cactus Crüz - 1996 - Shrapnel Records

Born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1967, Michael Lee Firkins was born into a musical family with a father who played pedal steel guitar and a mother who played the piano. Firkins also listened to classic rock such as Led Zeppelin, AC/DC and Lynyrd Skynyrd and widened his listening spectrum to include the great country pickers as he grew older. When Firkins finished his professional demo in the late 80’s and sent it to Shrapnel label owner Mike Varney, Varney who was blown away with Firkin’s fresh approach to instrumental music and immediately signed him to the guitar centric label. The name Michael Lee Firkins is synonymous with modern musical virtuosity. Whether performing as an instrumental artist or fronting his own band as a singer/ guitarist, Michael Lee Firkins continues to prove that he truly is one of rocks
most amazing and versatile musicians. Firkins is an amazing player whose style combines elements of country, blues and jazz influences resulting in a stylized sound © 2014 Shrapnel Records Group. All Rights Reserved.http://shrapnelrecords.com/artist/michael-lee-firkins

“Cactus Crüz is a record for everyone loving Blues, Fusion, and guitar virtuoso music. The writing is always focused on the song and on expressiveness, not on boasting hyperspeed solo etudes. Actually this recording deserves 4 1/2 stars. There are two less interesting tracks on it and the quality of the artwork is beyond any discussion at least in my opinion. CC could have been produced with more care. Sometimes you can hear the click in the fadeout and the mix is very crude yet transparent so that every detail of the guitar, the bass and the drums is covered. By & © Matthias Döring on September 13, 2001 © 1996-2014, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates http://www.amazon.com/Cactus-Cruz-Michael-Lee-Firkins/dp/B00000108M

“Here again, Firkins is a first class player with a very unique and tasty style. He has a slide technique that is bar none and a finger picking style that could really rank up there with Atkins. I have thoroughly enjoyd this release, as well as all the others. Firkins choice of compositions is always fresh and new. His playing style is not full of flash, yet his abilities speak volumes as to his abilities. He can rip, tear, weep and funk with the best of them. I enjoy his changes in tempos and rather upbeat melodies. Firkins is as accomplished as Satriani or Vai or Eric Johnson, yet retains his own style without sounding like anybody else. NO imitations here! ENJOY!” By & © Tyler S. Dodd on February 29, 2008 © 1996-2014, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates http://www.amazon.com/Cactus-Cruz-Michael-Lee-Firkins/dp/B00000108M

"Cactus Cruz" is MLF’s third instrumental album on which he plays compositions ranging from bluegrass and jazz to swing and rock. It’s a very good album from one of the most underrated guitarists in the business. MLF has been called The fire-breathing dragon of modern American roots guitar” and he proves his fantastic ability on this album with emphasis on his unique slide guitar technique. Listen to his “Black Light Sonatas” album [All tracks @ 320 sKbps: File size = 117 Mb]

TRACKS

1 Freeway Lines
2 Grandma Dynomite
3 Saturday Night
4 Kick Ass Bill
5 Dollar Blues
6 Midnight Surf
7 Where Am I ?
8 San Lucas
9 I Witness
10 Sanford & Son Theme (The Streetbeater)
11 Reprise

All tracks composed by Michael Lee Firkins except Track 10 by Quincy Jones

MUSICIANS

Michael Lee Firkins - Guitar
John Purtle - Bass
Mike Vanderhule - Drums

Bobby Rock & Neil Zaza feat. Bill "The Buddha" Dickens

Bobby Rock & Neil Zaza feat. Bill "The Buddha" Dickens - Snap, Crackle & Pop...Live! - 1998 - Paranormal Records

"Super chops, super players, two CDs worth of live, in-your-face instrumental power rock fusion. Bobby, Neil and Bill take no prisoners as they blast through two killer sets of mostly original material...(musicians) interested in serious rock should not miss this one." © (Fuse Magazine, Issue 4, (January)1999.)

"This is unquestionably the be-all/end-all live record I've ever heard! ...(Rock is) simply among the best drummers on the planet...a hard-hitting, hard-groovin' madman who sounds like a mini percussion ensemble one minute and Buddy Rich on steroids the next!" - © American Underground Music Journal

Hold onto your seat as Bobby teams up with tour mates Neil Zaza and Bill "The Buddha" Dickens in this unparalleled musical free-for-all. Recorded during the last month of their extensive 1997 North American tour, this double-live disc contains over 100 minutes of the most over-the-top instrumental rock around as it features three tracks from Bobby's debut Out of Body, the complete, unedited solo performances from each member (including Bobby's unprecedented 18 1/2 drum solo opus, "Quadzilla"), and an in-depth interview with Bobby and Neil on Cleveland's WCSB. © http://www.shop.bobbyrock.com/Bobby-Rock-Snap-Crackle-Pop-Live-Download-BR7014.htm

Featuring one of today's hottest power trios, this double-CD live set chronicles the 1997 Rock Across America Tour of over 140 cities. The set features over 100 minutes of hard driving, straight-forward instrumental rock music delivered with a funk-tinged groove and infused with progressive jazz sensibilities. Snap, Crackle & Pop...Live! includes three tracks from Rock's scorching debut, Out of Body, three tracks from Zaza's critically acclaimed Sing, a blistering version of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way", plus extended solos from all three musicians. - Product Description© 1996-2014, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliateshttp://www.amazon.com/Bobby-Rock-Neil-Zaza-Crackle/dp/product-description/B00000IJM4/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=5174&s=music

Hard-rockin' fusion doesn't get any tastier than this. For the uninitated, Bobby Rock is one of the genre's most versatile and entertaining drummers; Neil Zaza is a blinding guitarist firmly in the Vai/Satriani mold; and Dickens is one of the fastest, most fluid bassists on earth. So why is it these guys aren't household names? Beats the heck out of me ... and so did this album. Snap, Crackle & Pop Live! is mom than your garden-variety chop-fest. These 15 tracks have just the right balance of structure, melody and virtuosic showmanship to keep you enthralled from start to finish. Unbridled exuberance is the keynote here, from the sitar/drum intro through a few recognizable themes (Stevie Wonder's "I Wish," Aerosmith's "Walk This Way," the '70s funk classic "Jungle Boogie" and the traditional "Amazing Grace"). Then of course, there are those jaw-dropping solos. And on this album they are solos - 19 minutes (?!) for the drummer, 10 minutes for the guitarist and a "mere" eight minutes for the bassist. The original material is top-notch, with choices from Zaza's and Rock's respective solo albums, plus material vritten for the trio. Highlights include "Lightworker" and "I'm Alright," two melodic springboards for ripping instrumental flash, plus "Hailin and "The Duel" - perhaps the most intense bits of al1. The set closes in an 18-minute radio interview with Rock and Zaza that puts the music, the tour, and the personalities of these fine musicians in context. No, this isn't "prog" per se - but that shouldn't matter. It's rock it's fusion. It's close enough. And it's recommended. © John Collinge Progressive Magazine

You may not be familiar with the three musicians on this album, but they are three of the best in the business. This live album is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Sound quality varies on the tracks @ 192 Kbps, but overall the bitrate will not spoil your enjoyment of this great album. Also, if you are playing these tracks on shuffle, you may get some abrupt endings on a few tracks as the tracks generally run into each other. Check out Neil Zaza’s "212" album on this blog and listen to his great “When Gravity Fails” album, Bobby Rock ‘s “Out of Body” album, and Bill Dickens’ “Funk Bass and Beyond” Bk/CD [All tracks @ 192 Kbps: 2 CD’s on 1 Rar file: File size = 166 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

CD 1

Intro- Zaza, Rock, Dickens
I Wish - Stevie Wonder
Fearless - Rock, Garsed, Carter
Lightworker- Rock, Garsed, Carter
Guitar Intro- Neil Zaza
I'm Alright- Neil Zaza
Quadzilla (Drum Solo) - Bobby Rock
Walk This Way - Steven Tyler

CD 2

Jungle Boogie - R. Bell / Donal Boyce / G. Brown / C. Smith / D. Thomas / Richard Westfield
Amazing Grace - John Newton
Hailin' - Neil Zaza
The Duel- Rock, Garsed, Carter
Guitar Solo- Neil Zaza
Bass Solo - Bill "The Buddha" Dickens
Hailin' Reprise - Neil Zaza
Bonus Track (Radio Interview with Bobby and Neil on Cleveland's WCSB)- Rock, Zaza

MUSICIANS

Neil Zaza – Guitar [http://www.neilzaza.com/biography/]
Bill "The Buddha" Dickens – Bass [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Dickens]
Bobby Rock – Drums [http://www.bobbyrock.com/bio2.html]

Mike Stern

Mike Stern - Give And Take - 1997 - Atlantic

This is a relatively straight-ahead set by the distinctive guitarist Mike Stern, whose airy sound seems quite fresh in this context. Stern performs three standards ("I Love You," "Giant Steps" and "Oleo"), Jimi Hendrix's "Who Knows," and six originals, mostly in a trio with bassist John Patitucci and drummer Jack DeJohnette. Percussionist Don Alias helps out on a few tracks; pianist Gil Goldstein is on two, and tenor great Michael Brecker nearly steals the show with three high-powered solos. Actually, the biggest surprise is "That's What You Think," a straight-ahead blues that has a very credible alto solo from guest David Sanborn. All in all, an excellent outing. © Scott Yanow © 2014 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/give-and-take-mw0000027558

Mike Stern played with The Brecker Brothers Blood, Sweat & Tears, Billy Cobham's band, and Miles Davis' group but after releasing many solo albums, and despite receiving three Grammy nominations, he has still not achieved full recognition for his extraordinary guitar talents. Douglas Payne writing for AAJ made the comment that "If Mike Stern were a guitarist coming out of the 1960s, he'd be a hero today. Sure, there's always John McLaughlin. But not many other guitarists then - or now - could play rock guitar with the high degree of intimacy and the non-assaulting technical prowess that Mike Stern has always possessed". Mike Stern was hailed as the Best Jazz Guitarist of 1993 by Guitar Player magazine. In 2009 he was listed as one of Down Beat's 75 best jazz guitar players. On “Give And Take”, his 9th solo album Mike continued to prove why he's earned so many "Best Jazz Guitarist" honours through the years. His exceptional guitar skills are undeniable, and when he's at work, he never fails to create new ideas. But what makes him stand out from the pack of many other great guitarists is that he never “hogs the limelight”, and lets his backing players’ display their own abilities as much as possible. Mike composed seven of the tracks on this album, but he also covers Cole Porter’s “I Love You”, John Coltrane’s classic “Giant Steps”, Sonny Rollins’ “Oleo”, and Jimi Hendrix’s “Who Knows?”. Some of the wonderful artists playing on this album include John Patitucci on bass, and Michael Brecker and David Sanborn on sax. Great music and HR by A.O.O.F.C. Listen to Mike's "Standards (and Other Songs)" album and check out his "Between The Lines" album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 139 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 I Love You - Cole Porter 6:20
2 Hook Up - Mike Stern 7:04
3 Everything Changes - Mike Stern 5:40
4 One Liners - Mike Stern 8:18
5 Jones Street - Mike Stern 7:34
6 Lumpy - Mike Stern 3:15
7 Rooms - Mike Stern 5:03
8 That's What You Think - Mike Stern 6:42
9 Giant Steps - John Coltrane 5:09
10 Who Knows? - Jimi Hendrix 3:04
11 Oleo - Sonny Rollins 5:33

MUSICIANS

Mike Stern - Guitar (All Tracks]
John Patitucci - Acoustic Bass (All Tracks)
Gil Goldstein - Piano (Tracks 6 & 7)
Jack DeJohnette - Drums (Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 & 9)
Don Alias - Percussion (Tracks 6 & 7, 10 & 11)
Michael Brecker - Tenor Saxophone (Tracks 2, 4 & 5)
David Sanborn - Alto Saxophone (Track 8)

BIO

Recognized as one of the finest guitarists among his peers, Mike Stern was born on January 10, 1953, in Boston, MA, but grew up in Washington, D.C., before returning to Boston to study at the Berklee School of Music. Stern was only 22 when he joined Blood, Sweat & Tears, for whom he played three years before signing on with Billy Cobham's jazz fusion outfit, which led to Stern's big breakthrough when Miles Davis enlisted him as guitarist for Davis' return from a five-year musical hiatus in 1981. Stern played and recorded with Davis until 1983, when Stern toured with Jaco Pastorius, but he rejoined Davis in 1985, which also brought about Stern's debut release as a leader, the warmly received Neesh. This time, Stern remained with Davis for a year, after which he cycled through projects by David Sanborn and Steps Ahead while simultaneously recording his follow-up to Neesh, titled Upside Downside, which marked his first release for Atlantic Records' jazz division. Stern continued a steady string of releases for Atlantic over the next few years while continuing to play with several other projects, including Michael Brecker and the reunited Brecker Brothers, eventually scoring his first Grammy nomination with the release of Is What It Is in 1994, then garnering another nomination for his 1996 follow-up, Between the Lines. Stern received his third Grammy nod for his 2001 release Voices, which was Stern's first recording with vocals -- albeit wordless vocalese -- and also marked the end of his tenure with Atlantic. Stern issued his debut album for ESC in early 2004, and two years later, with a cast of impressive backing musicians (Richard Bona, Me'Shell NdegéOcello, Roy Hargrove, and Kim Thompson, among others), Who Let the Cats Out was released. © Gregory McIntosh © 2014 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/mike-stern-mn0000413405/biography

Gregor Hilden

Gregor Hilden - Westcoast Blues - 1998 - Acoustic Music Records

"His style has matured, its lines have even more charm and his sound is very direct and straightforward." (Udo Pipper, music scene, January 1999) "The new CD" West Coast Blues "the most comprehensive, most coherent and imaginative largest work of this Munster blues and soul specialists comes on the market. Hilden stirred with 15 titles on the nearly 70-minute disc atmospheric Blues ballads, jazzy original compositions, driving Shuffles and soulful grooves to an entertaining R & B Cocktail of the extra-black variety. " (City Sound, October 1998) "The guitar work of Germany's Gregor Hilden is phenomenally calculated is and Measured. ... The ax work of Mr. Hilden is indeed a pleasure to take in, unadulterated blues with masterful executions. ... These are brilliant Compositions and arrangements ... "(Mark A. Cole, Big City Blues, February / March 1999) "Guitarist Hilden Has a great touch on his guitar and a feel for a wide range of material ... Watch for this guy. " (Blues Access, Spring 1999) ,, Very relaxed plays the likeable guitarist Gregor Hilden, although supported by a restrained but swinging band and the excellent singer Fay Victor, from all his skills. And they are considerable. "(Concerto)

German guitarist Gregor Hilden has been active in the soul/jazz/blues scene for over 15 years and proves that the authentic blues sound is not only heard in American cities like Memphis or New Orleans, but can also be heard in places like Münster/Westphalia. The trade magazine "Gitarre und Bass" in a feature article appropriately described Gregor Hilden’s playing as "economical, flexible and elegant". Gregor plays a blend of soul, blues and swing and his influences come from guitarists like Peter Green, Larry Carlton, Wes Montgomery and many more. His playing is "honest" but highly skilled. He is not a "flashy" player, but his phrasing is lean, very cultured, and he celebrates traditional and modern blues and jazz with great panache. He plays his Telecaster in a razor-sharp crisp, clear style and he can graduate from a cool, laid back style to a much more "grittier" style in a few chord changes, and he has the ability to demonstrate these great tonal qualities without adding any dramatic changes or special effects in the studio. Brooklyn vocalist Fay Victor complements Gregor’s playing beautifully with her bluesy, melancholy vocals. If you like the sound of authentic vintage guitar with a slight retro blues style and melodic jazz sounds, you may enjoy this album of original songs and covers, by greats including Wes Montgomery, Sonny Rollins and Peter Green. In Gregor's case, "less is definitely more". Listen to Gregor’s great “Blue In Red” album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 149 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. Down Home Blues - Trad (3:58)
2. The Ghetto - Hathaway & Hudson (5:08)
3. Heart Of The City - Hilden, Victor, & Musikverlag (7:20)
4. Ocean Breeze Motel - Hilden & Musikverlag (3:49)
5. Ooh Wee Baby - Hill (2:32)
6. Sleepwalk - S.Farina, J.Farina, & A.Farina (6:26)
7. New York Blues - Hilden & Musikverlag (3:40)
8. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy - Zawinul (4:15)
9. Sunnymoon For Two - Rollins (2:33)
10. Since I Fell For You - Johnson (7:32)
11. Proud Pinto - Green (4:53)
12. Westcoast Blues - Montgomery (3:28)
13. Little Funky Thang - Hilden & Musikverlag (3:29)
14. Beale Street Strut - Hilden & Musikverlag (5:06)
15. Apostle - Green (2:11)

MUSICIANS

Gregor Hilden: Guitars
Matthias Rethmann:Bass
Georg Mahr: Hammond B-3, Fender Rhodes Piano
Ralf Nackowitsch: Drums
Markus Paßlick: Percussion
Special Guests: Tommy Schneller: Tenor Saxophone
Fay Victor: Vocals

Jazzsick

Jazzsick - Jazzsick - 1995 - Hotwire EFA

Great jazz fusion from Jazzsick, a temporary international band featuring the brilliant Mike Stern & Dan Gottlieb (USA) Philipp van Endert & Alex Gunia (Germany) Rob Hall (UK) Rene Engel & Jaytee Tetterissa (Netherlands) and others. It’s extremely difficult to find a review of this album. The album title is a play on the german word 'jazzig' which means jazzy. Guitarist Philipp van Endert said "... it's jazz, but it's sick!" If “sick” means good, then this album is dying! This is a very obscure but excellent album recorded in Cologne during 1992-3. Don’t expect any Holdsworthian style guitar here. The album is quite subtle in places, but the guitar work is wonderful and the album is a great listen. The band may have one other release available, but I am not 100% sure of that. I saw one used copy of this album for sale on Amazon UK from £78.04. This is crazy! The album is not going to be hung in The Louvre! It is well worth investigating the work of artists like Philipp van Endert, Alex Gunia and others playing on this album which is HR by A.O.O.F.C [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 146 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. Shortline - van Endert 7:04
2. Apple's Blues - Gunia 8:14
3. Moon, Moose and Bears - van Endert 3:46
4. Gimmes Never Get - van Endert 7:33
5. Heavy Scrapple From My Apple - Gunia 8:58
6. The Esher - Gunia 6:22
7. Capn' Crunch - Gunia 4:36
8. Kathy - Willmott 7:02
9. Sweet And Sour - van Endert 8:16

MUSICIANS

Philipp van Endert - Guitar, Guitar Synthesizer, Sitarguitar
Alex Gunia - Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Mike Stern, Rick Peckman, Bret Willmott - Guitar
Stefan Rademacher - Bass
Jey-Tee Teterissa - 5 String Bass
Danny Gottlieb - Drums, Percussion
Rene Engel - Drums
Daniel Moreno, Katrin Birrer - Percussion
Bob Hall - Soprano Saxophone

Peter Greier

Peter Greier - ...Eat This - 2009 - DrumTex

The new CD from the Austrian Guitarist Peter Greier, guitar music not just for guitarists and brilliant composition spiced with excellent playing. Between rocking fusion and catchy tunes and some jazz flavour now and then. Featuring Alex Machacek playing a Solo on "Hendi" and the Austrian Popidol winner Michi Tschuggnall. More info www.petergreier.com Austrian born guitarist Peter Greier started his musical journey at the age of six singing in the church! Learning trumpet at the age of thirteen he switched to guitar one year later. While the first years of playing were mainly self-taught, he studied guitar seriously at the Conservatory of Innsbruck/Austria and the Munich Guitar Institute (MGI) with additional lessons by some of the finest players on the planet (Steve McKenna, Frank Gambale, David Becker,). In the 80s to the early 90s he played in the local rock band "Precious Stone", releasing the Cd "feel it tonight". As a session player he was hired for various musicals like "rent", "jesus christ superstar", "little shop of horrors", "Hair", "Grease" and several bands from rock to funk to fusion. Since 2003 he is in the band of Austrian's Pop Idol winner Michael Tschuggnall. Although since the very beginning of his musical carrier he was writing songs, it took many years to come to bring out his first solo release "eat this!" in 2009, featuring some of Austria's finest musicans like Christian Wegscheider, Willi Langer and Alex Machacek. By merging all the different influences and styles he grew up playing and listening to, "eat this!" seems to cause quite an international stir not only to the worldwide guitar community. © 2002-2014 AbstractLogix http://www.abstractlogix.com/xcart/product.php?productid=24359

Peter Greier is an Austrian musician, guitarist more precise who release his first album last year , 2009 named Eat this, but also he has a long career dated from late '80's in this business collaborating a long time with many musicians and acting as a session musician as well. The music is from rock, to more jazzy approach here and there, always very catchy and well played. Also are two track with vocals, one with female Sabine Greier and one with Walch. The music is ok, in places even great, but as a whole something is missing, I don't know exactly but if this was released 15 years ago it would be something else but today I'm not so impressed anymore, but doesn't mean is bad, only not really very interisting, just well played. Pieces like G1, Hendi or Saturday shows his talent, but the rest is just ok, good but nothing special. So a worthy 3 stars, but I'm not so impressed now as if I was 15 years in this kind of music. Still, a good record. ***/5 © b_olariu Sep 22 2010 © 2000 - 2013 rateyourmusic.com http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/peter_greier/___eat_this_/

Cool rocking fusion with some good catchy compositions and a nice jazz touch from the talented Austrian Guitarist Peter Greier. Some awesome playing by Greier and excellent musicianship all round including great guitar soloing from fellow Austrian Alex Machacek on "Hendi". The Austrian Popidol winner Michi Tschuggnall on bass, piano, and vocals also adds hugely to the quality of this album. There is nothing groundbreaking here, and it isn’t mind blowing power fusion in the style of guitarists like Brett Garsed , Greg Howe or Allan Holdsworth. Nevertheless it’s an album that deserves a bigger hearing from an exceptional Austrian guitarist. [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 165 Mb]

TRACKS

1 G1 4:36
2 Hendi 4:21
3 Saturday 4:41
4 The Add 5:14
5 Dott 6:32
6 Hippatti 4:23
7 Rebekka 6:16
8 GeeCee 6:17
9 The Dream 4:20
10 Wohn 3:43
11 170602 6:35
12 Hidden Track [Precious Nights] 4:29

All music composed by Peter Greier. Michi Tschuggnall – Lyrics on Track 7: Sabine Greier – Lyrics on Track 8: Peter Greier & Dave Moskin – Lyrics on Track 9

MUSICIANS

Peter Greier (Guitars)
Alex Machacek (Guitar on Track 2)
Henry Sigl, Jürgen"navy"Nawratil, Robert Zimmermann, Willi Langer (Bass)
Michi Tschuggnall (Bass, Piano, Vocals)
Andy Mayerl (Upright Bass)
Christian Wegscheider, Kristian Tabakow, Raini Patscheider (Piano)
Franz Markt (Keyboards)
Thommy Tschuggnall (Keyboards, Backing Vocals)
Louis Goldblum, Manu Delago, Gerhard Egger, Christian Tschuggnall (Drums)
Charly Fischer (Percussion)
Christian Lamm, Hannes Sprenger (Saxophone)
Sabine Greier (Vocals)
Siggi Walch (Backing Vocals)
Track 12 “Played by Precious Stone”

Patrick Vega

Patrick Vega - 8 Bullets - 2009 - FFF Music

Guitar shredders are ten a penny really, most of them having a unique signature/sound, hell some don’t even bother to try and hide their influences, but that’s a whole other story. I, as you, could spend the next five minutes naming umpteen awesome guitarists, which I/you will try and draw comparison to/against, which is the down fall of guitar shredders. For them to standout in a crowd, they have to have that joie de vivre that le facteur X otherwise they become dull, uninspiring, their albums are listened to once and then gather dust. The secret is to keep it short and succinct adding a few wow factors along the route, maintaining good melody and memorable tones. This is something that Patrick Vega has achieved, making it a most likeable album. 8 Bullets is not a pretentious album by any stretch of the imagination, it holds your attention throughout. What we have here is a guitarist who can ply his trade and entertain at the same time. This is not a prog rock album per se, but what we have here is a good mix in style and presentation, which if I am to be honest, in the way the tracks have been approached, I honestly don’t believe adding a vocalist to the mix would make them any better. The right balance for me has been struck, featuring short passages, good melody, good pedal technique and some fantastic leads. The production and mix of the album is very impressive indeed, guitar, bass and drums levels having perfect balance. It was commented in the review of his first album, “The synthetic drums here aren’t that bad but when you know they’re there you can’t get away from it and they do sound clunky at times. The feel that would be added by the use of a good drummer is missing and, as all the best bands know, a band is only as good as its drummer”. Mr. Vega has addressed this comment and what a difference it has made. The approach of the tracks presented here are modern, powerful and confident. Vega has no intention of slouching and to be quite honest there aren’t any filler’ on the album, which I tip my hat to. Bullets the opening track defines the tone for the rest of the album, having a slight Joe Satriani feel to it, without being plagiarist. As an opening track Vega has chosen well, allowing his guitar techniques to come to the front without being over facing, being fully supported by some rather excellent drum work. Words Of Power sees Vega building lead breaks over some very powerful chord work but never becoming over imposing. The increase in metre part way through was kind of interesting, not necessarily required, not really adding anything. Can’t Make Up My Mind has a really nice bass line, featuring a beautiful melody, with the guitar work somewhat slower than say Words Of Power. I really do like the feel of this track, the tone, metre and feeling; you can just imagine Vega's face on some of the lead breaks. Hear My Train’ A Comin’ uses an opening effect to emulate a train running the rails, featuring a somewhat harder guitar sound and firm drum beats, you can almost imagine the thousands of tons barrelling down the tracks trying to reach its destination. This is a track that has been very cleverly built. Alice’s Nitemare is another powerhouse track displaying Vega's dexterity and technique as does the opening track Bullets. It features a very strong rhythm propped by some fantastic lead and pedal effects. Oceans In Between Us is where Vega has really developed his melodic passages to perfection, using them to great effect, creating some really driving crescendo work, oozing absolute quality. The solos are just note perfect for my taste. Wow. Washed Away opens with some rain effects that pave the way for some sad emotional guitar lead work featuring some very interesting underlying guitar passages that direct the whole piece. This is a multi-layered track with some stunning pedal effects contributing to another storming track. Novocaine displays some great pedal work, sounding vaguely like Satriani including an awesome sounding bass line holding the piece together. I love the way the track builds, the power and magnitude of each note. No Surrender is built around a really funky bouncy bass and guitar passage, which hits all the right passionate tones throughout, a more than fitting closing track. All the instrumentation is really allowed develop and grow with maturity. I am not going to perform the usual reference points here as I honestly believe that this would do a disservice to Patrick Vega as an artist and what he has created here. I will add this though, if you like talented, passionate and classy guitarists that aren’t pretentious, believing that structure and melody is as important as the lead breaks, then this is your man and an album for you. Patrick Vega has produced something special here, with its rather eclectic but approachable rhythms, rather tasty lead work and unusual tunings, which all in all has created a stunning album. This time round Vegas has utilised all his strengths maximizing them to great effect, never once outstaying his welcome, sticking to what had to be done without be distracted or self indulgent. This is a highly recommended album for guitar album lovers, which I can assure, you won’t be disappointed. Patrick Vega is going to be a name to be reckoned with if he gets the correct exposure and continues to produce work of this quality. Conclusion: 8 out of 10 © JOHN O'BOYLE © 1995 - 2014 : Dutch Progressive Rock Page http://www.dprp.net/reviews/201032.php

When I checked YouTube a while ago, I saw a guitarist performing a wonderful guitar piece with lots of expression. He immediately attracted my attention. The man involved was the Austrian-born American guitarist Patrick Vega and the song was No Surrender. I gave him my compliments for his guitar playing and he spontaneously offered to send me his album. After a week or so, I received a huge envelope in my mailbox. I only expected the new album, but on opening the package, I was happily surprised that beside his new album 8 Bullets he had also sent his previous album Freefall, Faith, Firestorm, together with some guitar picks and information cards including his business card. In short: his complete promotion package! The least I could do in return is writing a review and giving this guy some credits. Concerning guitar playing, there are roughly two ways of playing for me. The first is using all the technical skills just to impress people; the second is using one’s instincts and playing with expression, with feeling. Well, I do like both ways and on this album Patrick Vega impressed me with a fantastic guitar technique, as you can experience from the likes of Steve Vai or John Petrucci, combined with the sensibility and the touch of musicians like Jose DeCastro or even Stevie Ray Vaughan. On this instrumental album, Patrick Vega plays the guitar and the bass. On his previous album he used a drum machine, but now he had the chance to work with two very talented drummers. Real drummers always sound more natural, I think. So the drum parts on this album are done by Oren Halmut and Glen Sobel. The latter toured with Tony MacAlpine and Jennifer Batten and more well-known musicians. In his songs, Patrick Vega transcribed his influences into metal riffs that still have a bluesy feeling, especially in the opening song Bullets, or perhaps the groove in Alice’s Nitemare. Both songs are perfectly played creating a fine atmosphere. The metal groove with the distorted guitars in Hear My Train A Comin’ makes me play this music with a big smile on my face. I love this song. Can’t Make Up My Mind is a more relaxed piece that reminds me a bit of Gary Hoey. I think he comes closest to the music of Patrick Vega. The clear and ambient sounds in the opening of Washed Away lead to one of the finest guitar parts of the album: very relaxed and performed with great feeling. The structure of Novocaine also has been perfectly built up with an outstanding technique. The album ends with a remix of the song I watched on YouTube originally recorded for Patrick’s debut album. I still think this is one of the best and catchy melodies I’ve heard recently. When you see him play this piece on YouTube, it all seems so easy… Patrick Vega’s 8 Bullets is a great album. His music is both technical and emotional blending metal, hard rock and blues into a very tasty stew. I’m sure that people, who love true and honest guitar playing with the aforementioned elements, will discover this album and love it immediately, just like I did. **** © Pedro Bekkers (edited by Peter Willemsen)© All Rights Reserved Background Magazine 2013 http://www.backgroundmagazine.nl/CDreviews/Vega8Bullets.html

"Structured rock songs, heavy riffs, melodic lines and a lot of taste and skilled production." - (Guitar 9 Records, SEPT'09)

IF YOU DIG ROCK GUITARS BUT DON'T WANT TO BE GUNNED DOWN WITH 1,000,000 NOTES, THIS IS FOR YOU! - http://www.cdunsigned.com/artist/patrick-vega.html

Austrian-born American guitarist Patrick Vega is not only heavily influenced by artists like Gambale, Hendrix, Page Satriani, Vai, Malmsteen, & Eddie Van Halen but also the classic blues players of yesteryear like BB King, Albert King,and Robert Johnson. Read an interview with Patrick @ http://www.silbermedia.com/qrd/archives/42PatrickVega.html and http://www.guitar9.com/interview156.html Patrick is totally against the “illegal” downloading of his music, but this blog is trying to promote musicians like him! Check out CDBaby for more of his work and check out his "Essay in Light" album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 78.8 Mb]

TRACKS

1 Bullets [3:04]
2 Words Of Power [3:33]
3 Can't Make Up My Mind [3:52]
4 Hear My Train A Comin' [3:07]
5 Alice's Nitemare [4:02]
6 Oceans In Between Us [4:16]
7 Washed Away [4:47]
8 Novocaine [3:54]
9 No Surrender (Remix) [4:17]

All tracks composed by Patrick Vega

MUSICIANS

Patrick Vega - Guitars, Bass
Glen Sobel - Drums on Tracks 1,3,5,6
Oren Halmut - Drums on Tracks 2,4,5,8,9

BIO

Rock guitarist Patrick Vega was born in Austria/Europe. Already as a little kid he wanted nothing more than to become a professional rock guitar player. Being amazed by music as diverse as: Prince, Scorpions, Santana, Dire Straits, a Chris Rea Album Cover featuring a beat up red strat on a piano and various Jazz music his older brother listened to (Miles Davis, Brecker Brothers, Chet Baker, etc). Patrick's first record ever owned was 'Blackout' by The Scorpions (a christmas gift from his brother). Finally at the age of 14 (after being "harassed with classical music education") Vega was "allowed" to learn how to play the guitar. His dad bought him the long promised electric guitar as a birthday gift, showed him his first chords and so Patrick started to play like a maniac. Where classical instruments (recorder and clarinet) were tossed around the room and Vega NEVER practiced, the guitar immediately was Patrick's most prized posession and instantly became the biggest love of his life. Even during highschool, Vega used to practice up to the famous 8 hours a day and beyond (during the day instead of homework and whatever normal kids did and at night he sneaked into the kitchen of his parents house to not wake anyone while practicing away). He took some private lessons, but mostly participated at music seminars and workshops in his native Austria where he could perform live with other people. Patrick discovered players such as Joe Satriani, Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen and Frank Gambale who were big influences back then and motivation for unlimited dedication and practice of technique (especially Vega's use of economy picking) and the use of phrasing, melody and effects. Right away the young guitarist wrote original music and self-released a few 3-song demos over the years before getting into the writing and production of full blown albums. His ultimate goal as a young Ninja guitar freak: "Move to LA and play the guitar". Simple enough:) After graduating from school, Patrick was awarded private and public scholarships for advanced music education (due to participations at music workshops, seminars, concerts and festivals). In 2000, Vega enrolled in GIT (Guitar Institute of Technology) in Hollywood, CA. Taking advantage of 24/7 practice and playing possibilities (24hr facility), he practiced and played and learned more than ever. The scholar surroundings of GIT though turned out to be a turn off in a certain way: The "Overanalyzing and name calling everything" attitude didn't quite sit right 100% with Patrick since at the time he really started to get into feel based players like Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen, Jake E Lee, Slash and Classic Blues guitar players (BB King, Albert King, Robert Johnson), etc. Right after music school, Patrick started doing auditions in the LA area and subsequently performed at major national tours including the Vans Warped Tour (playing alongside The Used, SUM41, AFI, Rancid and Pennywise), recorded at major recording studios such as Henson (former A&M), Elementree/KoRn, Paramount, Matrix studios and gained massive live and studio/recording experience. Press features include major US & EU publications such as Guitar Player Magazine, Guitar9 Records' 'The Undiscovered', All Access Magazine, Mean Street Magazine, etc © 2009 AirPlay Direct. All rights reserved http://www.airplaydirect.com/music/patrickvega/

Eugene Berger

Eugene Berger - Triple Core - 2011 - Eugene Berger

Eugene Berger is a professional progressive rock, fusion and funk guitarist and composer. He also works as a song arranger, music producer and guitar teacher. He was born in St. Petersburg and moved to Tel Aviv in 1992. “Triple Core” is his first release and is not disappointing. It’s an exceptional rock/fusion instrumental guitar album with great technique, and a lot of interesting detail. Eugene has impressed many well known musicians with his talents. Despite playing in bands for many years, he is not very well known outside Russia and Israel. He has opened for bands that include The Aristocrats (Guthrie Govan, Bryan Beller, and Marco Minnemann). Check out a lot of video clips from Eugene @ http://shelf3d.com/Search/Uploaded%20by%20MrBerguitar and watch out for future releases from this guy [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 99.9 Mb]

TRACKS

1. Triple Core
2. Outraged Love
3. Funkissimo
4. Organic Light
5. Chrome
6. Olympic Love Games Award
7. Neverland
8. Fire, Water and Brass Pipes
9. In the East of Nowhere
10. PostScriptum

All tracks composed by Eugene Berger

MUSICIANS

Eugene Berger - Guitars, Bass, Keyboards
Nir Nakav - Drums

BIO

Eugene is a professional guitarist, studio and recording artist, composer, song arranger, music producer and a guitar teacher. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Eugene began as a classically trained violinist, graduating from one of the most selective and competitive music schools for exceptionally gifted children. At around twelve years of age he developed a strong passion for guitar, and he applied his strong knowledge of music theory, as well as his perfect pitch and excellent technique, to quickly pick up the instrument. Eugene's extensive childhood concert experience helped him to consistently win the first prize in all city competitions, held for young electric guitarists, by the age of sixteen. He played in various rock bands, toured Russia and much of Europe with the band that he started when he was seventeen, and produced his own records. He quickly became a highly respected musician for his versatility, advanced technique, rich tones, and accurate and precise performance. In 1992, Eugene followed his family and settled in Tel-Aviv, Israel. He continued playing in bands, ranging from metal to classic rock music, and once again he developed another aspect of his musical career. He became a producer, record engineer, arranger and studio guitarist; he produced many albums for artists with a variety of different styles, and he nurtured the careers of emerging singers and wrote songs for them. He played in commercials and in TV shows, and for the past ten years he has been a guitarist at the renowned drama theater Gesher in Tel-Aviv. As a seasoned musician with a deep knowledge of guitars and guitar equipment, he has been a consultant to a musical instruments distribution company for fifteen years. As a dedicated guitar teacher, Eugene developed his own unique method for improving finger velocity and hand synchronization, which will be published in the near future. Recently, Eugene produced his first instrumental rock-fusion album called "Triple Core" © Riffstate.com - All Rights Reserved http://www.riffstate.com/eugene-berger/

Steely Dan

Steely Dan - "Walking Distance Tour" Night 1 [Raw Audio feed for PBS In The Spotlight] January 28, 2000, Sony Studios, New York, NY - Image Entertainment

An unmastered and unedited raw audio stereo soundboard recording taken from the source tapes of a PBS "In The Spotlight" Special show on January 28th and 29th, 2000. It was Steely Dan's first show since 1996 and also their first show since recording their celebrated "Two Against Nature" album. This recording contains six pieces that didn't appear on the official PBS Special aired during March 2000 or on the Dan's "Plush TV Party" DVD release. Don't expect the sound quality to be on a par with the DVD release, but nevertheless the versions are all good and sound is fair to very good. Special thanks to zoomlv (member of the fantastic "The Trader's Den" website) for procuring this show to share. Grab this show before it disappears forever! A real collectors item! [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 247 Mb]

TRACKS

1 Green Earrings
2 Janie Runaway
3 Josie
4 Gaslighting Abbie
5 Do It Again *
6 Band Introductions *
7 Cousin Dupree
8 Babylon Sisters
9 Black Friday
10 Walter's Remarks *
11 Deacon Blues *
12 Bad Sneakers
13 West of Hollywood *
14 Home At Last (with false start) *
15 Kid Charlemagne
16 Peg
17 FM
18 What a Shame About Me
19 Pretzel Logic

All tracks composed by W.Becker & D.Fagen

N.B: Not aired on PBS special or released on official DVD

MUSICIANS

Walter Becker: Guitars, Vocals
Jon Herington: Guitars
Tom Barney: 5-String Bass
Donald Fagen: Fender Rhodes, Lync Keytar, Vocals
Ted Baker: Grand Piano, Synth
Ricky Lawson: Drums
Cornelius Bumpus: Tenor Saxophone
Chris Potter: Tenor and Alto Saxophone
Michael Leonhart: Trumpet
Jim Pugh: Tenor Trombone
Vicky Cave, Carolyn Leonhart, Cynthia Calhoun: Backing Vocals