Otis Grove

Otis Grove - The Runk - 2010 - Ropeadope

“Otis Grove adeptly walks a line, drawing from the improvisational wisdom of those who’ve come before, while understanding the changing tastes of contemporary listeners. The Runk is a strong and a compelling chronicle of this talented trio’s balancing act with songs throughout – particularly “Plywood Snowshoe,” and “Waiting,” – proving deliberate, focused, and doled out in increments that today’s fast paced audiences would easily find continually engaging. Sharp interactions between instruments further leave a certain awe-factor that proves rather convincing to fans or newcomers. And though this album is just an early indication of the band’s potential, it fairs well amongst the inspiring works of contemporaries in the progressive jazz world, leaving Otis Grove, a band you’ll definitely be hearing about” - Jambands.com

“This is why I do what I do; why I spend endless hours searching for new music on the Internet, at the record shops and in clubs. I’ve seen more great shows than I can ever count (plenty of terrible ones too), but every once in a while I get turned on to something truly exceptional. Otis Grove falls into the latter category and if their new album, The Runk, didn’t prove it on its own, their CD release party at the Lizard Lounge did. ” - George Dow - New England Deli Magazine

Remember crunk? That mix of booming 808 bass, drum machines, sinister samples and screamed, one-syllable chants that gave birth to countless strip club anthems ("Get Low" anyone?) and provided the soundtrack to countless nightclub brawls? Which would account for about 80 percent of Lil Jon and the Eastside Boys' music. Well maybe not 80 percent. But at least 50 percent tops. Well make way for runk, a mix of funk and rock birthed by Boston trio Otis Grove. Drawing on those genres as well as R&B, jazz and hip hop, the band comes up with some truly unique sounds. Album opener "Monark," with its blistering, distorted riffs and maniacal organ, sounds like Metallica dropping in on a New Orleans church service, while the collision of twin guitar solos and whirling, eerie synthesizers sound like a long lost Red Hot Chili Peppers track. The laid back guitar licks and bright organs of "Uncle Runky" would feel right at home at a afternoon barbecue. "Waiting," crafts a seductive mix of minimalist licks and sharp drums before surrendering midway to a monstrous groove of floor-shaking bass, fiery, frenetic guitar solos and a wailing wall of organ sound. Brash funk freakout, "Fausto" with its fuzzy distortion, rubber-band bass, is another standout track. Otis Grove are clearly talented musicians, able to both improvise and snap back into the melody at a moment's notice. Sam Gilman coaxes a endlessly array of sounds out of his organ, electronic piano and mellotron, while guitarist Tyler Drabick and drummer Blake Goedde display enough versatility to keep with Gilman's experimentation. It would be interesting to hear what the band would sound like with words and vocal melodies. But Otis Grove have provided more than enough ways for listeners to get runk. 4/5 Posted by & © K. Clark © http://indiesandtheunderground.blogspot.ie/2010/11/album-review-otis-grove-runk.html

“Organ trio” may be a restrictive label for Otis Grove. Sam Gilman, a Berklee College piano technician, uses an arsenal of Moogs, Clavinets, Wurlitzers and an absolutely filthy Hammond organ that has been tricked out to pack more overdrive and low-end horsepower by the band’s guitarist. Their new album, The Runk (the name is a portmanteau of rock and funk coined by fans to describe their genre), serves up some coffeehouse jazz grooves and pours in the mescaline with some acid-rock freak-outs. Songs like “Monark” and “Rock City” echo the muscle-car space jamming of Edgar Winter Group’s “Frankenstein” and approach the three-chamber-bong heaviness of Soundgarden and the Atomic Bitchwax. The metallic guitar harmonies in “Plywood Snowshoe” are like a sweater-clad cousin of Iron Maiden’s “The Trooper.” The album’s mellower moments offer Otis Grove’s take on more traditional jazz-rock trio fare. Someone has to make sure that an MP3 of “Uncle Runky” finds its way to R. Kelly or the surviving members of TLC. Can you say “remix”? Posted on November 19, 2010 by & © PETER LEGASEY © 1999-2014 Dig Publishing LLC. All Rights Reserved http://digboston.com/boston-music-concerts/2010/11/otis-grove

What do you get when you start with funk-soul grooves, throw in some jazz stylings, add jam band sensibilities, layer on the heavy guitar and organ riffage, and finish it off with prog-rock wackiness? Oh yeah… and remove the vocals for an all-instrumental delivery. Given that mish-mash I would have guessed you’d get a train wreck. Thank God my guess would have been wrong. Otis Grove’s newest release, The Runk, is an instant classic. The Runk opens with “Monark” and a dual barrage of guitar and organ straight out of the Deep Purple songbook. About a minute in, it takes a hard left turn into Emerson, Lake and Palmer territory with a crazy time signature shift and a Keith Emerson style key solo. Then the tune suddenly comes back together with a meandering Santana-esque guitar solo before swinging back to the Deep Purple riffs to end the song. That’s a lot of ground covered in a single track and I knew I was in for a treat. The next two tracks, “The Bunk” and “Basket Case," stick to a more traditional funk/jazz style, reminiscent of Fishbone mixed with Medeski, Martin and Wood. Both songs pay homage to a retro-soul sound while remaining thoroughly modern in their delivery. The album continues on this cycle through seven more tracks, alternating between heavy jam band rock-influenced tracks and classic funk/soul/jazz. Late in the album, “I Won’t Forget” brings me back to my youth in the '70s. During my summers in New Hampshire I would frequently go roller skating at an old rink on Lake Winnipesaukee. Instead of playing Top 40 hits they instead had reel-to-reel tapes of old organ music, like some ancient form of Muzak. Listening to the keys on “I Won’t Forget” suddenly turned me into a 10 year-old klutz, circling the rink and trying desperately to look cool in a velour shirt and homemade plaid pants. The Runk closes with “Fausto." The track highlights their drumming chops, opening with a short drum solo. Those drums remain the driving feature of the six and a half minute track and end this amazing album on a simmering groove. © George Dow © http://newengland.thedelimagazine.com/node/3198

There's a new sound taking over the town known as Boston. If you're by the banks of the Charles River as the moon glows over the muddy waters you very well may hear some thick, groovy beats banging out a trail for raw guitar licks and a soul-drenched Hammond organ. Yes indeed, ladies and gentleman who are down with the funk, it's time to get rocked by your new favorite band: Otis Grove. Otis Grove began as a collective experiment in crossing the traditional organ jazz sound with funk, hip-hop, and rock tones. It was the beginning of a sonic realization based in groove and free in improvisation, yet rooted in songwriting and melodic structure. In early 2004, on the heels of their self-titled debut album, the band began spreading their sound to clubs around the New England area. The music, which has since evolved into a unique blend of aggressive rock n' roll and high-intensity organ funk (some fans have dubbed their genre 'Runk'- a mixture of rock and funk), pays tribute to the masters while consistently pushing itself in new directions. It's as if jazz organ legend Jimmy Smith had been the fifth member of Led Zeppelin, or if the Meters had joined forces with Black Sabbath. Performer Magazine writer Sam Merrick described it best as "a monstrous funk groove that probably would have sent Godzilla running had he been in the neighborhood." This larger-than-life sound is crafted by three talented musicians, Sam Gilman plays a plethora of instruments in Otis Grove, including Hammond organ, Wurlitzer electric piano, Moog synthesizer, clavinet, Rhodes piano, and mellotron. He's a piano technician at Berklee College of Music so he's constantly being exposed to new techniques and approaches. This could explain why the band has such sonic diversity. Tyler Wayne Drabick plays the electric and acoustic guitar for the band, but that's not his only contribution to Otis Grove's sound. Because he owns and operates a Hammond Organ repair shop in Boston, he was able to customize the band's organ and Leslie speaker to achieve more gain and overdrive, as well as chest-pounding deep bass tones which the band describes as "Booty Bass." Last, but not least, Blake Goedde lays down the backbone of Otis Grove's sound on drums and percussion. Having studied with James Brown's drummer Kenwood Dennard, as well as spent countless hours transcribing hip-hop, jazz, funk, rock, and reggae beats, he has come to develop his own intricately funky style. Six years and over 500 shows after its conception, Otis Grove has shared the stage with musicians and bands John Medeski, Billy Martin, Charlie Hunter, DJ Logic, Eric Krasno of Soulive, The New Mastersounds, The Jerry Garcia Band, The Brew, Spiritual Rez,Trombone Shorty, and many more. With a few national and European tours under their belt, Otis Grove is hitting it harder then ever, having played venues from the Paradise Rock club and House of Blues in Boston to Sullivan Hall and the famous Blue Note jazz club and in New York City. The trio-known for their cranked-up, dance-inducing, dynamic live performances- signed with Ropeadope Digital records in early 2008 and are currently promoting their second release on the label, The Runk. © http://www.otisgrove.net/#/about/

Great retro-funkified soul, R&B, rock, and jazz with a touch of hip-hop from a very talented Boston trio. Buy Otis Grove’s great “Live In Boston” album [Tracks @ 250-267 Kbps: File size = 98.9 Mb]

TRACKS

1. Monark (5:17)
2. The Bunk (4:25)
3. Basket Case (3:49)
4. Rock City (4:10)
5. Bobby Nosox (5:20)
6. Uncle Runky (5:28)
7. Plywood Snoeshoe (5:11)
8. Waiting (6:13)
9. I Won't Forget (5:22)
10. Fausto (6:31)

All tracks composed by Gilman, Goedde, Drabick

MUSICIANS

Tyler Wayne Drabick - Guitars
Sam Gilman - Keyboards
Blake Goedde - Drums

Chris Bullen

Chris Bullen - Interstellar Groove Machine - 2010 - Digital Nations

Chris Bullen has realized that the universe would have been to get out of the rock when he heard on the car stereo brother of the haunting notes of a guitar Eddie Van Halen. Since then he has shouldered a six-string with the goal of having the most complete mastery and thanks to a relentless and intense study failed to achieve excellence from a technical point of view and quality. Bullen is a guitarist square and accurate, instinct that prefers the minimal care of the details: all the notes are a big piece of the puzzle, which in this case is called " Interstellar Groove Machine ". The album is interesting because it is full of ideas brilliant and played flawlessly, also makes it stand out well the different facets of the style of Bullen ranging from funk to jazz and fusion, from instrumental rock ennobled by masters like Satriani and Vai: the two are clearly one of the major influences of the artist and it is the hysterical "Kick It," one of the best songs of the entire CD, strongly reminiscent of the interpretation given by Steve Vai in many of his songs. After the title track lively and triumphant, other times the most significant disk will consume between the hilarious "Siro's Garden" and "Dusty Heroes", and "Station", in which you can listen definitely the riffs darker and heavier than all the platter. The common points in each track are the joy and the fun, the harmony and the airiness blown by a breath of freshness and lightness. In all this we must not forget, however, the sumptuous technique which Bullen has acquired a workaholic work over the years. "Interstellar Groove Machine" is an instrumental album of a good standard, but it seems to be mostly appreciated by musicians, by fans of the genre and difficulty can capture the attention of everyone else, they can easily get lost and distracted among the thousands of notes produced by guitarist Chris Bullen. Review by & © Daniel Carlucci - Published on: 18/02/11 © http://www.spaziorock.it/recensione.php?&id=1694

Ever since guitar hero Steve Vai started up his Digital Nations label back in the early 2000’s, there’s been a roll back of sorts, all around, regarding releasing actual CDs, say compared to promoting music exclusively as download files. Even so, when FN releases an actual, silver disc CD, it’s usually a total winner and happily that’s the case with the 2011 CD release of Interstellar Groove Machine, from guitarist Chris Bullen. Fans of Steve Vai’s uncanny knack to bowl you over with a sonic barrage of hard rock / heavy metal instrumentals (and the occasional vocal) will totally enjoy Bullen’s CD. An all instrumental, electric guitar based tour de force, the 9 track Interstellar Groove Machine album just amazes from start to finish. Throughout, Bullen handles the writing and the guitars while receiving top drawer support from a range of gifted backing players, including bass ace Ric Fierabracci, Jim Cote (bass) and Shane Gaalaas (drums). The CD is superbly recorded and the artwork and packaging is truly mind expanding. Bullen waxes philosophically in the extensive album liner notes on an album that just sound better with each spin. Fans of Vai, Satch and the great rock metal instrumental guitarists who’ve gone before and have come since would be well severed by getting on board Chris Bullen’s Interstellar Groove Machine. www.CBullen.com/blog/ www.Digital-Nations.com © 1999-2011 MWE3.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Excellent, mostly instrumental heavy metal/hard rock from Calgary guitar virtuoso Chris Bullen. In 2009, Chris Bullen won an eBay charity auction to jam with Steve Vai. Chris has been flying under the radar since then, but he’s a phenomenal guitarist and worthy of a bigger audience. “Interstellar Groove Machine” is a great demonstration of Chris Bullen’s fretboard work. The material is not always the strongest, but the album is primarily for lovers of great guitar playing and technique. If you come across any new Chris Bullen albums, why not buy one and support real music [All tracks @ 260-284 Kbps: File size = 73.5 Mb]

TRACKS

1. Interstellar Groove Machine 4:07
2. Kick It 3:16
3. Station 4:03
4. Siro's Garden 3:38
5. Missing You 4:08
6. Dusty Heroes 3:21
7. Great Immovable Objects 4:30
8. Frequency 4:15
9. Innocence 3:43

All tracks composed by Chris Bullen

MUSICIANS

Chris Bullen - Guitars, Vocals
Ric Fierabracci, Jim Cote - Bass
Shane Gaalaas - Drums

Daryl Stuermer

Daryl Stuermer - GO! - 2007 - Inside Out Music

While in the past Stuermer has explored contemporary jazz and combined ‘lighter’ pieces with mid-tempo rock dominated by nylon string guitar, “Go” sees him completely dedicated to a rockier electric guitar sound. The songs are still very melodic but are more riff oriented and offer an edgy ‘live’ sound this time out. “I always let my current feelings slip into my compositions”, explains Stuermer. “On each album I have a certain point-of-view and I carry with it particular sounds and a specific mood. On ‘Go’ I let things ‘roll’ a little bit more than in the past, as I wanted to reach new shores. There are similar approaches on my earlier releases too, but never so much as with this one. My motto is, ‘On your marks, get set, go!’ and then with full power out of the speakers! There are only two ballads on ‘Go’ but even they are seething with an underlying energy”. Stuermer’s words sum up the music extremely well. If we were to elaborate further, one can say that listeners could expect virtuoso instrumental guitar music that has elements of both Al Di Meola and Allan Holdsworth. The album has a fun vibe to it with plenty of striking hook lines, energetic riffs, catchy melodies and fluid guitar solos. Sometimes it leans more towards jazz (‘Striker’) and other times there are stronger elements of prog (‘Urbanista’), and Stuermer is also quite proud to showcase the influences he has gained from his time with Collins & Co. on ‘Heavy Heart’, a track with a melancholy feel that also recalls Dire Straits. There is also a multi-cultural element to be found on ‘Go’ with Caribbean rhythms or melodies from the Far East as evidenced on ‘Masala Mantra’. “Masala is the name given to various spice mixtures that are used to make Indian curries. I have always liked Far Eastern music – not to mention Indian cuisine, especially Chicken Tikka Masala”, he continues while explaining the ethnic touches in his music picked up from his numerous journeys around the world. © 2014 by Inside Out Music - All Rights Reserved http://www.insideoutmusic.com/artist.aspx?IdArtist=410

When Daryl Stuermer was asked in an interview "What are the biggest challenges you face during your creative process?", he replied "The biggest one is that I want to avoid making a guitar player’s record. I want to be listened to by guitar players in addition to everyone else. The problem with some albums I hear by guitar players is they tend to be all about the fastest riff or the fanciest kind of thing they can do, as opposed to being about the song. I want the song to be interesting first and then I want the guitar parts on top of that to be energetic and expressive. I don’t want the guitar work to just be based on a clever riff. It has to be musical to me. There are excellent guitarists out there that I like but I’m not as interested in their music as I am in their guitar playing. I want to have both ends of the spectrum represented. I think guys like Eric Johnson do it right in that his songs are really good and he has great playing on top of them. I admire that kind of record". Daryl is arguably a more proficient guitarist than Mike Rutherford, but his guitar abilities have always been restricted and stifled within the framework of Genesis' music. This is understandable as Daryl has always been more a touring member of Genesis and has not been directly involved in the compositional and recording process of Genesis' music. Daryl is a very underrated guitarist, and this album although not as fusion based as some of his other work, is nevertheless an album of great melodies, grooves and terrific guitar playing that may not be supersonically charged but doesn’t need to be. Listen to Daryls "Live and Learn", "Steppin' Out" and "Retrofit" albums. Additionally, Daryl has guested on a variety of other artists' recordings, including Frida's "I Know There's Something Going On", and Joan Armatrading's "The Key", as well as solo releases by other Genesis members including Mike Rutherford's "Acting Very Strange", and Tony Banks' "The Fugitive" and "Still" [Tracks @ 262-290 Kbps: File size = 94.1 Mb]

TRACKS

1. Striker 4:51
2. Masala Mantra 4:08
3. Greenlight 3:58
4. Dream In Blue 5:40
5. Breaking Point 4:24
6. Urbanista 6:31
7. Heavy Heart 5:17
8. Meltdown 4:33
9. The Archer 4:22
10. Omnibus 3:39

All tracks composed by Daryl Stuermer

MUSICIANS

Daryl Stuermer - Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion Programming
Leland Sklar - Bass on Tracks 1,2,3,4,5,7
Eric Hervey - Bass on Tracks 6,8,9,10
Kostia - Keyboards
John Calarco - Drums

BIO

Guitarist Daryl Stuermer has played on some of the biggest hits of Genesis' and Phil Collins' careers, in addition to releasing several solo albums on his own. Born on November 27, 1952, Stuermer grew up in Milwaukee, WI, and took up the guitar at the age of 11. The usual '60s suspects served as initial inspiration (the Beatles, the Ventures, etc.), beforeStuermer began studying jazz guitar (via Wes Montgomery and Joe Pass), and eventually, such groundbreaking rock guitarists as Jimi Hendrix and John McLaughlin. During the early to mid-'70s, Stuermer was a member of local Milwaukee band, Sweetbottom, who made a fan out of Frank Zappa's then-keyboardist, George Duke. It was through Duke that an audition was set up for Stuermer to try out for acclaimed jazz violinist, Jean-Luc Ponty, which resulted in the guitarist appearing on such albums as 1975's Aurora, 1976's Imaginary Voyage, and 1977's Enigmatic Ocean, and its supporting tours. By the end of 1977, British prog rockers Genesis began holding auditions for a guitarist to take the spot of longtime member Steve Hackett, and Stuermer wound up landing the gig. For nearly the next 20 years, Stuermer would serve asGenesis' touring guitarist -- but never appeared on any of their studio recordings, just the live sets Three Sides Live (1983) and The Way We Walk (1992). But when Genesis drummer/singer Phil Collins launched a solo career during the early '80s, Stuermer became an integral member of Collins' solo band. Stuermer's versatile guitar work can be heard on nearly all of Collins' subsequent albums (all of which were major hits) -- 1981's Face Value, 1983's Hello, I Must Be Going!, 1985's No Jacket Required, 1990sBut Seriously, and 1996's Dance into the Light. Stuermer also earned several co-songwriting credits for tunes that appeared on Collins' solo albums, including "Something Happened on the Way to Heaven," "I Don't Wanna Know," "Doesn't Anybody Stay Together Anymore," and "Only You Know and I Know." As if his schedule wasn't busy enough, Stuermer also somehow found the way to issue solo albums (albeit on a sporadic basis), including 1987's Steppin' Out, 1998's Live & Learn, 2000's Another Side of Genesis, and 2001's limited-edition release, Waiting in the Wings, and even launched his own independent record label, Urban Island Music, in 1998. Additionally, Stuermer has guested on a variety of other artists' recordings, including Philip Bailey's Chinese Wall, Frida's I Know There's Something Going On, and Joan Armatrading'sThe Key, among others, as well as solo releases by other Genesis members (Mike Rutherford's Acting Very Strange, plus Tony Banks' The Fugitive and Still). © Greg Prato © 2014 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/daryl-stuermer-mn0000675092

Luke Stone

Luke Stone - Elaborate Mess - 2007 - Stone Lab Records

Multi-instrumentalist and composer Luke Stone has been an active member of the Kansas City/Lawrence music scene for over 15 years. Luke's inherent love for music started with a musical family -his grandfather attended Juilliard, his grandmother is a professional pianist, and his mother sung with both the Kansas City Lyric Opera and Kansas City Chorale. At age 13, he started playing his mom's guitar, and shortly after began playing the drum set, influenced by his peers and bands such as Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, Frank Zappa, Pink Floyd, Phish, Herbie Hancock, Steely Dan, and many more. In addition to performing, Luke is also a competent recording engineer. Since 2003, he has self-produced and engineered four solo CD's of all original compositions. The Rock, funky-fusion sound of his CD’s feature Luke's playing on all the instruments with the exception of saxophone, and some keyboard and guitar leads © 2012 Cosmopolitics http://cosmopolitics.net/?section=news

Influenced by artists that include Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, Frank Zappa, Pink Floyd, Phish, Genesis, Herbie Hancock, and Steely Dan, Kansas’ multi - instrumentalist and very underrated musician Luke Stone has released four solo albums and two albums with Cosmopolitics. “Elaborate Mess” is a mix of funk, progressive fusion, and jazz rock of the highest calibre. Luke is one of the most unconventional and unorthodox musicians you will ever hear and with his original eclectic music he has been pushing the boundaries of progressive rock and creating wonderful and original music for years now without due credit. “Elaborate Mess” is a great album which is VHR by A.O.O.F.C. Luke credits the one and only Britney Spears as improving his drum playing in a very unlikely way! Check out his great “Science Friction” album on this blog. Listen to his “Somethin's Gotta Give” album and Cosmopolitics “Mental Hygiene” album. Support real music [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 114 Mb]

TRACKS

1. Dandiego (05:48)
2. Viking Girlfriend (04:39)
3. Minor Organ Donation (05:58)
4. Stumble Around (05:45)
5. Time is Money (07:01)
6. Robot Picnic (04:15)
7. Silent Cid (09:26)
8. The Syndrome (06:20)

All tracks composed by Luke Stone except drum part for "Silent Cid" composed by Matt Gader

MUSICIANS

Luke Stone - Hammond B3, Various other instruments, Voices
Brian Baggett - Guitar on Tracks 1, 2, 4 & 8
Eric Levy - Fender Rhodes tracks 3 & 4
Todd Wilkenson - Saxophones on Tracks 2, 3, & 7
Jesse Malloy - Tenor Saxophone on Tracks 4 & 6

BIO

Multi-instrumentalist and composer Luke Stone has been an active member of the Kansas City/Lawrence music scene for over 15 years. Luke's inherent love for music started with a musical family -- his grandfather attended Juilliard, his grandmother is a professional pianist, and his mother sang with both the Kansas City Lyric Opera and Kansas City Chorale. At age 13, he started playing his mom's guitar, and shortly after began playing the drum set, influenced by his peers and bands such as Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, Frank Zappa, Pink Floyd, Phish, Herbie Hancock, Steely Dan, and many more. In high school, Luke studied the drums with Doug Auwarter and played percussion with the marching, symphonic, and jazz bands, later earning a college music scholarship to St. Joseph, Missouri. In 1998, eager to put his academic studies to use, Luke moved to Lawrence, Kansas to pursue music. By collaborating with other musicians Luke's first band Space Pocket was formed, which has since found a receptive audience and embarked on small regional tours. With Space Pocket, Luke has shared the stage with many prominent musicians, including Widespread Panic, Jazz Mandolin Project, Karl Denson, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Robert Walter's 20th Congress, and others. Currently, Luke is touring and playing locally with a band called Cosmopolitics. This band could be described as heavily composed progressive rock with a lot of improvisation. In this band you can hear some of Luke's compositions played live, as well as compositions written by the other musicians in the band. In addition to performing, Luke is also a competent recording engineer. Since 2003, he has self-produced and engineered four solo CD's of all original compositions. The Rock, funky-fusion sound of his CD’s feature Luke playing all of the instruments with the exception of saxophone, and some keyboard and guitar leads. © Luke Stone 2005-2011

Karate

Karate - The Bed Is In The Ocean - 1998 - Southern Records

Throughout their seven-year career, Boston based post-rockers Karate shifted gradually from a controlled, minimal punkrock sound to a more instrumentally focused style with an increasingly prominent place for Geoff Farina's jazzy guitar playing. Arguably, they were at their very best just in between. While their debut "Karate" (1995) suffered somewhat from the fact that Farina's beautifully quiet-yet-loud vocal style wasn't completely developed yet (he cracked a few false notes here and there), their latest effort "Unsolved" (2001) was a bit too crammed with jazzy guitar leads to live up to their early minimalist appeal. Of the two records released in between, "In place of real insight" (1997) and "The bed is in the ocean"(1999), the latter struck a perfect balance between the bare-essence ethics of punkrock and the soothing, beautiful sound of an intimate jazz combo. It was jazzrock without the egos. It was punk with brains and a heart and it was half an hour of beautiful, captivating songs without a single boring moment. What is most impressive about this record is the remarkably intense way in which it sheds new light on musically well documented emotions like anger, loss and everyday struggle. In a refreshingly sincere and understated way Farina, Goddard and McCarthy completely circumvent all cliches and pitfalls that come with the territory. All recordings were made in Farina's living room, giving it a very relaxed and intimate feel. The record has a very sparse but carefully constructed sound with equal parts of rock, punk and jazz, but far more minimal than each of those. The recording is a mere registration: there are no effects, no productional tricks, just a warm, clear guitar sound with a mild tube overdrive, a punchy bass guitar with a round tone and a small, well recorded and well played drum kit. - by & © irexe, Sun Apr 07 2002 at 16:22:06 - All content copyright © original author unless stated otherwise. http://everything2.com/title/The+bed+is+in+the+ocean

The Geoff Farina fronted band Karate were branded with that clunkiest of tags: 'indie jazz' - not denoting that they're a jazz band on an indie label, but rather that they're an indie rock band dabbling in jazz. While that sounds like a nightmare scenario for fans of jazz, or for that matter indie rock, the band ably and articulately riffed on a more solidified take on the wayward meanderings of Pavement, taking a run down, rather lo-fi starting point and clashing together great, intelligent songwriting with artful, exploratory instrumental breakdowns. This album was released ten years ago, and now finds itself reissued almost four years since the band called it quits in 2005. The songs remain sharp, exuding an effortless cool, but there's also an element of understated craft at work here that's all-but unheard of in the genre. - Boomkat product review © Boomkat Ltd. https://boomkat.com/cds/158812-karate-the-bed-is-in-the-ocean
ALL IS QUIET ON THE EASTERN FRONT. WELL, it is in Karate's Boston quarters, at least. On 'The Bed Is In The Ocean', their third album, Karate resume their explorations into pensive, slow-burning jazzcore and stream of subconsciousness prose. And, as always, it's a beautiful trek. Everywhere you turn, emotions are taut yet confused. A constant Iyrical theme develops whereby corporeal rage battles for space with world-weary cynicism and scholarly analysis. Sometimes you feel vocalist Geoff Farina's outlook is so bleak he shouldn't even be on the planet let alone in America - where all the great injustices of civilisation seem more absurd and desensitised. Still, for the sake of great noise, they battle on. Despite Karate's muso background, Farina's inspiration is pure and simple. On 'There Are Ghosts' he takes great poetic solace in nature: "That famous sound that the snow makes under my feet when a snowfall too cold for a snowball falls/And saves me from my impending week". Sorrowful as it gets? Maybe. A necessary sonic experience? You bet. 8/10 © IPC MEDIA 1996-2014, All rights reserved © http://www.nme.com/reviews/karate/326

Karate's third full-length album showcases the Massachusetts' quartet's knack for simple indie rock instrumentation and emo-esque lyrics. "The Same Stars" starts off with an extended jazzy introduction, giving way to Geoff Farina's soulful crooning and the impending jazz-indie rock fusion. "Diazapam" begins with a funky experimental guitar line before Farina's vocals check in to control the pace with his most demanding vocal presence so far on the disc. His energy creates an aural splendor throughout the song, but that energy is not continued on the next track, "The Last Wars," which is another of the band's subtle ballads. "Bass Sounds" is, as its title would suggest, a bass-heavy anthem full of metaphors from the engaging Farina. The minimalist instrumentation on "Fatal Strategies" serves to give more room for Farina's voice to stretch out. The same strategy is used on many of the other songs on The Bed Is in the Ocean. The soft introductory tone on "Not to Call the Police" leads to a song that is classic Karate: simple, direct, emotional, and effortlessly enchanting. Like the album's artwork, which features a series of Legos toy pieces, the album is thoughtfully assembled to create a unique piece of art. The Bed Is in the Ocean was recorded in early 1998 at Salad Days Studios in Norwood, MA, and was mastered at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London. It was released on Southern Records later that year. © Stephen Cramer © 2014 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-bed-is-in-the-ocean-mw0000672001

Another great album of indie-rock, punk, blues, jazz and post-rock by the brilliant jazz-indie rock fusion band Karate masterminded by the often enigmatic guitarist, vocalist and hugely talented songwriter Geoff Farina. The album is full of wonderful, subtle, understated jazzy-chords, great vocals from Geoff Farina, and brilliant songs. The album is HR by A.O.O.F.C. During Karate’s relatively short career, the band received a lot of acclaim and also some severe criticism. Karate was a great band, and would have improved, a band who is to be admired for "doing their own thing" and not bowing to commercial pressure. Buy Karate's superb 1997 "In Place Of Real Insight" album, and listen to their post break-up live 595' album. Geoff Farina's "Blobscape" album is also an excellent jazz based album. For another great band who also have their fair share of critics, but who constantly retain their uncommercial musical credibility, listen to the brilliant "Hats" album by the somewhat enigmatic Blue Nile [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 74.6 Mb]

TRACKS

1 There Are Ghosts 3:39
2 The Same Stars 6:20
3 Diazapam 3:23
4 The Last Wars 3:37
5 Bass Sounds 2:14
6 Up Nights 6:21
7 Fatal Strategies 3:25
8 Outside is the Drama 4:23
9 Not to Call the Police 5:00

All tracks composed by Geoff Farina

MUSICIANS

Geoff Farina - Guitar, Vocals
Eamonn Witt, Jeff Goddard - Bass
Gavin Mcarthy - Drums

BIO

Karate began in Boston. Geoff Farina (vocals, guitar), Eamonn Witt (bass), and Gavin Mcarthy (drums) formed the post-rock combo in 1993, and within a year had issued the "Death Kit" 7". "The Schwinn" followed a year later; bassist Jeff Goddard also joined up at this point, with Witt moving to second guitar. The band's eponymous full-length also appeared from Southern, and Karate toured aggressively, appearing both domestically and in Europe. In 1997, Witt departed, while Farina, Mcarthy, and Goddard released In Place of Real Insight. The Bed Is in the Ocean followed quickly after. By this point, the group had refined its sound, removing the choppy, indie/emo elements in favor of a more disciplined approach that emphasized its jazz influence. Unsolved dropped in 2000, followed by the Cancel/Sing EP a year later. The latter featured two extended pieces that were the strongest example yet of Karate's measure, yet very humanistic post-rock. Southern issued Some Boots in 2002, and after another round of live dates began work on a new, eight-song release. [Concurrent to Farina's work with Karate was the Secret Stars, his music and community-building project with artist Jodi Buonanno.] © Johnny Loftus © 2014 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/karate-mn0000852937/biography

Ligro

Ligro - Dictionary 1 - 2008 - Inline

We play the music as what the heart says. Music is fun and the creation is limitless. Ligro defines ourselves perfectly, we are ORGIL (= crazy people in Bahasa) because we just listen to our hearts in turning the noise into music where the exploration is endless and the transformation is rich. Ligro is Adi Darmawan (bassist), Agam Hamzah (electric guitar) and Gusti Hendy (drum). Established in 2004 and this trio had celebrated their journey by releasing their first album ‘Dictionary 1’. Ligro has already participated in various music events not only country wide but also worldwide. The different cultural background of each member gives more colors to their music. Adi is originally from Madura, Hendy is from South Kalimantan and Agam is a mix of Aceh and West Java. A perfect example to illustrate this cultural influence to their music is the use of Gondang, or traditional drum from Batak ethnic tribe, which is glued perfectly with the western percussion set that is played by Hendy and he plays this instrument with Kalimantan beat. We hope that we can continue the insatiable energy and always celebrate the journey. Our wish is that our friends love our music and endure our legacy. Enjoy our second album “Dictionary 2’ © 2011 Ligro http://ligrotrio.com/profile

Dave Wayne when writing about Ligro’s “Dictionary 2” album in AAJ said that, “Ligro are yet another virtuosic and musically substantial young jazz- rock band from the circum-Pacific region. It seems almost criminal that none of these wonderful musicians were brought to Western ears before now. Kudos to MoonJune Records for making this one happen!” Ligro is one of Indonesia’s most acclaimed jazz-rock fusion trios: Drummer/percussionist Gusti Hendy, bassist Adi Darmawan and guitarist Agam Hanzah. "Dictionary 1" is the band's first album of original and brilliantly played fusion and jazz-rock. Four of the album's six tracks are over eight minutes in length and contain strong solo improvisations. You will not read many reviews about this first release, but it is exceptional jazz fusion and this band has all the tools. Ligro are equally talented at playing subtle fusion as they are in killer shredding, and their compositions are outstanding. You may never have associated countries like Indonesia with this kind of music, but the world is truly a global village now, and there is some great talent out there waiting to be heard. You won’t hear this kind of music on mainstream media, but it would be a shame if bands like Ligro were not heard worldwide. Buy Ligro’s “Dictionary 2” album [All tracks @ 160 Mbps: File size = 56.3 Mb] N.B: If anybody has info on this CD in flac or @ 320 Kbps, please contact me

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. Bliker 1 - Adi Darmawan 4:24
2. Green Powder - Agam Hamzah 4:48
3. Radio Aktif - Adi Darmawan, Yose & Agam Hamzah 10:48
4. Orgil - Yose 8:54
5. Garba Biru - Agam Hamzah 9:55
6. Saman Spot - Idang Rasidhi 9:34

MUSICIANS

Agam Hamzah - Guitar
Adi Darmawan - Bass
Gusti Hendy - Drums

Luke Stone

Luke Stone - Science Friction - 2006 - Stone Lab Records

Hailing out of Lawrence Kansas, Luke Stone is a solid multi instrumentalist that has done a heck of a job on Science Friction. Original writing , blending funk, jazz, soul and rock, this is a much recommended record for fans of Scofield's Bump, Garaj Mahal and George Clinton among others. Check out his David Byrne style vocals on a few cuts as well. Great Listening!! © 2002-2014 AbstractLogix http://www.abstractlogix.com/xcart/product.php?productid=21268

Multi-instrumentalist and composer Luke Stone has been an active member of the Kansas City/Lawrence music scene for over 15 years. Luke's inherent love for music started with a musical family -his grandfather attended Juilliard, his grandmother is a professional pianist, and his mother sung with both the Kansas City Lyric Opera and Kansas City Chorale. At age 13, he started playing his mom's guitar, and shortly after began playing the drum set, influenced by his peers and bands such as Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, Frank Zappa, Pink Floyd, Phish, Herbie Hancock, Steely Dan, and many more. In addition to performing, Luke is also a competent recording engineer. Since 2003, he has self-produced and engineered four solo CD's of all original compositions. The Rock, funky-fusion sound of his CD’s feature Luke's playing on all the instruments with the exception of saxophone, and some keyboard and guitar leads © 2012 Cosmopolitics http://cosmopolitics.net/?section=news

Influenced by artists that include Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, Frank Zappa, Pink Floyd, Phish, Genesis, Herbie Hancock, and Steely Dan, Kansas’ multi - instrumentalist and very underrated musician Luke Stone has released four solo albums and with Cosmopolitics, released funk, progressive fusion, and jazz rock of the highest calibre. “Science Friction” contains not only varying grooves and head-turning rhythms from Luke but also well placed vocals that add to the overall quality of this great album which is VHR by A.O.O.F.C. Luke credits the one and only Britney Spears as improving his drum playing in a very unlikely way! Listen to Luke’s great “Somethin's Gotta Give” album and Cosmopolitics “Mental Hygiene” album. Support real music [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 114 Mb]

TRACKS

1. Generally Spoken (03:42)
2. My House (03:47)
3. Loose As A Goose (04:27)
4. Gideons Revenge (03:04)
5. Age (04:04)
6. Invest You (04:07)
7. Tritonamous (03:35)
8. Lucrian (05:06)
9. Baggett’s Playground (03:15)
10. Fake The Gender (05:55)
11. Stone Tones (10:35)

All tracks, instrumentation, and vocals by Luke Stone

BIO

Multi-instrumentalist and composer Luke Stone has been an active member of the Kansas City/Lawrence music scene for over 15 years. Luke's inherent love for music started with a musical family -- his grandfather attended Juilliard, his grandmother is a professional pianist, and his mother sang with both the Kansas City Lyric Opera and Kansas City Chorale. At age 13, he started playing his mom's guitar, and shortly after began playing the drum set, influenced by his peers and bands such as Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, Frank Zappa, Pink Floyd, Phish, Herbie Hancock, Steely Dan, and many more. In high school, Luke studied the drums with Doug Auwarter and played percussion with the marching, symphonic, and jazz bands, later earning a college music scholarship to St. Joseph, Missouri. In 1998, eager to put his academic studies to use, Luke moved to Lawrence, Kansas to pursue music. By collaborating with other musicians Luke's first band Space Pocket was formed, which has since found a receptive audience and embarked on small regional tours. With Space Pocket, Luke has shared the stage with many prominent musicians, including Widespread Panic, Jazz Mandolin Project, Karl Denson, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Robert Walter's 20th Congress, and others. Currently, Luke is touring and playing locally with a band called Cosmopolitics. This band could be described as heavily composed progressive rock with a lot of improvisation. In this band you can hear some of Luke's compositions played live, as well as compositions written by the other musicians in the band. In addition to performing, Luke is also a competent recording engineer. Since 2003, he has self-produced and engineered four solo CD's of all original compositions. The Rock, funky-fusion sound of his CD’s feature Luke playing all of the instruments with the exception of saxophone, and some keyboard and guitar leads. © Luke Stone 2005-2011

Zeroesque

Zeroesque - Zeroesque - 2003 - Zeroesque

Zeroesque's self-titled album is a successful independent release from New Jersey-based tandem Tim Lehner on keyboards and Shawn Christie on guitars. Several guest musicians support them on drums, tenor saxophone and additional guitars. Their style is progressive fusion with great riffs, twisted melodies and stunning complexity. What gives them an extra edge is their approach to songwriting: Lehner and Christie are certainly the kind of musicians who like their music heavy, aggressive and fresh. They write their songs with tons of substance and groove, never overplaying for a mini-second. "Space Race" exemplifies the above-made description starting with fast, fluid guitar runs blended with sublime keyboards and groovy bass rhythms. Guitarist Shawn Christie plays all bass on the record, but the drum work is handled by three different guys, Josh Gasior, Tim Lloyd, and Brian Farr. The song in question features Josh Gasior, whose work appeals to me the most on this disc. Gasior supplies precise drum parts along with Christie's groovy bass forming the backdrop of the track as Lehner and Christie perform intricate melodies on their main their instruments. Immediately after, Tim Lehner comes up with a one-minute instrumental piece on his piano. "You Say" is a more laid-back number showcasing Tim's great guitar work and his understanding of composition. The gift of this duo is not only the playing, but it lies in the intention of what Shawn Christie and Tim Lehner do. "Dizzle Tizzle" goes back to their extremely heavy fusion approach with the keys serving as atmospheric elements as Christie really cuts loose here. The heaviness factor of this band is for sure going to interest many fusion fans who want something different from most of the music out there. The centrepiece of the CD is the 9-minute fusion-laden song, "Feels Like Falling", supported by lush keyboard textures and powerful rhythm guitars. The middle section of the songs stops to a calm mood, almost pure silence, and is suddenly pushed in an unexpected direction thanks to the great drumming and energetic riff patterns. "Ten Fifteen" is a slow ballad with Pete Johnson adding tenor saxophone for a brief moment. Derek Sherinian (he is mentioned in the thank-you section of the booklet), Planet X, Allan Holdsworth, LTE, and Jeff Beck's more fusion-y stuff are obvious reference points to detail Zeroesque's wide musical range. "Tequila Mockingbird" is a song that shows the diversity of their music as it contains a long, slow, delicate jazz piano with restrained guitar playing from Christie. Scott McGill (McGill-Manring-Stevens) plays lead guitar on "Maxilla Gorilla", whilst Vinnie Moore appears on the closing tune, "New Math", playing a distinctive guitar solo. When I did a little research on the band, I found out that Zeroesque keyboardist Tim Lehner was part of Vinnie Moore's touring lineup, and it's certainly great to see all these musicians backing each other up. We should wait for Zeroesque to release their new release and hopefully that one will establish them as a great progressive fusion ensemble that's here to stay, and not just a one-off kind of a band. – from ****/5 Aggressive, instrumental, progressive fusion February 12, 2005 By & © Murat Batmaz © 1996-2014, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates http://www.amazon.com/Zeroesque/dp/B00027JCK0/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_2

The dynamic Philadelphia-based instrumental prog-rock and fusion band Zeroesque is often compared to bands like Liquid Tension Experiment and Planet X. The bands’s music is heavy guitar and keyboard based progressive rock with a strong injection of fusion. Great music and HR by A.O.O.F.C. Check out the band’s “Multipick Technique” album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 98.4 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Space Race - Tim Lehner 4:11
2 I Say - Tim Lehner 1:06
3 You Say - Tim Lehner 3:07
4 Dizzle Tizzle - Shawn Christie, Tim Lehner 3:53
5 Feels Like Falling - Shawn Christie, Tim Lehner 9:18
6 Ten Fifteen - Shawn Christie, Tim Lehner 4:09
7 Tequila Mockingbird - Shawn Christie, Tim Lehner 3:22
8 Maxilla Gorilla - Shawn Christie 4:06
9 All's Swell That Ends Swell - Shawn Christie 1:42
10 Dujz - Shawn Christie, Tim Lehner 4:48
11 New Math - Tim Lehner 3:54

MUSICIANS

Shawn Christie - Guitars, Bass
Vinnie Moore - Guitar
Scott McGill - Guitar, Soloist
Tim Lehner - Piano
Brian Farr, Tim Lloyd, Josh Gasior - Drums
Pete Johnson - Tenor Sax, Soloist

BIO

Established in 2002, this Philadelphia-based instrumental prog-rock and fusion quartet is made up of guitarist Shawn Christie, keyboardist and producer Tim Lehner (Vinnie Moore, Magna Carta Records), bassist Rob Smith and drummer Rob DiRocco. They have released two full-length albums: their self-titled debut Zeroesque in 2003 and more recently Multipick Technique in 2008. Guest instrumentalists on these albums have included guitar bad-asses Vinnie Moore, Marco Sfogli, Derryl Gabel and Scott McGill, among others. Zeroesque is often compared to contemporary projects such as Liquid Tension Experiment and Planet X. About Multipick Technique: With their second progressive instrumental album, Multipick Technique, Zeroesque has chosen catchy melodies and song structure above mindless acrobatics or soloing for the sake of soloing. Well, okay...there are still a ton of solos. However, with Zeroesque, the compositional integrity is always paramount during writing, recording...and even soloing. Falling in line with Zeroesque's critically-acclaimed self-titled debut CD, Multipick Technique continues the practice of exploring many different styles on one disc, a seeming faux pas in the sea of corporate-sponsored Johnny Pop-punks and teeny boppers that dominate the commercial music industry these days. While the prog-rock and fusion styles are represented on Multipick Technique, there are also well-crafted forays into funk, Latin and even smooth jazz. Perhaps there's also something to be said for musicians that display not only technical mastery of their instruments, but do so within songs that have hooks catchy enough for radio. Here's what some professional ears have to say about the first album: "Wotta rush! The all-instrumental, self-titled debut by this Medford, New Jersey-based duo just may fill the void left by Liquid Tension Experiment." - Elias Granillo, Sea of Tranquility": Their music is progressive rock for the new millennium, and with that I mean it's fresh, fast and heavy." - Andre Hagberg, Prognosis: "Fans of progressive rock a la Allan Holdsworth, Liquid Tension Experiment...listen up and pay attention." - George Thatcher, Heart of the Rock: "This is a splendid album, full of energy and spontaneity, strong riffs accompanied by skillful soloing." - Bob Mulvey, Dutch Progressive Rock Page: "...aggressive, instrumental, progressive fusion, music that is not merely dedicated to riffing for the sake of riffing, but carefully and technically constructed songs that allow the musicians to present their talents in tight ensemble play, as well as ample amounts of virtuoso moments." © MJ Brady, Prognosis

SOME HISTORY

On a more historical note, Shawn and Tim have been playing together since they met in a high school music class in 1993. Josh Gasior, who provided the majority of the drumming on Zeroesque's first album, was also involved at that time, as he and Tim had jammed heavily during the prior year. The trio would initially call themselves Smoke and Mirrors. One of the early jams from this period was even added to a limited-release 5-song EP by Zeroesque in 2007, and there is still much in the vault from this time that may eventually see the light of day. May, 2008 © 2002-2014 Zeroesque http://www.zeroesque.com/bio.aspx

CAB

CAB - Theatre de Marionnettes - 2008 - Brunel

Brother Al on AbstractLogix @ http://www.abstractlogix.com/xcart/product.php?productid=24033 called this album “A fabulous disc, a masterpiece chock full of explosive, amazing, and fiery playing, at once a continuation of CAB's virtuosic adventures and yet a foray into new musical horizons”. “Theatre de Marionnettes” is an exceptionally brilliant album. A 24 carat incendiary collision of rock, jazz, and fusion played with an intense passion and blinding chops from some of the most talented and gifted musicians ever to play jazz, fusion, jazz rock, and rock. Tony MacAlpine, Bunny Brunel, Brian Auger, Chick Corea, and Virgil Donati are just some of the artists playing on this album which is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Listen to Bunny Brunel with Kazumi Watanabe's "Kilowatt" album, and Tony MacAlpine's "Maximum Security" album. Listen to CAB’s “CAB 4”, and Tony MacAlpine, Bunny Brunel, & Dennis Chambers’ “CAB” albums on this blog [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 156 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 The Prankster - Chowta & Brunel 5:23
2 Katputli - Brunel 4:23
3 The Sultan of Brunel - Chowta 3:40
4 Purple Mars - MacAlpine 6:02
5 The Ventriloquist - MacAlpine 4:41
6 Just Do It - Brunel 5:23
7 Rain - MacAlpine 4:07
8 The Pub - MacAlpine 4:24
9 Another Day - Brunel 4:24
10 Jaco Rocco Circus - Brunel 6:35
11 Theatre de Marionnettes - Brunel 6:07
12 High Cloud - Brunel 4:27
13 The Puppeteer - Brunel 6:20

MUSICIANS

Tony MacAlpine - Guitar, Keyboards on Tracks 4,5,7,8
Freddie Fox - Rhythm Guitar on Tracks 1,6,10
Bernard Torelli - Rhythm Guitar on Track 12
Bunny Brunel - Bass, Piccolo Bass, Keyboards on Tracks 6,9,12
Brian Auger - Fender Rhodes, Hammond B3, Hammond Organ
Chick Corea - Fender Rhodes, Electric Piano
Patrice Rushen - Piano, Keyboards, Clavinet
Michel Polnareff - Piano
Sandeep Chowta - Keyboards on Tracks 1,3
Virgil Donati - Drums
Doug Webb - Saxophone
Jeff Elliott - Trumpet

Virgil Donati

Virgil Donati - In This Life - 2013 - Virgil Donati

This cd is probably going to end up as my favorite for calender year 2013, it is simply that good. Virgil Donati, the sensational drummer that has appeared in Planet X, On the Virg, Loose Change, Southern Sons, CAB, Ring of Fire, etc, etc, etc. has put together a great release with this, his actual first as a solo artist. Yet it has everything that the fans of OTV, Planet X, and CAB have come to enjoy, and that is, first class, top tier fusion music with a major progressive twist, and fantastic contributions from a wide array of old friends, and some new surprises as well: 01. Rhythm Zero - featuring, Doug Shreeve on bass, Marco Sfogli and Irwin Thomas on guitars, Sfogli has gotten a lot of noteriety of late with his involvement with Dream Theater vocalist James LaBrie and his solo efforts, Irwin Thomas is a former bandmate of Donati's from Southern Sons. Keyboards are courtesy of Alex Argento, from Italy, he released an incredible fusion cd called "Ego" a couple years back, a must have. This a a very complex and heavy tune, with excellent contributions by all, both Argento and Sfogli really shine here: 02. Eleven - feat. Evan Marien - bass, Sfogli - guitars, Ruslan Sirota - keys. Evan Marian, a bassist, Berklee grad, and one of the new sensations, shine on this song, as does Sirota on keys, this is an ethereal song, with Holdsworth like chord phrasings, and atypical odd time signatures throughout, nice to hear VD feature some of the newer players on the scene: 03. In this Life - title track feat. Doug Shreeve - bass, Sfogli - guitars, Brett Garsed - Guitars, Dennis Hamm and Alex Argento - keyboards. This song has a very Planet X feel to it, no surprise there I suppose, both Hamm and Garsed have contributed to the PX sound. Hard mathmatical fusion with sensational guitars: 04. Red Air - features - Shreeve, Thomas, Sfogli and Argento, yet another PX vibe tune, maybe this is the new VD band? we shall see, this is the kind of music that really sets Virgil Donati apart from the rest of the drummers out there, as he seems to have a trademark vibe to his arrangements and rhythmic complexity like no other. Even with this great new line up, the vibe transcends. Nice bass solo by Shreeve: 05. Paradise Lost - features - Alex Machacek - guitars, Shreeve - bass, Argento - Keys, Artyom Manukyam - cello. Perhaps the most ambitious sounding song I have heard by VD, very orchestrated, symphonic and sophisticated. Virgil offers some keyboards of his own on this tune. Machacek is amazing as always, and the harp sounds paired with the Cello is excellently integrated with the rest of the music. What a piece. The production is also very deserving of mention here: 06. The Fall of Dreams - Anthony Crawford - bass, Paul Sherman - Oboe/english Horn, Machacek - guitars, VD - Keys. This song like the previous are quite a change in musical direction for VD, showcasing his taste for more than just heavy music, but just as challenging none the less. Superb attention to detail in the orchestration, and great musicianship on display, for whatever reason this music gives me a bit of a Mahavishnu/Shakti vibe, a real treat for the ears: 07. Iceland - features - Tom Kennedy - bass, Rafael Moreira - guitars, Simon Hotsford - guitars, Jeff Babko - keys. Appropriately named song, features some old friends in Hotsford and Babko, who VD has collaborated with in the past. Some really intricate dual soloing by Babko and Moriera make this a special treat, as do their solos: 08. Trinity - feat. Shreeve, Sfogli, Argento, this is more high energy PX meets OTV music, great duets, and equally excellent solos, and some of the most obscene odd meter playing allowed in music: 09. Voice of Reason - featuring - Anthony Crawford - bass, Sfogli and Argento. A trudging track that has no repetition, at least that you can follow, this line up here shows that VD is ready to move ahead here, I truley believe his has found a couple of kindred spirits in Sfogli and Argento, two marvelous Italian musicians who are second to none. Hopefully their involvement here will allow the fusion circles to take notice: 10. The Empire - Feat: Shreeve, Sfogli, Argento, Hotsford and Argento. Why not end the cd in an epic, ten minute display of epic progressive infused fusion music, an adventure with no limits, and the usual display of world class musicianship played masterfully in a band setting, wow!!: So I typically do not enjoy reviewing cds track by track, I felt it was neccessary being each track had unique contributions from so many different artists. I have alway loved most everything Virgil Donati has done from a fusion perspective, OTV and PX will always rate with the very best fusion albums all time with me, and this cd is at the very least, a hint better than those, perhaps because of the contributions of each performer being captured in rare form on this cd. Again the production quality of the sound is as good as it gets, and the details and complexity of the music make it even that much more amazing, this is a masterpiece of heroic proportions, a rare and unique combination of excellence and mastery. A must have for you fusion fans out there. - Review by & © MJBrady © ProGGnosis 2000 - 2014 where appropriate - All rights reserved. http://www.proggnosis.com/Release_Detail.aspx?RID=40087

Another incredible album of complex but original progressive fusion from the Australian drum virtuoso, Virgil Donati aided by six guitarists, four bassists, five keyboardists, a cellist, and an oboist. Virgil Donati doesn’t do things by halves. Only the best musicians play on his albums, as Virgil only plays on the best artist’s albums. Virgil continues to push the limits of percussion and progressive fusion to astonishing new levels. VHR by A.O.O.F.C. Watch a documentary on the making of this album @ http://vimeo.com/74407115 and listen to Virgil’s “Just Add Water” album on this blog. Read more about him @ http://www.virgildonati.com/about_biography.php [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 153 Mb]

TRACKS

1. Rhythm Zero
2. Eleven
3. In This Life
4. Red Air
5. Paradise Lost
6. The Fall Of Dreams
7. Iceland
8. Trinity
9. Voice Of Reason
10. The Empire

All tracks produced, written and arranged by Virgil Donati

MUSICIANS

Marco Sfogli: guitar (1,2,3,4,8,9)
Irwin Thomas: guitar (1,4)
Brett Garsed: guitar (3)
Alex Machacek: guitar (5,6)
Rafael Moreira: guitar (7)
Simon Hosford: guitar (10)
Doug Shreeve: bass (1,3,4,5,8)
Evan Marien: bass (2)
Anthony Crawford: bass (6,9)
Tom Kennedy: bass (7)
Alex Argento: keyboards (1,3-5,8-10)
Ruslan Sirota: keyboards (2)
Dennis Hamm: keyboards (3)
Jeff Babko: keyboards (7)
Virgil Donati - drums: keyboards (5,6)
Artyom Manukyan: cello (5)
Paul Sherman: oboe/english horn (6)

Phil Turcio

Phil Turcio - Signals - 2008 - Phil Turcio

Phil was the resident pianist with the In Melbourne Tonight Band on Channel 9 and Hey Hey It's Saturday. He toured nationally with The Main Event, featuring Olivia Newton John, John Farnham and Anthony Warlow. He also composed a song for The Sydney 2000 Olympics Closing Ceremony. At the age of seven Phil started learning piano with his father John. At sixteen he decided to pursue a career in music and he attended Box Hill College of Music, studying piano with teachers Greg Dixon and Thomas Spivak. The following year he travelled to Naples, Italy, where he undertook specialist classes with classical pianist Antonio Maione. On his return to Australia Phil continued his studies at Melbourne University, with jazz pianist Tony Gould. Since then he has worked in many different fields in the music industry as a Pianist, Composer, Producer, Musical Director and Teacher of classical and jazz piano. Throughout his career Phil has worked with Australia's most accomplished musicians and has accompanied many Australian and International artists. He has worked for Television Channels 7, 9 and 10, and in the recording field has played for many performers, as well as being Producer and Musical Director for numerous events. In 1997/98 Phil was the resident pianist with the In Melbourne Tonight Band on Channel 9. In 1998 he toured nationally with The Main Event, featuring Olivia Newton John, John Farnham and Anthony Warlow. In 1999 he released the album entitled Serious Young Insects with renowned drummer Virgil Donati and his band 'On The Virg', which included many of his compositions. Also that year, Phil Joined the Hey Hey it's Saturday Band for its final season. In the year 2000, the song 'We'll Be One' which he composed with his wife Kylieann, was chosen as the final song for the Sydney 2000 Olympics Closing Ceremony. He has also composed music for various TV series such as Huey's Cooking Adventures on network 10. Recently Phil has released the album State of the Heart with Lisa Edwards, which he also arranged and produced for ABC records. Phil was also the resident keyboard player for The Big Night In in 2005 on network 10. He is currently involved in producing two original recording projects : the first one with US bass player, Ric Fierabracci (Chick Corea Electric Band), and US drummer Joel Rosenblatt (Bill Evans Band/Spyro Gyra) with their band Hemispheres. The other is his first solo album featuring US drumming great Will Kennedy (Yellowjackets/Johnathon Butler), and US sax player Gary Meek (Dave Weckl Band), which is to be released in 2006. Also listen out for Guy Sebastian's new single 'Taller, Stronger, Better', written by Guy Sebastian, Phil Turcio and Gary Pinto, Produced by Phil Turcio. © Rapture Band http://www.raptureband.com.au/bio/phil-turcio

“Signals” is Adelaide born keyboardist Phil Turcio’s (Hemispheres, On The Virg) debut album and features many stellar fusion musicians including bassists Ric Fierabracci and Craig Newman, drummer Dave Weckl, and guitarist Simon Patterson. Phil's versality as a musician keeps him in constant demand. His list of credits include K.D. lang, Dave Weckl, Ric Fierabracci, Virgil Donati, Tom Brechtlein, Will Kennedy, George Garzone, Gary Meek and numerous others. Phil and his band 'Hemispheres' were nominated for a Grammy in 2008 for 'Best New Contemporary Jazz Group'. “Signals” will be classified as “smooth” jazz by some and jazz fusion by others. However, this is not bland jazz. A little on the light side, maybe, but terrific musicianship and well above average compositional skill make the album a worthwhile inclusion on this blog. If you like artists like Chick Corea, and Greg Phillinganes you may like this album by an exciting, and brilliant keyboard player. Check out Ric Fierabracci, Phil Turcio and Joel Rosenblatt’s great “Hemispheres” album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 103 Mb]

TRACKS

1. Beyond Control 5:08
2. Lost 5:38
3. Miracles 6:02
4. Signals 7:42
5. Am I Awake 5:13
6. Solitude 5:22
7. Mystical Mojo 7:18

All tracks composed by Phil Turcio

MUSICIANS

Simon Patterson – Guitar
Craig Newman – Bass on Tracks 2,4
Ric Fierabracci – Bass on Tracks 6,7
Phil Turcio – Piano, Keyboards
Will Kennedy – Drums
Dave Weckl – Drums on Track 5
Gary Meek – Soprano Sax

πR2 (aka ΠR2, Pi-eR-2 , & TTR2)

πR2 (aka ΠR2, Pi-eR-2 , & TTR2) - Transporter - 2005 - Fonografika

πR2 were a Polish instrumental trio jazz rock formed by guitarist Mark Raduli , bassist Wojtek Pilichowski and drummer Thomas Łosowskiego . “Transporter” was a completely non-commercial project but received many positive reviews. Despite a fair degree of success, the band broke up in 2012. If you like Panzerballett, Fragile, Allan Holdsworth, Tribal Tech, etc., you may like πR2’s music. The musicianship on this album is superb and the album alone is worth listening to for Wojtek Pilichowski’s technically brilliant and unique bass playing. Check out the band’s “Time 52” album on this blog @ http://overdoseoffingalcocoa.blogspot.com/2014/04/r2-aka-r2-pi-er-2-ttr2.html where you can read more about the musicians. “Transporter” is HR by A.O.O.F.C [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 133 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. Nowe Buty - Pilichowski, Raduli, Cleancy 4:47
2. Blues W In - Raduli 5:07
3. Lewel - Raduli 5:29
4. Johan - Raduli 5:44
5. Smut - Raduli, Bidiuk 4:27
6. Odwaga Trwa - Pilichowski 4:21
7. E-Impro - Raduli 5:14
8. Pamiec O T.C.O. - Raduli 4:35
9. Riff Connection - Pilichowski 3:44
10. DB - Raduli 12:52

MUSICIANS

Marek Raduli - Guitar
Wojtek Pilichowski - Bass
Wojtek Olszak - Keyboards
Tomasz Losowski - Drums, Percussion
Adam Baldych - Violin

Simon Phillips

Simon Phillips - Protocol II - 2013 - Phantom Recordings

Some of the best Instrumental Jazz/Rock Fusion released in years! Simon Phillips, (Drums & Recording Production), has assembled stellar world class players for this quartet with Ernest Tibbs, (Bass), Andy Timmons, (Guitar) and Steve Weingart, (Keys), for both this recording and live touring. One of the most exciting aspects of this work is the compositions are obviously tailored to be played live in concert. Simon indicates that these tracks were basically recorded live in the studio, so you know these guys are going to nail it in concert as well. This ain't no background music for a cocktail party! High octane and complex music that insists the listener pay attention, which is a strong positive by my standards. That being said, the recording is chock full of "in the pocket" grooves and superb hooks the serious listener will be humming for days. The band is currently on tour in Europe and my understanding is a January 2014 mini tour of East Coast USA is pending. Apparently, this recording is available for sale on CD at live concerts. Hopefully the CD will be available on Amazon eventually. My advise, buy this download now and pick up the CD at a gig later! Check out TV Concert Promo Spot [...] – from ***** MONUMENTAL JAZZ/ROCK FUSION AT IT'S BEST!,November 7, 2013
By & © Robert Graham ""Rockit Bob"" (Portsmouth, NH USA) © 1996-2014, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates http://www.amazon.com/Protocol-II-Simon-Phillips/product reviews/B00FLRJTWM/ref=cm_cr_dp_synop?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending#RG6OCV6W0YPF0

Stunning instrumental jazz/rock from the great percussionist Simon Phillips, & HR by A.O.O.F.C. Check out Simon’s “Symbiosis” album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 137 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Wildfire - Phillips 7:26
2 Soothsayer - Phillips/Weingart/Timmons/Tibbs 8:57
3 Gemini - Phillips 7:53
4 Moments of Fortune - Phillips/Timmons 8:13
5 Upside in Downside Up - Phillips/Weingart/Timmons/Tibbs 6:58
6 First Orbit - Phillips/Weingart 6:34
7 Octopia - Phillips/Weingart 3:41
8 Enigma - Phillips/Weingart/Timmons 9:17

MUSICIANS

Andy Timmons - Guitars
Ernest Tibbs - Bass
Steve Weingart - Keyboards
Simon Phillips – Drums

BIO

An innovative, aggressive drummer, Simon Phillips embarked on his musical career at an early age. He showed affinity for the drums quickly -- beginning with a toy kit at age four, moving on to a snare and cymbal set at six; by age 12, Phillips was performing and recording with his father's Dixieland jazz band. After his father's death, Phillips left the jazz band and began exploring other musical styles, including rock and musicals. A gig as a drummer for a production of Jesus Christ Superstar led to session work, drumming on the demos of various cast members. As his connections in the music scene grew, so did his session credits: From the '70s onward, Phillipsperformed with prominent rock and jazz artists like Jeff Beck, Pete Townshend, Gil Evans, Stanley Clark, Frank Zappa, and Peter Gabriel. By 1997, however, Phillips was ready to lead his own band. Joined by a cast of seasoned rock and jazz musicians including guitarists Ray Russell and Andy Timmons, saxophonist Wendell Brooks, bassist Anthony Jackson, and percussionist Peter Michael Escovedo, Phillips began touring as a bandleader. This lineup also recorded Phillips' 1997 album Another Lifetime. Three years later, Vantage Point was released. © Heather Phares 2014 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/simon-phillips-mn0000754875

Darren Housholder

Darren Housholder - Symphonic Aggression - 1995 - Shrapnel Records

The last of three recordings guitar-instrumentalist Darren Housholder released on Shrapnel Records, Symphonic Aggression is the musician's most accomplished record. Improved production and a more developed rhythmic concept elevate this 1995 release above Housholder's earlier efforts. The clean guitar funk and jazz explorations falter, but the Berklee Music graduate's fluid rock soloing -- the heart of all three Housholder releases -- are his best ever. Guitar enthusiasts will enjoy the much improved Strat guitar tones and bassist Ricky Wolking's killer performances. As the title suggests, Symphonic Aggression is Housholder and his band's (Wolking and drummer Ray Lozier) most classically influenced disc. Sounding occasionally like classical metal's most heroic guitarist, Yngwie Malmsteen, Housholderperforms blistering solos over Bach- and Chopin-inspired key modulations. The classical dramatics hold up through the first half of the record before the disc shifts into the more conventional rock feel used in Housholder's first two releases. Even when Symphonic Aggression loses its neo-classical momentum, Lozier and Wolking give the arrangements energy and depth. The rhythm section's full tones and interesting polyrhythms provide a welcome dynamic to the standard shredder material. Housholder's solo work typifies a genre of music made by (and for) the most technically inclined rock musicians. Fans of this complicated, sometimes difficult music will enjoy Symphonic Aggression; clearly the guitarist's most impressive record to date.
© Vincent Jeffries © 2014 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/symphonic-aggression-mw0001883809

Darren Housholder is an excellent guitarist, a very high class performer and a graduate of Berklee School of Music. He also was a faculty member of Berklee teaching Modern Rock Guitar. Darren can play almost any technique and style. Guitar magazine called him a "thoroughly modern player with sass, sparks and control." He has an awesome talent for soloing . On “Symphonic Aggression”, Darren uses a lot of neoclassical stylings, vibrato and legato phrases and even though “Symphonic Aggression” is not his best album, it reveals the Los Angeles musician as a hugely talented and accomplished guitarist. Listen to his “Generator Man” album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 132 Mb]

TRACKS

1 When in Rome
2 Dinner With Wolfgang II
3 Expresso
4 Mayday
5 Middle of the Night
6 The Juice Is Loose
7 Hello
8 Running Scared
9 Crying for You
10 Dance of Sir Rockstr le Earthquake Doggie

All tracks composed by Darren Housholder except Track 10 composed by Darren Housholder, Ray Luzier, & Ricky Wolking

MUSICIANS

Darren Housholder - Guitar
Ricky Wolking - Bass
Ray Lozier - Drums

Simon Phillips

Simon Phillips - Another Lifetime - 1997 - Magna Carta

An innovative, aggressive drummer, Simon Phillips embarked on his musical career at an early age. He showed affinity for the drums quickly -- beginning with a toy kit at age four, moving on to a snare and cymbal set at six; by age 12, Phillips was performing and recording with his father's Dixieland jazz band. After his father's death, Phillips left the jazz band and began exploring other musical styles, including rock and musicals. A gig as a drummer for a production of Jesus Christ Superstar led to session work, drumming on the demos of various cast members. As his connections in the music scene grew, so did his session credits: From the '70s onward, Phillipsperformed with prominent rock and jazz artists like Jeff Beck, Pete Townshend, Gil Evans, Stanley Clark, Frank Zappa, and Peter Gabriel. By 1997, however, Phillips was ready to lead his own band. Joined by a cast of seasoned rock and jazz musicians including guitarists Ray Russell and Andy Timmons, saxophonist Wendell Brooks, bassist Anthony Jackson, and percussionist Peter Michael Escovedo, Phillips began touring as a bandleader. This lineup also recorded Phillips' 1997 album Another Lifetime. Three years later, Vantage Point was released. © Heather Phares 2014 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/simon-phillips-mn0000754875

If you took musicians who have worked on projects with artists as diverse as Olivia Newton-John, Vanilla Ice, Tim McGraw, Julio Iglesias, Tina Turner, the London Symphony Orchestra, Ashford & Simpson, the Bee Gees, George Benson, Jimmy Buffett, Chick Corea, the Doobie Brothers, the Four Tops, Stephane Grappelli, Lena Horne, Joe Jackson, Madonna, the O'Jays, John Sebastian, Doc Severinsen, Simon & Garfunkel, Steely Dan, Dionne Warwick,Sadao Watanabe, Jon Anderson, Big Country, Roger Daltrey, Mick Jagger, Judas Priest, Mike Oldfield, Trevor Rabin, Joe Satriani, and Whitesnake and put them together on a project, several questions might come to mind. Among those questions might be: Just how big of an army is this? Another would certainly be: What kind of music would these people make? Well, the answer to the first question is, just seven people (Simon Phillips, Andy Timmons, Wendell Brooks, Jeff Babko, Ray Russell, Anthony Jackson, and Pete Escovedo). The answer to the second question is not as simple to answer, but far more interesting. Overall the CD is a very enjoyable variety of jazz, but certainly progressive rock leanings and other sounds do emerge. Expect to hear funk alongside elements of both Pat Metheny and Al Dimeola. Don't be surprised if you pick up on hints of vintage Genesis. As one might expect with musicians boasting the above credentials, the album is exceptionally strong, both in terms of writing and performance. Also coming as no surprise, the drumming is top-notch and makes up a lot of the interest of the CD. However, the rest of the band definitely keep up their ends as well, serving up their unique blend of fusion. This is one that should serve to entertain both jazz aficionados and fans of progressive rock equally well. They just don't make them a lot better than this. © Gary Hill © 2014 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved

A brilliant prog-rock, fusion and jazz release from the great drummer Simon Phillips with great compositions and outstanding musicianship from Simon and musicians that include guitarist Ray Russell, bassist Anthony Jackson, and the wonderful Jeff Babko on keys. VHR by A.O.O.F.C. Check out Simon Phillips’ “Symbiosis” album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 138 Mb]

TRACKS

1 Jungleyes 8:07
2 P O V 5:55
3 Freudian Slip 6:45
4 Eyes Blue For You 5:40
5 Kumi Na Moja 8:13
6 Mountain High 5:40
7 E S P 6:10
8 Euphrates 6:36
9 Another Lifetime 6:34

Tracks 3,5,7 composed by Simon Phillips: Tracks 1,2,4,6,8,9 composed by Simon Phillips & Ray Russell

MUSICIANS

Ray Russell - Guitars
Anthony Jackson - Bass
Jeff Babko – Keyboards
Simon Phillips - Drums
Peter Michael Escovedo - Percussion
Wendell Brooks - Saxes

πR2 (aka ΠR2, Pi-eR-2 , & TTR2)

πR2 (aka ΠR2, Pi-eR-2 , & TTR2) - Time 52 - 2008 - REC Records / Friends Records

πR2 were a Polish instrumental trio jazz rock formed by guitarist Mark Raduli , bassist Wojtek Pilichowski and drummer Thomas Łosowskiego . In 2005 , the group released their “Transporter” album which was a completely non-commercial project but received many positive reviews. In November 2008 , the band released “Time 52”. Despite a fair degree of success, the band split in 2012. Try and listen to the band’s “Transporter” album. If you like Panzerballett, Fragile, Allan Holdsworth, Tribal Tech, etc., you may enjoy this album. The musicians on this album are technically brilliant and this is an album you will listen to again, and worthy of inclusion on this blog [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 145 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Minarets Voice - Raduli 5:44
2 Efo Blues - Pilichowski 8:09
3 Sztander - Pilichowski 6:31
4 Acoustic Light - Raduli 5:52
5 M.T.W - Bidiuk, Raduli, Pilichowski 5:31
6 One and a Half - Raduli, Sztadjel 6:20
7 The Last One - Raduli 5:38
8 Our Journey - Raduli 7:54

BAND

Marek Raduli - Guitar
Wojtek Pilichowski - Bass
Tomasz Losowski - Drums

ABOUT MAREK RADULI

Marek Raduli was born in south-west Poland in 1959. He received a thorough musical education (percussion class, completed in 1980). Since 1982 he has been working as a professional guitarist in many popular and famous pop and rock groups (including “Budka Suflera”- one of the few top Polish supergroups). He was a contributor to the creation of more than 30 albums recorded with first-class performers. He also cooperated with jazz musicians, steadily developing his interests in the field of fusion music. That resulted in producing his own record, “MSS” (“Mexican Symbol of Happiness”, 1996), which was later reissued twice (1998, 2001). In 1997 Raduli was hailed as “the Guitarist of the Year” by the most prestigious Polish music magazine “Gitara i Bas”; since then he has been occupying top positions in the magazine’s charts. Since 1999, Raduli has been regularly invited to many musical training sessions organized all over Poland as a lecturer. In 2003 he decided to create his own group “Pi-eR-2”. (Or TTR2) To form a trio, he teamed up with his two friends; Wojtek Pilichowski (very active in performing pop, fusion and jazz music, drummer of the rising generation, famous for his technical virtuosity, the author of many handbooks teaching how to play the bass) and Tomek Losowski. Both of them were chosen to be “the Best Rhythmic Section” in the year 2004 (by above-mentioned music magazine, “Gitara i Bas”). Raduli also works in many other settings (e.g. he appears in groups formed by Krzysztof Scieranski, very well-known in Europe as a solo bassist), but his own trio was a ‘Number One Project’. Their successful debut took place in Germany at “Ingolstadter Jazz Tage 2003”. Being heard in many other configurations, for quite a long time, Raduli played simultaneously in a band called “Funk dE Nite” (several concert tours and live album – 2004) together with trumpeter Saskia Laroo (Holland), bassist Steve Logan (USA) and a keyboard & vocal magician, Warren Byrd (USA). Raduli also had his contribution playing in a quartet created by Zbigniew Jakubek (one of the best Polish keyboardists). Raduli has never been confined to the stage only; he managed to generate music to a feature film (2004), he is pleased to contribute his talents to many charity projects (helping poor children in Poland or other musicians with serious health problems or tsunami victims). He is always ready to help young performers by taking part in their recording sessions. He is also willing to play with alternative or “niche” groups, e.g. Carrantouhill – a Polish band performing Celtic/Irish folk music. In 2004 they decided to record material for an album together with such Polish jazz giants as vocal world-star Ula (Urszula) Dudziak, Wojciech Karolak (kbs & Hammond), Tomasz Szukalski (sax), bass-master Krzysztof Scieranski and vibraphone virtuoso, Bernard Maseli. Raduli’s skills are widely recognized and appreciated; he has been constantly topping the Internet charts and rankings ( www.fusion.pl ) as the best Polish guitarist playing fusion/jazz-rock music, and his guitar solos have become well-known standards in Polish pop and rock music. In March of 2005, first CD of ‘Pi-eR-2’ group - ‘TRANSPORTER’ - was released, supported by intensive line of live performances in jazz clubs all around Poland. In a whole year of 2005, Marek gave almost 100 concerts (with various bands) and accepted several invitations to play guitar as guest on recordings sessions of various artists. Also, he started to collect material for his second solo album, which release is planned on spring of 2007. The band was created by Krzysztof Ścierański - bg, Paul Wertico - dr (ex-Pat Metheny Group, SBB), Bernard Maseli - vib (Walk Avay) and Marek Raduli - g. Several concerts including Poland, Slovakia (Bratislava), Hungary (Budapest) and Germany (Ingolstadt, XXI Jazztage Festiwal). Edited by bmxgamer on 19 Jan 2007, 11:05 © 2014 Last.fm Ltd. All rights reserved http://www.last.fm/music/Marek+Raduli/+wiki

ABOUT WOJTEK PILICHOWSKI

Wojtek Pilichowski (born 16 April 1969 in Warsaw, Poland) - Polish bass virtuoso, session musician, composer. He has worked with many popular Polish pop/rock artists - Jan Bo, Natalia Kukulska, Kasia Kowalska. His own projects are - jazz trio TTr2 and funk/fusion Pilichowski Band. He also plays in Polish supergroup Woobie Doobie. Wojtek Pilichowski is honored by many prestigious Polish awards, including: Playbox award (a prize awarded by all prime radio stations in the country) for Best Bassist in the following years: 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001 “Gitara i Bas” [“Guitar and Bass”] magazine poll (the winner is chosen by the readers of the magazine) for Best Bassist: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003 for Best Rhythm Section: 2001 (with drummer Michał Dąbrówka): 2003 (with drummer Tomasz Łosowski): He also appears on music workshops as an esteemed teacher. © 2014 Last.fm Ltd. All rights reserved http://www.last.fm/music/Wojtek+Pilichowski

ABOUT TOMASZ LOSOWSKI

One of the most known drummers in Poland. Composer, sideman, teacher (author of the first professional video school for drum set). He has played with many Polish artists. He recorded over 40 albums (including his solo album “C.V.”). He got the “The Guitar& The Bass+ The Drums” ’s award for the best Polish drummer of the year 2004. Together with Slawek Losowski [his father] he plays large outdoor ‘Light and sound’ concerts. At the concerts they present the music of Slawek Losowski www.myspace.com/slawomirlosowski Tom Losowski is a member of the band PiR2 (Marek Raduli – guitars, Wojtek Pilichowski – bass, Tom Losowski – drums) (www.myspace.com/pierdwa). He is an appreciated teacher, willingly participates in many different musical projects, workshops, clinics and drum shows. Tom has a professional recording studio. He records drum tracks for different musicians and bands. He can record drum tracks in his studio FOR YOU and SEND IT BY INTERNET! Tracks can be send in WAVE system, which fits to PRO TOOLS sessions . There is a list of studio equipment: (http://tlosowski.republika.pl/nagrywanie/nagrywanie.html) He writes articles for the popular Polish drum magazine „PERKUSISTA” (www.myspace.com/magazynperkusista). His new video school for the drum set appears there. He is always ready to play and open to new ideas and new proposals from bands, artists, songwriters, managers… If you want to listen to more of Tom’s drum sessions you can go there: http://www.tlosowski.republika.pl/mp3/mp32.html - Edited by ShadowOfTheMan on 16 Mar 2010, 23:19 Sources http://www.myspace.com/tomlosowski © 2014 Last.fm Ltd. All rights reserved http://www.last.fm/music/Tomasz+%C5%81osowski/+wiki

Tom Principato Band

Tom Principato Band - I Know What You're Thinkin' - 1988 - Powerhouse Records

This is the sophomore release for the Tom Principato Band after the leader Tom Principato launched his solo career. Continuing in the grand tradition of their first CD "Smokin'" which I highly recommend seeking out, the guitarist/vocalist again partners with Steve Wolf on bass and Clark Matthews on drums. This trio, assisted here and there by organ fills and horn arrangements, is a real threat, and they dish out some fine rock-n-roll that is infused with some jazz and some blues/soul. Tom Principato contributes 2 originals, the jumping "Try to Reach You" and the searing instrumental "Blue Lights", which he thinks is one of the best songs he ever wrote. While I think that "Blue Lights" certainly finds a rival in the title track of Tom's "In The Clouds" CD, it is definitely a composition that should have been considered for a Grammy. Steve Wolf, who is a remarkable bass player in his own right, contributes 3 originals that bring a greater strength and diversity to the album. With Steve Wolf paired up with Clark Matthews on drums, the rhythm section in this power trio is rock solid and tighter than a bull's butt. The choice of covers on this album is quite fun: "Congo Square" by Sonny Landreth, "Never Make a Move Too Soon" which has been a staple in BB King's repertoire, and "Honeydripper" by Art Neville. The band does an excellent job with the covers, really making them their own and delivering a really fun rendition of "Never Make a Move Too Soon" -- Tom also nails the vocals down to a tee on this great tune. That being said, Tom does a super job with the vocals throughout. As an added bonus, the sound quality is remarkable throughout this album. The sample MP3s don't really do this album much justice -- you have to hear it in its entirety to judge. The CD version for some reason isn't available on Amazon but is available directly on Tom's website for those who like the hard piece of plastic :-)- By & © Denis (NJ, USA) “***** Infectious American rock-n-roll, right up with the best of 'em, August 23, 2010” © 1996-2014, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates http://www.amazon.com/product-reviews/B000QZYK3C/ref=acr_dpdigitalmusic_text/175-5373449-9600335?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

The great and underrated guitarist Tom Principato has a rich blues background, and a genuine love of the blues. He is long known to guitar aficionados for his beautiful fluid playing technique. The legendary Pat Metheny once said of Tom, “He has an enormous talent at telling stories in his solos; he doesn't play 'standard' licks". Tom's albums cover everything from blues, jazz, country and high-energy rock to Latin and Eastern influenced neo-classical music”.“ I Know What You're Thinkin'” covers blues, soul, funk and rock played with genuine passion. This album is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Check out Tom’s “Blues Over The Years” album on this blog, and try and listen to Tom’s great “Tip of the Iceberg” album. Buy his terrific instrumental "Not One Word" album and support real music [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 92.3 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 I Won't Recover - Steve Wolf 3:56
2 Never Make Your Move Too Soon - Stix Hooper / Will Jennings / Nesmond Hooper Jr. 5:16
3 Rose Marie - Steve Wolf 3:50
4 Blue Lights - Tom Principato 6:13
5 Congo Square - Sonny Landreth 5:50
6 Try To Reach You - Tom Principato 3:00
7 I Know What You're Thinkin' - Steve Wolf 3:50
8 Honeydripper - Art Neville 5:29

MUSICIANS

Tom Principato - Guitar, Lap Steel Guitar, 6 String Bass Guitar, Bass, Electric Bass, Vocals
Steve Wolf - Bass, Vocal Harmony
Tom Lepson - Hammond Organ, Vocals, Vocal Harmony
Clark Matthews - Drums, Vocals, Harmony Vocals
David Palmer - Drums, Percussion
Pete Barrenbregge - Tenor Sax
Scott Young - Tenor Sax, Horn
Dave Brink - Baritone Sax
Bruce Gates, Vaughn Nark - Trumpet
Rick Lillard - Trombone
Mary Chapin Carpenter, Margot Kunkel, Cindy Wallman - Backing Vocals

BIO

Guitarist, singer, and songwriter Tom Principato has long been a regional star in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. He has toured nationally around the U.S., Canada, and Europe, but often the venues are clubs. His particular blend of blues-rock is highly specific; jazz guitar master Pat Metheny said of Principato, "he has an enormous talent at telling stories in his solos; he doesn't play 'standard' licks." Raised in suburban Washington, D.C. his early guitar playing heroes included Roy Buchanan and Danny Gatton. He listened to his parents' recordings by the likes of Chet Atkins and the Benny Goodman Sextet with Charlie Christian, and like a lot of kids, discovered the power of Chicago blues in his high school years. Earlier in his professional career, Principato divided his time between two still-great cities for blues, Washington, D.C. and Boston. Principato was the leader of a band, Powerhouse, whose only album but lively shows made them a major club attraction in the late '70s. In 1980, Principato also joined guitarist Geoff Muldaur on the road and recorded an album with him as a member of his band. Back home in D.C. in 1981, he sought out and hooked up with a number of musicians, including Big Mama Thornton, Billy Price, and Sunnyland Slim and the Assassins, a band that included Nighthawks guitarist Jimmy Thackery.Principato recorded two albums with the Assassins, No Previous Record(1986) and Partners in Crime (1987). By 1987, Principato had launched his own solo career, playing at various nightclubs in and around D.C. and northern Virginia with varying trios. He made a live recording with his early mentor, Danny Gatton, Blazing Telecasters, which was later released in 1990. Since 1984, Principato has recorded many solo albums featuring his own varying groups. They include Smokin! (1986) I Know What You're Thinkin(1988) Blazing Telecasters with Danny Gatton, In Orbit (1990) Tip of the Iceberg (1992), In the Clouds (1995), and Really Blue (1998). He releasedBlues Over the Years in 1999, Not One Word in 2000, Live in Europe in 2001, Fingers on Fire with Pete Kennedy (now of the folk-rock duo the Kennedys) in 2002, House on Fire in 2003, Oh No! More Blazing Telecasters in 2005, and Guitar Gumbo, released that same year. His most recent recording, Raising the Roof, was released in 2008. Through the years, Principato has released records on his own Powerhouse Records label, as well as with the now-defunct, Atlanta-based Ichiban label. His live shows, often accompanied by just a bassist and drummer, are exciting, with lots of guitar pyrotechnics and great playing from the other members of his ensemble. Since the 1990s, Principato has enjoyed ongoing endorsement deals with Fender guitars, DR String Co., Seymour Duncan pickups, and Roger Mayer effects pedals. (The London-based Mayer made a variety of effects pedals and electronic gadgets for Jimi Hendrix.) Based in Falls Church, VA., when he's not out delivering his powerful live shows to crowds in clubs and theaters, Principatois like lot of unheralded blues and roots rock performers; he spends a lot of time in Europe, where the crowds in general seem to be much more appreciative of indigenous American styles. Other than a brief flirtation with Island Records, he has never been signed to a major label. © Richard Skelly
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