Reviews

An Evening with The Ringers Which musicians would make up your dream band? A common icebreaker question next to desert island movies, but for a large group of fans outside the Neighborhood Theater in Charlotte, NC on the night of February 20th, this question had an easy answ ...

This is a fascinating and oft times invigorating album: it's literally 'All Over The Place' - and I mean that in a very positive sense - but it also, because of the sequencing of the songs, comes across as a really enjoyable cohesive whole. Equally eye opening (well, Ea ...

Jan-Mikael’s EARS: Linear Sphere: ‘Manvantara’ Evaluation: Linear Sphere's latest record, "Manvantara" adroitly continues in the tradition of  the Mahavishnu Orchestra in blazing a trail across the barren wasteland of what is considered fusi ...

Anyone who hasn't heard of Texas-based guitarist Mark Lettieri will wonder why upon listening to his debut CD, Knows. A seasoned and versatile session player, Lettieri grew up in California listening to the wide range of iconic bands that emerged from the state during the 1970s ...

Donna Grantis Electric Band: Suites 2012-06-01 Bill Meredith Fusion music is often lumped in with either "rock" or "jazz," from record store bins up through modern Internet retail purchasing, because fusion is looked upon as more of a sub-genre than ...

Jeff Kollman: Silence In the Corridor 2012-06-03 Bill Meredith A modern guitarist for all seasons, Los Angeles-based Jeff Kollman moves seamlessly between everything from electric funk and metal to acoustic folk and blues on his new CD, Silence In the Corridor. Release ...

Ben Tyree: Thoughtform Variations 2012-06-03 Bill Meredith There's arguably no more baring of a studio situation than an acoustic guitarist recording an unaccompanied instrumental CD, since it involves no effects, amplification or vocals to clothe the otherwise nak ...

It's been a while since I've been sent something for a review. It's always a perk to running a site like this. My latest was an excellent CD by guitarist Lou Pecci, called Spaghetti Western Themes on Nylon String Guitar. And the album's a real treat, let me tell ya& ...

Gary Husband’s latest album, Dirty & Beautiful Volume 2 , is the follow-up to the well-received Volume 1. The music manages to be both evocative and forward-looking. This is no easy trick. All-star albums can present problems. The music can be difficult to take on to ...

Many instrumental guitar trios capably blend jazz, rock and blues elements,but the one led by Australian guitarist Danny John takes a harder stance. With feet firmly planted on the metallic side of the fence, John, bassist Marcos Gil and drummer James Dennett occasionally dip a toe ...

John McLaughlin, Philipe Catherine, Sylvain Luc, Mike Stern, Bireli Lagrene, Richard Bona, Dede Ceccareli, Dennis Chambers and Joey DeFrancesco had an all-star performance in Monte Carlo, Monaco on November 24, 2011. This was actually the first time in many years that The Free Spirits ...

Like his idol, the late Joe Zawinul, Hungarian keyboardist Art "Spike" Schloemer seeks to erase whatever perceived lines lie between jazz, rock, funk and world music. On his new TransFUSION CD, Schloemer arrives well- armed for the task by enlisting some of jazz/fusion's top ...

Like his idol, the late Joe Zawinul, keyboardist Art "Spike" Schloemer seeks to erase whatever perceived lines lie between jazz, rock, funk and world music. On his new TransFUSION CD, Schloemer arrives well- armed for the task by enlisting some of jazz/fusion's top open-mind ...

Norwegian guitarist Jarle H. Olsen’s new album Quadrasonic features a tightly produced collection of progressive metal compositions that are brimming with soaring melodicism, clever arrangements, and absolutely insane chops. Olsen is joined on the all instrumental disc by keyboardis ...

A 25-year veteran of the European touring circuit despite not yet being 40 years old, French guitarist Renaud Louis-Servais shows inherent seasoning on his self-titled quartet's new Iluna debut. The crafty leader most recently performed and practiced with his rhythm section of Henri D ...

Dark Matter is Brett Garsed’s first solo release since 2002’s Big Sky, and it’s well worth the wait. The Australian guitarist is well known in the guitar community for his peerless hybrid-picking technique, though associating him solely with this facet of his playing short-chang ...

John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimension played a phenomenal concert at Molde Jazz Festival, July 21, 2011. There is one personell change. Ranjit Barot has taken over for Mark Mondesir on drums. The set comprised, among others, Raju, The Unknown Dissident, Recovery, Senor C.S., Hijack ...

On November 20th and 21st 2010, cutting edge jazz and fusion recording label Abstract Logix held their first New Universe Music Festival at the Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh North Carolina. This incredible event brought together an array of the label’s top artists to not only perform f ...

John McLaughlin and Carlos Santana opened the Montreux Jazz Festival this year performing the first concert. The band comprised Etienne Mbappe (bass), Dennis Chambers (drums), Cindy Blackman Santana (drums) as well as keyboards, vocals and additional instruments. They covered a vast ...

Like the late actor with whom he shares a name, Philadelphia-based keyboardist Richard Burton knows all about playing roles and parts within an ensemble cast. Fat Samba is only the second CD under Burton's name during a lengthy career of sideman and session work, but it includes frequ ...