|
JOE GOLDMARK
on Lo-Ball
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IKE TURNER
on Zoho Roots
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THE WHO
on Universal Republic
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SPRING
2007
MUSIC & RECORD LABEL SPOTLIGHT
A&E
- With this 2007 DVD release on A&E, Paul McCartney
makes good on the promise he made to his many American fans on his
historic U.S. Fall tour of 2005. That tour with his current band is
captured on this sweeping DVD and is packed with all the big hits
and is played to perfection with Paul and his band, including guitarists
Rusty Anderson and Brian Ray. In addition to featuring
the concert there’s live sound check clips of the McCartney group
on stage, including a sonic take on “Friends To Go.” Further
DVD perks include the pre-show film, two documentaries and souvenir
booklet with fab pics and notes by Cameron Crowe. www.paulmccartney.com
AMH RECORDS - With a background in jazz, rock and R&B, California
guitarist J. Thompson follows up the release of his 2003 Romantic
Nights album with the 2006 CD Inside World. Coming
in under the smooth jazz genre, the album offers a breezy collection
of guitar instrumentals. Some top players back Thompson including
harmonica ace Norton Buffalo. Summing up his CD, Thompson adds,
‘My favorite thing about this album is that is has a retro sound
- it’s new “old” music. It feels familiar to many of
us who grew up with jazz, rock and funk but it is contemporary and
fresh at the same time.’ On Inside World, Thompson breathes
new life into the guitar world. www.jaythompsonmusic.net
AT0 RECORDS - Rodrigo Sanchez and Gabriela Quintero,
a/k/a Rodrigo Y Gabriela are a hot commodity in the guitar
world these days. The two Dublin-based Mexican acoustic guitarists
blend their love of flamenco with a vast knowledge of Latin folk and
classic rock. According to Gabriela, ‘To many music fans, it
sounds like flamenco, and we’re great flamenco fans, but we don’t
play it. The only similarity is that our music is guitar music and
it’s very rhythmic.’ Produced by rock producer John Leckie,
the nine track CD features some dazzling guitar pyrotechnics including
an instrumental flamenco flavored reworking of “Stairway To Heaven,”
which they claim was first inspired by another version of the rock
classic by jazz guitarist Stanley Jordan. In addition, the CD set
features a bonus DVD featuring interviews and live concert clips.
www.rodgab.com
ALCHEMY - With Tony Levin and Vinnie Sabatino as
his rhythm section, Jon Durant surveys a wide range of musical
soundscapes on the 2007 CD release of Flood. On Flood, Durant
coaxes indescribable textures through crafty use of his 12 string
guitar, here replacing the tuned percussives. Levin’s work on
stick, upright and 5 string bass fits right in as does the hand drums
of Vinnie Sabatino. With his arsenal of guitar textures and sounds,
not to mention spiffy mellotron playing, Durant follows a kindred
path of eclectic instrumental rock guitarists such as Terje Rypdal
and Robert Fripp. Like Fripp and Rypdal, Durant is tasteful and experimental.
Heavy Jazz for the new millennium, Flood is a fine showcase
for Durant’s compelling skills as a composer and guitarist. www.jondurant.com
AIX - Veteran jazz rock guitar ace Carl Verheyen is also
a great singer and blends his skills on a mostly vocal nine track
CD consisting of six vocals with three instrumentals. Always known
for a sizzling performance and hot fretboard skills, Verheyen is in
rare form on Take One Step. Verheyen’s sound
has always had a similar tone as Metheny, but he’s clearly on
a more rock-based path, a sound he adds to with his jazz-rock chops.
In addition to the stereo CD of Take One Step, AIX add in a
bonus DVD complete with an hour documentary on the making of the CD
including an depth interview with Verheyen and drummer Chad Wackerman,
along with 5.1 surround and stereo mixes. A high tech CD/DVD release
to be sure, however the most impressive thing here is always Verheyen’s
versatile guitar and vocal performance. www.carlverheyen.com
APPLE / CAPITOL - Described as a unique soundscape created from
experimental mixes from the band’s master tapes, Love is
a unique collaboration between Beatles producer George Martin,
his son Giles Martin and Cirque du Soleil. Recreating
various Beatles songs from various mixes and edits taken the group’s
session tapes, Love works on a number of levels and should
provide a real kick for Beatles watchers. Of course, The Beatles were
experimenting themselves back in the ‘60s with mono / stereo
masters, outakes, instrumentals and the like but now that it’s
fashionable, this ‘mash-up’ CD should strike a nerve with
long time fans and casual observers alike. Or in Paul McCartney’s
words, ‘This album puts The Beatles back together again, because
suddenly there’s John and George with me and Ringo. It’s
kind of magical.’ www.thebeatles.com
ASTRALWERKS - He’s been described as the Salvador Dali of
rock ‘n’ roll and the legacy of Captain Beefheart And
The Magic Band is renewed on two early 2007 reissues on Astralwerks.
An early cohort of Frank Zappa, Beefheart employed the talents of
some wildly inventive rock musicians including guitarists Gary
Lucas and Jeff Moris Tepper. Lucas is featured on both
‘80s Doc At The Radar Station and from ‘82,
Ice Cream For Crow. Following Crow, Beefheart
stopped recording in order to concentrate on poetry and painting,
turning into a virtual recluse. As both these reissues point out Beefheart’s
avant gard rock / jazz hybrid was a bit ahead of its time but in retrospect
it holds up well and you can actually see what all the fuss was all
about back then. Both reissues include 2006 liner notes from Mike
Barnes. www.astralwerks.com
BHP MUSIC - If Mozart played guitar and liked slamming late
‘90s dance music, he might have made a record like Junglization—the
latest from New York’s Asphalt Jungle. Guitarist Brian
Tarquin and Chris Ingram have been making some truly way
out jazzy discoid electronica that sounds somewhat inspired by the
late ‘70s disco instrumental sound of ‘70s dance music king
Giorgio Moroder meets the mid ‘70s guitar sound of Curtis Mayfield
as played by late ‘90s Jeff Beck. With a solid background in
both soundtrack and television music, Tarquin is the master of funked
up fusion and with his Beatmaster in full bloom, Tarquin lets it rip
with symphony of funky rhythms and sounds. Inspired by the spray painted
subway car imagery on the latest AJ CD cover, Tarquin’s electri-fried
guitar playing heads up a steamy vision of urban blur that at once
mesmerizes and paralizes. www.bohemianproductions.net
BLOODSHOT RECORDS - Simply put, country music was never quite
as cool as it sounds on the 2007 CD from pedal steel ace Jon Rauhouse
entitled Jon Rauhouse’s Steel Guitar Heart Attack.
Featuring Tommy Connell on all guitars including b-bender
guitar, Rauhouse shines on pedal steel, lap steel, banjo, rhythm guitar
and Hawaiian guitar. Balancing the guitar-based instrumental sounds,
and adding to the musical zing on the 18 track CD, are vocalists Sally
Timms and Neko Case, along with a range of drummers, bassists
and other players. Abundant with inspiration from musical heroes from
Les Paul & Mary Ford to instrumental icons Santo & Johnny,
there’s something for fans of swinging jazzy sounds on this modern
country pop classic. An authentic Rauhouse instrumental of Cole Porter’s
“Begin The Beguine”—mixing horns and pedal steel—sounds
like it could have been made 50 years ago. For musical fun and vintage
magic it’s hard to beat Jon Rauhouse’s Steel Guitar Heart
Attack. www.bloodshotrecords.com
BURGUNDY - For their first new major label studio album in
over 20 years, America have a double album featuring a new
studio album and a live CD reworking their huge ‘70s hits. Adding
to the cutting edge pop luster, the 2006 release of Here &
Now features expert production from guitarists James
Iha and Adam Schlesinger. As far as material on the studio
CD of the set, America founders Gerry Beckley and Dewey
Bunnell have come up with a dozen breezy, memorable pop-rock tracks
that can stand up right alongside their ‘70s classics like “Ventura
Highway” and “Horse With No Name”—two of 12 tracks
reworked on the live half of Here & Now. Other guest artists
appearing include Ryan Adams, guitarist Rusty Young of
Poco and Stephen Bishop. Commenting on Here & Now, Schlesinger
adds, ‘James and I are honored to be working with Gerry and Dewey.
They write timeless songs and they are phenomenal singers and musicians,
and we are having a blast in the studio. Plus we get to bug them for
George Martin stories in between takes!’ Music buffs who dug
the early America albums—including their George Martin produced
albums—are strongly advised to check out the pop finesse in play
on Here & Now. www.venturahighway.com
BURLESCO - Hasse Bruniusson has long been considered one
of the great drummers in his native Sweden and in fact, throughout
Europe. The original drummer in ‘70s Swedish art rockers, Samla
Mammas Manna, Hasse has appeared on dozens of classic rock and instrumental
jazz-rock albums and in 2006 he released an impressive DVD entitled
Hasse Bruniusson Proudly Presents: Flying Food Circus - Tour
De Ville. Performing with his quartet live—with
some neat special video effects—the 2 hour DVD is a fine example
of instrumental Swedish art-rock music brought into the present day.
Bruniusson was great in Samla just and like he did 30 years ago, he’s
aligned himself with top players including guitarist Bobbo Andersson.
Guitarist Roine Stolt also drops by for a visit. Like he did
30+ years ago with Samla, Hasse still emphasizes the ‘art’
in the term art-rock. www.burlesco.com
CAP - The trio from NYC based guitarist Nick Moran is
a classic guitar/organ trio. Masterful at combining jazzy guitar solos
with compelling improvisation, Moran’s roots maybe linked with
rock players like Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck, but on the 2006 release
of The Messenger his easy on the ears be-bop fusion
sounds much more inspired by the modern swing guitar sound of Pat
Metheny and Pat Martino. In addition to his trio work, the Brooklyn
based Moran also works as a recording engineer and producer, having
worked on the new CD by multi-instrumentalist Sebastian Cruz. www.nickmoranmusic.com
CC - Once in a while it’s still great to hear a pop album
that has it all. Melody, drama and the beat. Chalk one up for The
Honeydogs and the 2006 release of Amygdala. Described
by those in the know as defining a new take on ‘60s psychedelia
meets Jobim and The Beatles on an NPR show, Amygdala follows
the band’s last album, 2003’s critically acclaimed 10,000
Years. Once again, singer-songwriter Adam Levy is
expertly backed by a tight band including Noah Levy (drums)
and guitarist Trent Norton. When it comes to merging the best
elements of ‘60s pop with the hi-tech definition of today, few
groups match the expertise of The Honeydogs and with producer John
Fields, they’ve hit a new height with these fourteen pop
classics. www.honeydogs.com
COTTAGE MUSIC PRODUCTIONS - Guitarist Garry Katz handles
all the guitars, bass, drum programming and guitar synth work on his
2006 CD Straight On Till Morning. The New York-based
Katz proves both adventurous and entertaining on the mostly instrumental
CD released on his own Cottage Music Productions. Covering rock, jazz
and fusion instrumentals with skilled hands, Katz is clearly on the
right track here. Let’s hope he gets to further explore the sonic
textures staked out here. www.cottagemusicproductions.com
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON - Sting and lutentist Edin Karamazov
put a new spin on the music of Elizabethan songwriter John
Dowland on a new CD the pair describe as being “a soundtrack
to Dowland’s life in words and music.” Dowland, who lived
between 1563-1626, played his lute in the service of the kings, dukes
and princes throughout Europe and was considered a rock star by the
turn of the 1600’s. Over the years, Dowland has been interpreted
by the greatest guitarists of England, including classical master
Julian Bream. Now, with Sting reviving these 16th century pop songs
assisted by Karamazov, the 2006 release of Songs From The Labyrinth
offers splendid insight into the elegant pop of centuries past.
Sting adds, ‘about two years ago my long time guitarist, Dominic
Miller, gave me a gift that he’d had made for me, a lute - a
16th century instrument with lots of strings. It rekindled an interest
I’ve had for a long time in the works of Dowland. Dowland was
really the first English singer-songwriter that we know of and so
many of us owe our living to this man. Those that are familiar with
John Dowland normally think of him as being this melancholy, doom-laden
character, but he can write songs that are absolutely joyful - full
of passion and happiness. He has it all.’ www.sting.com
DON’T HIT YOUR SISTER - Some people hate ‘new age’
music and others swear by it. When it’s done right—like
it is on the latest from Maine based guitarist Sumner McKane—it’s
a sublime restful musical experience. Ably assisted by bassist Joshua
Robbins, McKane turns in a worthy fingerstyle performance on electric
and acoustic guitars and keyboards. Having earlier established himself
in the field of country music, McKane’s major influences include
David Gilmour, Robert Fripp, Ry Cooder, the cosmic cajon sound of
Daniel Lanois, spaghetti western band Lanterna and pedal steeler Bruce
Kaphan. With the 2006 release of Two If By Sea, McKane’s
guitar-based instrumental soundscapes establish him as a vital artist
worth hearing in his own right. www.sumnermckane.com
DISCIPLINE GLOBAL MOBILE - DGM get right to the point with
their 2007 double CD, The Condensed 21st Century Guide To King
Crimson. Facts here to marvel at; 2 CDs around 80 minutes
each, 32 tracks drawn from 13 studio albums (+ singles and mini albums
from 1969-2003, six different lineups featuring 20 musicians). Such
musical brilliance is the case with a group renowned for possessing
chameleon like qualities. Fans still swear by the 1969 KC lineup with
Robert Fripp and Greg Lake but the rest of the ‘70s
was pretty cool as is the 1981-2003 group featured on disc 2. A tastefully
annotated condensed booklet is equally cool sporting potent full color
graphics that take a stroll down memory lane of the band that coined
such terms as prog-rock and jazz-rock. Also up and ‘atcha from
DGM in early ‘07 is The Collectable King Crimson Volume
One, a well packaged double CD set, from restored mixes,
pairing two mellotron soaked live shows from the unforgettable 1974
Crim lineup with with Fripp, Bill Bruford, David Cross and
John Wetton. www.dgmlive.com
DMG - In 2006, pop icon Dwight Twilley released an excellent
studio album entitled 47 Moons. In late 2006
he follows up with his first ever live album—an 18 track live
concert CD that more than lives up to Twilley’s legendary pop
status. Live: All Access features a range of material including
tracks from his late ‘70s debut Sincerely up to a smoking
cover of “Better Watch Out” from 47 Moons. There’s
also a Twilley band cover of the 1958 Larry Williams’ hit “Slow
Down,” made famous by The Beatles. Recorded in August 2006 in
Tulsa and dedicated to the memory of Barry Cowsill, All Access
features Twilley on acoustic / electric guitars / piano, backed
by a crack band of seasoned rockers including long time guitarist
Bill Pitcock IV and backing vocalist Susan Cowsill.
www.dwighttwilley.com
DANCETONE - New York based guitarist Ray De Tone has
several solo albums to his credit and his list of session work, film
scores and touring is quite impressive. De Tone’s latest solo
work is a well rounded collection of guitar-based instrumentals that
covers a number of bases—from dreamy ambient soundtracks to bluesy
funk-metal, to Latin prog and pop. Obviously De Tone writes songs
with hooks and he considers his guitar work to be only a part of the
big picture, adding, ‘I love working with all types of musicians
and styles of music and I hope to broaden those opportunities in the
future.’ On the 14 track Guitar Noir, De Tone’s guitar
work will blow your roof off. If you like guitar instrumentals that
rock, De Tone more than fits the bill. www.raydetone.com
DREAMBOX RECORDS - A legend of the pop flamenco scene, guitarist
Esteban is paid honors with the 2006 release of Best
Of Esteban. A master guitarist well known for his teaching,
his own line of guitars, and now his own strings, Esteban works his
magic on best of combining a range of original tracks with
covers of “Besame Mucho,” “Here Comes The Sun”
and Del Shannon’s “Runaway” on his best of CD. Esteban’s
instrumental pop flamenco guitar sounds melts musical borders and
in his own words speaks “the universal language of our planet.”
www.estebanmusic.com
EAGLE VISION - Brian Wilson, no doubt enjoys
being back in the limelight as his latest live DVD points out. Honoring
his induction as MuiscCares 2005 Person Of The Year, MusicCares
Presents A Tribute To Brian Wilson features Brian and his
wonderful band backing up some pretty cool guest artists and musicians
interpreting the music of Wilson including Red Hot Chili Peppers,
Richie Sambora, Michael McDonald & Billy Preston and
many more topped off by five set closing performances with Brian and
his band. Despite Wilson’s undeniable reputation as being one
of the greatest vocal arrangers in rock history, a pair of undisputed
highlights here include instrumental covers of “Surf’s Up”
by Jeff Beck and Wilson’s instro title track from Pet
Sounds, with fuzzed out guitars of Nick Walusko. In
addition Bon Jovi guitarist, Richie Sambora takes the lead vocal and
also recreates Eric Clapton’s original guitar parts on a barnstorming
cover of Wilson’s ‘04 “City Blues.” In
addition to the 17 track show, the DVD also features an informing
mini-documentary on the MusicCares organization. www.brianwilson.com
GRAB A MIC - Not only does Phil Keaggy do a great job
producing the 2006 CD from singer-songwriter Cheryl Bliss,
but he also plays all the guitars and bass on her 11 track set. Dreamy
and impressionist stuff, layered with Keaggy’s atmospheric guitar
work, the CD is enhanced by some fine keyboard, bass and loop workings
from Ms. Bliss. The CD comes with complete lyrics and is a good indication
of how crafty Keaggy can be as a producing guitarist. www.cherylbliss.com
GREEN HILL PRODUCTIONS - Tennessee based Green Hill have a couple
of cool Beatles tribute CDs on their label including a 2006 CD from
pianist Pat Coil, entitled Yesterday: A Tribute To John
Lennon & Paul McCartney. Performing a number classics,
Coil also adds to the fun with instrumental covers of solo Beatles
classics composed by Lennon & McCartney. In his notes Coil rightfully
compares the Beatles song writing to that of Gershwin, Porter, Kahn
and the like and he fleshes out his 12 track CD with a number of players
and guitarists including Phil Keaggy, who appears on a couple
tracks and adds some tasty vocals to a very McCartney-esque cover
of “And I Love Her.” Green Hill also have another Beatles
tribute worth checking out entitled The Beatles On Guitar,
subtitled classic hits of The Beatles with guitar and string orchestra
featuring Jack Jezzro. www.greenhillmusic.com
HINDSYBABY - Renowned for his formidable electric guitar chops,
Allen Hinds gets all soulful on his 2007 CD Beyond It
All. The fusion chops are in evidence but there’s
a soulful edge best heard on the CD’s only vocal, with singer
Randy Crawford. Hinds is at his best on track six, “March
28th,” where he conjures up some edgy, atmospheric jazz rock
guitar sounds. Described as a cross between Robben Ford and Jeff Beck,
Hinds shows more of his southern roots on Beyond It All, yet
he still gets some great tones from his guitars. www.allenhinds.com
HIP-O
-Before he started recording solo albums with the same energy
that characterized his song writing in The Who, Pete Townshend
released a batch quirky, brilliant music the likes of which have not
been equaled. A lot of this music was centered around Townshend’s
most celebrated work, Lifehouse and some of that music became
the show piece for the musical vibe of Townshend’s circa ‘71
solo album Who Came First. Fittingly, Townshend’s first
ever solo album showcased some of his most eventful, meaningful works
and was recorded as a one man band. Perhaps this personalized musical
approach led over to his second solo album from 1977, co-written with
Ronnie Lane, an album highlighted by that album’s centerpiece,
“Street In The City. Hip-O’s 2007 76+ minute release of
from Pete Townshend: The Definitive Collection links
tracks starting from Who Came First era with an array of
various Townshend solo efforts spanning ‘72-’93. All of
this backed up with fine liners, rare photos and CD discography. www.eelpie.com
HYBRID - With the heady keyboard sound of Nate Wilson,
the group known as Assembly Of Dust might be likened to the
early sound of The Band. There’s plenty of chiming electric guitars
from Adam Terrell and Wilson’s co-writer, lead singer
Reid Genauer keeps rhythm on acoustic guitar. The Grateful
Dead circa American Beauty sometimes come to mind. The songs
are memorable and their first on Hybrid Recordings, Recollection
bodes well for more musical greatness. Somewhere between beautiful
melodic rock and bad-ass down home sounds, AOD lay down some
impressive country rock tracks. www.assemblyofdust.com
IMMERGENT - Remember the melodic edge of Randy Bachman during
the great BTO years? Well guitarist / singer Michael Lee Jackson
hits the nail on the head with his 2006 CD on Immergent. Recently,
Jackson turned from his lawyer career to playing guitar with singing
legend Ian Gillan as well as launching a weekly online video
channel called ‘ask the guitar lawyer.’ Ian Gillan lends
his pipes to a several tracks here and otherwise, Jackson is backed
up by some rocking cats including drummers Jim Linsner and
Howard Wilson and bassist Rodney Appleby. The spirit
of Deep Purple, BTO and Foghat are alive and well on Jackson’s
excellent 12 track CD. Several tracks also add a jazzy, bluesy edge
to Jackson’s guitar sound. Rockers and gear heads will dig Jackson’s
approach to hard rock guitar and the CD also includes a complete list
of the equipment Jackson puts to the test including his 2005 Jeff
Beck model Strat. www.michaelleejackson.com
INNOVATIVE PRODUCTIONS - California guitarist Andre Marins
blends his love of classical, jazz and progressive rock on his
2006 CD, Internal Dive. Combining well crafted
arrangements, improvisational expertise with impeccable chops, Marins
puts it all together and interestingly performs everything here all
on one guitar. A well rounded performance, Internal Dive also
sounds great. Describing it as ‘a real and surreal introspective
into one of my voices through the guitar’, Marins further comments,
‘When I put this album together, I wanted it to reflect a variety
of compositions that would evoke different sounds on the instrument.
And, I also wanted to have it played with a pick, on a six steel-string
acoustic guitar, in order to give it a different touch than a classical
guitar.’ www.andremarins.com
JOHNSTON - Growing up in Cuba as a classical guitar prodigy,
Elmer Ferrer saw the movie Crossroads and from that moment
on he began devoting his life to playing blues on the electric guitar.
Armed with the chops to play any style of guitar, Ferrer cuts loose
on a 2006 CD of highly charged, atmospheric instrumentals. Citing
Steve Vai and Stevie Ray Vaughan as big influences, Ferrer has collaborated
with numerous Cuban musicians and has appeared on over 60 CDs back
in Cuba. Now on his first CD for the Canadian based Johnston Records
he shows why he’s so respected as a guitarist back in Cuba. The
Ferrer band’s mostly instrumental fusion sound is enhanced with
a few vocal tracks including a funky, jazzy cover of the Beatles classic
“Come Together” and Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Couldn’t
Stand The Weather.” In the spirit of fusion guitar masters like
Scofield, Metheny and Ford, Ferrer proves capable of making equally
satisfying instrumental guitar albums with the intriguing sounds of
Fango Dance. www.elmerferrer.com
LO-BALL RECORDS - A modern master of the pedal steel guitar,
S.F. based Joe Goldmark has recorded a number of steel albums
including an excellent Beatles tribute, Steelin’ The Beatles
while his 2004 album Strong Like Bull...But Sensitive Like
Squirrel! turned more than a few heads on to the steel. Late in
2006 Goldmark returns with his self-styled tribute to the music of
the ‘60s entitled Seducing The ‘60s. A
combination of vocals and instrumentals featuring Goldmark’s
steel up front, Seducing The ‘60s features more memorable
Goldmark covers of CSN&Y, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Bob Dylan,
Lovin’ Spoonful, The Who, Cat Stevens and more. The 13 track
CD features Goldmark backed by select players while his track by track
notes fill in the history on these classy covers. www.joegoldmark.com
LEADING TONE RECORDS - NYC based guitarist Paul Hemmings does
the darn near impossible with his 13 track instrumental jazz-rock
guitar tribute to the Beatles entitled Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely
Hearts Club Band (Live!) Released on Hemmings’ own Leading
Tone imprint, the CD is actually a live album featuring Hemmings on
guitar, tres, ukulele, loops and effects backed by a number of players.
Recorded in NYC on 3/24/06, the live concert CD is a tip to toe reinterpretation
of rock’s most revered album performed live in a near avant gard
and jazzy guitar fashion. www.paulhemmings.com
MVD / VISION - Rock journeyman Nils Lofgren is
known for being there while rock history was being created including
playing, at age 17, on Neil Young’s classic After The Gold
Rush as well as the first Crazy Horse classic from 1972. After
years of backing rock giants like Bruce Springsteen, Lofgren returns
with a live concert DVD of his own recorded in February 2006. Backed
by family members including Tom Lofgren (guitars, keyboards)
and guitarist Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, Lofgren sets the
record straight. Live Acoustic shows Lofgren hasn’t missed
a beat and can still amaze with his vocals and acoustic guitar. In
addition to live concert footage, the 97 minute DVD also features
backstage and rehearsal footage. Live Acoustic follows the
release of Lofgren’s 2006 studio album Sacred Weapon—a
twelve track CD on his own Vision Music, featuring Lofgren backed
up by Crosby & Nash, Willie Nelson and more. www.nilslofgren.com
/ www.musicvideodistributors.com
NEW ALBION - In the spirit of eclectic sound explorers before
him such as Wendy Carlos, Luciano Berio, Fred Frith and more, Turkish
guitarist Erdem Helvacioglu seemingly thrives in avant gard
musical corners. On his 2006 CD on New Albion, Altered Realities,
Helvacioglu combines solo acoustic guitar and live electronics to
great effect. It’s amazing to think that you could get such a
staggering experimental tone just with an Ovation custom acoustic
and a multi-effects processor. With his imaginative processed guitar
approach, Helvacioglu is on to some wildly inventive sounds on Altered
Realties. www.newalbion.com
PHILOLOGY - A mainstay on the jazz scene for quite some time,
Royce Campbell released a number of recent guitar-based albums
including Gypsy Soul and his free form jazz based Elegy
To A Friend. Another CD by Royce released late in 2006,Trio
By Starlight features Royce backed up by bebop jazz
pianist Hod O’Brien and bassist Tom Baldwin. All
ten songs here are based on progressions of jazz standards but Royce
replaces the familiar melodies with his own new ones making for an
interesting jazz guitar concept of sorts. Campbell’s history
of backing greats like Henry Mancini, Mel Torme and Quincy Jones is
evident here in the tasteful way he approaches his jazz guitar playing
and composing. Campbell has released 19 albums and Trio By Starlight
is an excellent example of his guitar technique and expertise.
www.roycecampbell.com
PRUNETWANG - One of the great late ‘60s psych-pop bands,
The Electric Prunes have been on a roll these past few years,
making new and revitalized sounding rock albums with several member
of the original band including singer James Lowe, and guitarists
Mark Tulin and Ken Williams. The band’s latest,
the 2006 CD release of Feedback continues the
upsurge in Prune mania with ten new tracks that eerily revive the
electric days of psychedelia and beyond. A batch of drummers and several
more guitarists assist the core Electric Prunes lineup on an album
that stays remarkably true to the band’s original sound. www.electricprunes.net
RAINBOW QUARTZ - One of America’s great modern pop bands,
Outrageous Cherry find a new home and score a hit with the
2006 CD release of Stay Happy. The eleven track
CD shows why OC have the smarts to stay one step ahead of the retro
pop scene. If anything the CD message is to indeed to “Stay Happy,
Through the world is a ball of destruction.” Featuring the songs
of guitarist Matthew Smith, there’s a Dylan-esque thread
while with two men and two women, the band have also been described
as a modern Velvet Underground that might have kept plowing new ground
after getting Loaded. www.rainbowquartz.com
REACH MUSIC - Guitarist Steve Herberman is making waves
in the jazz guitar world with the 2006 release of Action:Reaction.
Released on his own Reach Music label, the hour long nine
track CD features Herberman in top form assisted by Drew Gress
(bass) and Mark Ferber (drums). In his CD liner notes,
guitar master Gene Bertoncini states, “Steve’s improvising
is uniquely fresh with melodic ideas. There is a constant groove to
it all with an abundance of chops and exceptional clarity.” With
nine tracks composed and produced by Herberman, Action:Reaction
is a stellar tribute to the spirit of jazz guitar. www.reachmusicjazz.com
REPRISE - On an album that might be called Living With
Raw, Neil Young takes his 2006 CD Living
With War, and recreates it as a double CD/DVD set.
Disc one features the original mixes from the Living With War sessions,
raw mixes minus the choir added a week after. These first mixes, made
by Young and his group in the heat of the moment represent the beginnings
of the Living With War album. Much more in the spirit of Young’s
powerhouse recordings with Crazy Horse, the album remains one of Young’s
most unforgettable performances. Disc two of Living With War
/ Raw is where the pedal hits the medal. It’s
one thing to write political rockers, it’s another to format
everything in an amazing musical video documentary spoofing CNN and
the like and make it work. Music videos of all nine tracks, as well
as documentaries of each track, archive videos, new television with
Young, reviews and much more, including high-rez audio make this “All
War, All The Time” video epic from Young among the most impressive
uses of DVD in rock music yet. www.neilyoung.com
RHINO - In the liner notes, no less than Rolling Stone’s
most influential rock scribe from the mag's early years, the esteemed
John Mendelssohn is quoted as saying “in a just world, Crenshaw
would’ve been bigger than the solo John Lennon.” As gifted
as Lennon when it comes to the nuances of pop, Marshall Crenshaw
was primed as the soul reincarnate of Buddy Holly (check out his cover
of “Crying, Waiting Hoping”). Like so many ‘80s artists
including Marti Jones, Jules Shear etc) Marshall lost backing from
the major labels after MCA released Life’s Too Short in
1990. It’s gone downhill for too many record labels but Crenshaw
still has what it takes. For the unconverted Rhino’s double CD
Definitive Crenshaw mines a wealth of tracks including his
certified mid ‘80s pop classics. Perhaps the best thing here
bolstering a choice lineup covering 1981-2003, is the uniform sound
quality which seals the deal with restored sonic uniformity. Cool
rediscoveries include the instrumental “West Of Bald Knob”
from 1999. www.marshallcrenshaw.com
Rhino continues to delve into the fabled WEA vaults and have issued
Love: The Definitive Rock Collection. Created
by Arthur Lee and Bryan MacLean, Love were right
in the middle of the late ‘60s L.A. scene but they never quite
hit like The Byrds or other contemporaries. Even with the passing
of MacLean in the ‘90s and the recent passing of Lee, their ‘66-69
stuff—the best of which is distilled now in 2006 on this double
CD with 30 tracks and new liner notes—remains the stuff of legends.
Other artists featured in Rhino’s Definitive Rock Collection
include The Everly Brothers—2CD, 30 tracks taken from their
Cadence and Warner Bros. recordings circa ‘57-67.
For that incredibly lucky generation of the late ‘60s who
grew up with The Byrds, Beatles and Buffalo blasting out the AM and
FM radio waves, the solo debut from David Crosby was a musical
blessing. Coming around the time of classics like Deja Vu and
American Beauty, the 1970 release of If I Could Only
Remember My Name... featured Dave in rare form, assisted by
studio hand Stephen Barncard along with outstanding studio
hands such as Jerry Garcia, Paul Kantner, Grace Slick,
Graham Nash and other luminaries from the golden rock era of
the ‘60s. Rhino has done a great job with their CD/DVD release,
adding in detailed booklet and liners, a bonus cut, while the DVD
half features a DVD mix of the entire 9 track album + one bonus cut,
lyrics and an extensive fascinating interview with Crosby’s co-producer
Barncard who puts the story in perspective. Rhino caps off their David
Crosby series with a 3 CD box set entitled Voyage.
Opening up with “Eight Miles High” from The Byrds this
essential Crosby box goes the distance, compiling 52 Crosby tracks
from the past 5 decades including tracks with CSN&Y and CPR. Produced
by Graham Nash and Joel Bernstein, Voyage and
is complete with a 132 page booklet.
A founding member of Led Zeppelin and a solo artist for the past
25 years, Robert Plant is given a solo career retrospective
with the 2006 Rhino release of his Nine Lives. Although
Plant’s career with Led Zep concentrated on heavy progressive
blues-rock, as a solo artist Plant delved into a wealth of musical
styles—from Celtic and English folk to American blues, early
rock ‘n’ roll, psychedelic rock as well as Arabic, African
and Indian music. Plant’s best yet retrospective, Nine Lives
features all nine of his solo CDs—from Pictures At
Eleven in 1982 to 2005’s Mighty Rearranger—remastered
and expanded with bonus cuts and unreleased tracks. Nine Lives
also features a DVD compilation with a career spanning interview
and rare footage and in addition, the ten disc box is tastefully packaged
and features extensive liner notes and a history of each album. www.rhino.com
SOLID AIR - Laurence Juber performs an instrumental solo guitar
guitar tribute to the music of legendary songwriter Harold Arlen
on his 2006 CD on Solid Air Records I’ve Got The World
On Six Strings: LJ Plays Harold Arlen. Juber is renowned for his
work with Paul McCartney and Wings and he even has a Beatles tribute
on Solid Air called One Wing. Commenting on Arlen’s compositions
Juber adds, ‘Some, like “Over The Rainbow” are musical
icons; many others are true standards of the golden era of American
theatre and movie songs. Juber expertly performs several of Arlen’s
Wizard Of Oz gems while others—like “Stormy Weather”
and “That Old Black Magic”—are performed by Juber in
an equally reverent manner. www.solidairrecords.com
Guitar hero Phil Keaggy teams up with long time friend Mike
Pachelli for the 2006 CD release of Two Of Us on
Solid Air Records. Pachelli describes the acoustic duets as ‘an
improvisational stream of consciousness,’ and there’s certainly
plenty of jazzy / avant instrumental guitar wizardry to make the CD
a safe bet for long time Keaggy watchers. The 13 track CD features
track by track liner notes from the two guitarists and highlights
include a new remake of “Country Down Revisited”—a
track originally featured on Keaggy’s solo album Beyond Nature.
www.acousticmusicresource.com
TC - In and around the Chicago area, The Coyotees have
been going since the ‘80s although they really strike gold with
their 12 track 2005 CD Fire Eyes. Fans of Beatles style pop
will marvel at the attention to melody and arrangement that Coyotees
front man Mario Novelli brings to the group’s song writing.
There’s a solid McCartney English folk-rock hint in Novelli’s
song writing and singing and one can’t help but notice an Emitt
Rhodes influence in Novelli’s impressive pipes. An ace like McCartney
in the studio, Novelli makes the most his talented Coyotees bandmates
including guitarist John Moffett. Track for track, the songs
on Fire Eyes come alive with a solid pop tone. www.maccareport.com
TROJAN / SANCTUARY RECORDS GROUP - When he’s not rocking
out with Radiohead, guitarist Jonny Greenwood can probably
be found listening to his vast collection of Jamaican soul, roots
and dub music. A collaboration between Trojan Records and the guitarist,
Greenwood’s desert island collection of reggae favorites can
be heard on the 2007 compilation Jonny Greenwood Is The Controller.
Honoring the 40th anniversary of Trojan Records, the 17 track
CD features essential tracks from classic reggae stars like Desmond
Dekker, Lee Perry, Gregory Isaacs, Sly &
Robbie, King Tubby and more. A valuable history lesson
on the Jamaican sounds of the ‘60s and ‘70s, the CD is an
interesting compliment to Greenwood’s renowned reputation as
Radiohead’s guitar hero. www.sanctuaryrecords.com
UNIVERSAL
REPUBLIC - The Who are back in 2006-07 with a truly amazing
album that re-ignites their legacy. This fresh batch of 21 tracks
from the guitar and pen of Pete Townshend features Roger
Daltrey, whose vocals just seem to pick up from the band’s
early ‘80s vibe, in other words a seamless fit of at least fifty
percent of the Who legend. Backed by the great drums of Zak Starkey,
the keys of John Bundrick, adding in the guitar and vocals
of Simon Townshend and the equally gifted Billy Nicholls,
there’s very little on Endless Wire that would disappoint
any generation of Who fans. The CD includes a fresh batch of Townshend
rockers and a ten song mini opera that comprise the principal music
composed so far for Townshend’s novella The Boy Who Heard
Music. This essential CD release comes with a DVD with five classic
Who tracks performed live in France on July 16, 2006—the clincher
being a new band version of a new Endless Wire song, “Mike
Post Theme” that proves the Who still reign among the strongest
and longest of the classic ‘60s rock legends. www.petetownsend.com
UP TO SPEED - Acclaimed in his native England for his work with
his own Chris Francis Band, numerous session work and a pair of solo
CDs, the latest of which came out late in 2006, guitarist Chris
Francis sounds inspired by Van Halen and Steve Vai. His latest
solo instrumental guitar CD blends rock with freewheeling heavy metal
guitar shredding to great effect. On Studs N’ Sisters
Francis puts real meat on these rockers that are enhanced by his daredevil
guitar licks. It’s not all hard rock, there’s some tasty
melodic work especially on his refreshing anthemic guitar instro cover
of the Madonna classic “Material Girl” while the moog-like
guitar groove of “2nd Base” gets it right with a solid Jan
Akkerman influence. The colorful liner booklet serves as a program
guide for Chris’ cinematic, retro-flavored electric rock and
jazz guitar instrumentals. www.chrisfrancis.net
VERMICIOUS KNID - Covering a multitude of musical bases, guitarist
/ composer Andy Rothstein will make guitar fans quite happy
with the 2006 release of Voodoo Tone. Rothstein owns and operates
his own Rothstein Guitars and he recently made waves with some superb
playing on the latest solo album from bassist Tony Senatore,
who also appears here. A number of players assist Rothstein including
guitarist Vinne Zummo and drummer Lou Petto. In addition
to his transcription work for Hal Leonard Publishing, Rothstein has
studied guitar with Zummo as well as Steve Khan, Kevin Eubanks and
the late Ted Dunbar. In addition to a set-closing instro of “Giant
Steps” there’s a couple vocal tracks on the primarily instrumental
CD. If you’re a fan of inventive electric guitar playing and
have an open mind when it comes to combining rock fusion and progressive
jazz, there’s plenty of superb guitar work on Voodoo Tone
to make it well worth your while. www.vermiciousknidmusic.com
/ www.guitar-mod.com
WAVE GUIDE - The follow-up to his Yesterday Today tribute
to The Beatles, the 2006 CD release of Hall Of Dreams features
guitarist Tim Pitts breaking new ground in the realm of instrumental
guitar rock. Released on his own Wave Guide imprint, the 11
track CD features some hot electric guitar work with Pitts performing
all guitars, bass and keyboards while backed up by a couple drummers.
Commenting on his latest CD Pitts adds, ‘Hall of Dreams
is another stage in the development of my music. My shred and jazz
influences come together in interesting ways. It's more intense and
jazzier than my other cds, but still the emphasis is on beautiful
music.’ One track here, “Holds It’s Worth” is
a tribute to guitarist Allan Holdsworth that Pitts describes as being
‘extremely complex, despite its simplicity.’ The do-it-yourself
vibe on Hall Of Dreams is offset by some fine fretboard
work and the high level of energy Pitts brings to his instro rock
sound. www.timpitts.com
WAVETONE RECORDS - Bassist Mark Egan worked with Pat Metheny
back in the ‘70s, appearing on the groundbreaking Pat Metheny
Group album that changed the way guitar fans listened to jazz
and rock. Egan’s latest is a double CD set of impressionistic
jazzy improv entitled As We Speak. To honor the
event he’s enlisted heavy hitters, jazz guitar legend John
Abercrombie and his long time rhythm section partner from the
PMG days, Danny Gottlieb. In the liner notes Egan speaks of
his love of trios like Cream and the Hendrix Experience, adding, ‘I
wanted to capture both an intimate and progressive side of my playing
and composing in a creative trio setting.’ The chemistry between
Egan, Gottlieb and Abercrombie is revealed in fine form on As We
Speak. www.wavetone.com
ZOHO - At age 70 Ike Turner is still kicking ass in the
music world. Ike’s 2006 CD, Risin’ With The Blues
on Zoho is a celebration of Turner’s contribution to blues, rock
and R&B. Whether covering Fats Domino, Eddie Boyd or Louis Jordon
or barnstorming with some rousing blues fusion instrumentals like
the CD-closer “Bi-Polar”, Turner is white hot on the 14
track Risin’ With The Blues. Turner’s trademark guitar,
piano and vocals are still right on target and he sounds particularly
nasty and raw here. Best known for his marriage to Tina Turner back
in the ‘60s and ‘70s, Ike might have been relegated to being
the behind the scenes bandleader and guitarist with his famous ex,
but on Risin’ With The Blues, he takes center stage and
sounds like he’s making up for lost times. In the spirit of his
1958 sessions with Buddy Guy and Otis Rush and a top follow up to
his 2002 CD Here And Now, 2006’s Risin’ With The
Blues finds Ike alive and well in the studio backed by a number
of top players. www.iketurner.com
If you like the idea of combining fusion jazz and Indian music
you’ll dig the 2006 CD from NYC based guitarist Rez Abbasi.
Filled with spicy touches like Abbasi’s sitar-guitar sounds,
Bazaar is so eclectic you won’t remember what continent
you’re on. Having evolved out of the Indo-Pak sub continent,
Abbasi has been Stateside since he was 4 and he makes great use of
combining his guitar skills with jazz and world beat on the appropriately
titled Bazaar. With the help of top players like Gary Versace
(organ) and Dan Weiss (drums, tabla) Abbasi delves back
into his musical heritage even featuring Indian singer Kiran Ahluwalia,
who appears on a couple tracks here. Backed by a number of excellent
musicians, Abbasi provides plenty of musical intrigue to amaze even
the most seasoned guitar fusion fan. www.reztone.com
Attention Artists and Record Companies: Have your CD reviewed
in www.mwe3.com and 20th Century Guitar. Send to CD Reviews Editor
Robert Silverstein, P.O. Box 630249, Little Neck, N.Y. 11363-0249
e-mail: rss54@mwe3.com
