John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimension played two concerts at Nasjonal Jazzscene in Oslo, Norway, November 28, 2014. His band consisted of, as has been the case some years now, of Ranjit Barot (drums and vocals), Etienne Mbappe (bass) and Gary Husband (keyboards and drums). The concert opened with the powering chords of Raju, then a bluesy Little Miss Valley. The third number was Abbaji, dedicated ... »
PERSONNEL: Ranjit Barot — Drums and Vocals ; U. Shrinivas — Electric Mandolin ; Etienne MBappe — Bass and Vocals TRACKS: 1. Pack Up Your Bags 2. Sona Inon 3. Longue Lami 4. Tempest 5. Third World 6. Bombay Makossa You know the names on this recording: drummer Ranjit Barot, bassist Etienne MBappe, and mandolin maestro U. Shrinivas. You know they have played together: Barot and MBappe as the rhythm ... »
When tasked to review this book, it immediately dawned on me how there is very little tutorial information about rhythmic concepts out there. Plenty of educational material deals with harmony and melody, but nothing I’ve seen presents the more challenging concepts of advanced rhythms quite like this book. This material is geared towards intermediate and advanced-level players, and a basic understa... »
Peter Fernandes is a jack-of-all-trades, showing incredible proficiency in several areas. His talents are proudly displayed with the release of his new album Q.E.D., an album Fernandes composed, tracked, mixed and played keyboards and synth. Q.E.D. features a plethora of guest musicians on a variety of instruments, including Gary Husband, Greg Howe, Virgil Donati, and Richard Hallebeek. To allow e... »
AL GARCIA: AN EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST by Angel Romeo (www.progressiverockcentral.com) Tampering with Nature is the latest release by indie progressive music artist Al Garcia. The exciting composer and multi-instrumentalist dominates guitars and bass, and also plays drums and percussion as well. Tampering with Nature combines the best of jazz fusion, progressive rock, classical, gu... »
In the past few years fusion music has slowly witnessed a new genre gradually work its way into the melting pot. Many young guitarists are obviously raised along side the classic roots of fusion music, while also exposed to and influenced by heavier metal and the shred guitar of late 80’s. While icons of this new era like Tosin Abasi or Ben Weinman have embraced the heavier of these influences, gr... »
Composer and drummer Don Peretz has teamed up with Oz Noy to create the collaborative EP Manufactured Region. This five track EP exhibits a cross of fusion and electronic improvisation over the backdrop of industrial textured soundscapes. These songs show a momentary departure from Noy’s iconic blues style, yet still maintains his personality and tone. The pieces create strong imagery and at times... »
Time in a beautiful place can be the impetus for great art. One without the other, leaves a lot to be desired. Every once in a while, everything lines up and when that happens, that precious moment must be celebrated. However, the beholder must walk a fine line, they have a responsibility. They must capture the moment, and turn it into a timeless expression, that engages a multitude of emotions. D... »
Very little about Oscar Utterstrom could be described as predictable, beginning with the fact that he plays electric trombone. So the Sweden-born graduate of the Berklee College of Music — who moved to Nashville, of all places, and earned his masters at Middle Tennessee State University — bringing back the bulk of the cast from his debut CD Home qualifies as the only expected aspect of... »
Out of the Blue is an appropriate title for guitarist Ken Talve’s second CD, since the double-disc is a rich helping of the jazz and rock tributaries he navigates through a blues-influenced undercurrent. Along with trio partners Chris Eisner Jr. (bass) and Anthony Cerabino (drums), Talve charts a 13-song, 94-minute course through what might have been for Stevie Ray Vaughan. That blues/rock s... »