MWE3.COM
MUSIC NEWS & NOTES
The
SUMMER 2018 RECORD LABEL SPOTLIGHT
POP
& ROCK
ANGEL
AIR RECORDS– Adding to Angel Air’s repertoire of albums
by pop-rock hero Robin George is the 2018 CD release of Rogue
Angels, a new album by the venerable rocker. Robin
has a big background working with a number of U.K. rockers including
Led Zep’s Robert Plant, the late Phil Lynott and more. The eleven
track Rogue Angels rocks up a storm and features contributions
from drummer Charlie Morgan. Matter of fact, with his electric
guitar heavy sound, Robin sounds like a modern day Marc Bolan and
that guitar-slashing T. Rex vibe rocks up a storm on Rogue Angels.
In addition, Rogue Angels is well recorded and features
complete lyrics. www.robingeorge.co.uk
BLUE
RHYTHM RECORDS – Did you ever wonder what it would be like
to enter a time machine and go back in time to New York City in the
1930s or ‘40s? Well dream no more and pick up a copy of Ain’t
It Grand? —the 2018 double CD set by The Glenn Crytzer
Orchestra, The album amazingly features new instrumental and vocal
music written by Glenn Crytzer for his big band orchestra along
with well placed covers written by Benny Goodman / Charlie Christian,
Duke Ellington and more. Glenn cites music of the era by The John
Kirby Sextet, The Ray Noble Orchestra and more. To help realize this
vintage dream and make it seem better than real life, Glenn’s
guitar and vocals receive superb backing by a number of big band horn
and brass players and vocalists that make the music seem larger than
life. To top it all off, the recording engineer Sean Yoo has
done a brilliant job and helping create the ultimate vintage recording
sound and vibe. You could swear this was Glenn Miller or Benny Goodman
with Charlie Christian most of the time. Bandleader, arranger, conductor,
composer, lyricist and guitarist Glenn Crytzer puts his unique big
band swing sound into the wayback machine and the results and superbly
startling. Vintage jazz buffs need to hear Ain’t It Grand
by The Glenn Crytzer Orchestra. www.glenncrytzer.com
BLUJAZZ – Composers Alan & Marilyn Bergman are front
and center on a new for 2018 Blujazz release by cabaret pop-jazz vocalist
Marieann Meringolo. Featuring 13 tracks Between Yesterday
And Tomorrow: The Songs Of Alan & Marilyn Bergman was
recorded live at the world famous Iridium nightclub in NYC on August
13, 2017. Backing Ms. Meringolo is the expert piano skills and musical
direction of Doyle Newmyer and the rhythm section of Boots
Maleson (bass) and Sipho Kunene (drums). With its
intimate setting, the Iridium nightclub works well for the jazzy cabaret
sound 
of
Marieann Meringolo. The choice of music presented here is perfect
too, as tracks like “The Way We Were” and “Nice And
Easy” feature some of the most iconic song lyrics ever written
for mainstream pop vocal music. The CD features extensive liner notes
by Ms. Meringolo and jazz musicologist Will Friedwald who correctly
points out that the Bergmans always co-wrote their songs with some
of the finest pop melodicists including Marvin Hamlisch, Michel Legrand,
Johnny Mandel and Lew Spence, to name just a few. With the album slanted
towards the song classics written by the Bergmans and Michel Legrand,
jazz-pop fans aren’t going to complain while comparisons are
already made between Ms. Meringolo and classic pop singers like Barbara
Streisand. Between Yesterday And Tomorrow: The Songs Of Alan &
Marilyn Bergman is the perfect album to shine a light on some
of the most famous jazzy pop classics of all time. www.marieannmeringolo.com
BLUJAZZ
PRODUCTIONS – In 2012, San Francisco-based singer-songwriter
Roberta Donnay released her acclaimed album A Little Sugar,
which she followed in 2015 with Bathtub Gin. A few years
later, Roberta Donnay & The Prohibition Mob Band return
once again in 2018 with My Heart Belongs To Satchmo.
A tribute album to the musical style of the legendary Louis "Satchmo"
Armstrong and his Hot Five and Hot Seven band recordings, on My
Heart Belongs To Satchmo Ms. Donnay strikes vintage, vocal-based
jazz gold as her fifteen track CD is a splendid tribute to the esteemed
"Satchmo", who passed away all those years ago, on July
9th 1971. While Louis didn’t write every track on My Heart
Belongs To Satchmo, it was his horn-playing style and singing
that most impressed Ms. Donnay and was, in fact, the very sound and
music that made the name Louis Armstrong such a household word, especially
in the years before his passing, when he finally made his long overdue
and quite big commercial breakthroughs into the mainstream pop music
market. 
Ms.
Donnay is one of the main purveyors and preservers of music from America's
infamous prohibition era music of the 1920s and 1930s—the years
which, in fact, could be viewed as the basis for some of the finest
American roots music of the past one hundred years. Produced by Ms.
Donnay, Sam Bevan and Matt Wong, and released on the
Chicago-based Blujazz label, My Heart Belongs To Satchmo is
superbly recorded and features key supporting roles by a number of
musicians, including John R. Burr (piano), the aforementioned
Sam Bevan (bass) and many other excellent players. The CD is smartly
packaged and comes with an informative booklet featuring track-by-track
liner notes by musicologist Scott Yanow. A splendid spin for
long time jazz buffs and newcomers looking to reexplore America's
infamous “prohibition era” music, on My Heart Belongs
To Satchmo, Roberta Donnay makes a return trip to the 20th century
heyday of Louis Armstrong a most pleasurable experience. www.blujazz.com
/ www.robertadonnay.com
AARON
CLIFT PRODUCTIONS - Texas-based singer-songwriter and keyboard
wiz Aaron Clift continues to break the rules yet comes up with
a winner of an album called If All Goes Wrong. Self-released
by The Aaron Clift Experiment, the ten track album features
a whole new set of Clift originals that blends hard rock, heavy metal,
pop and progressive rock into a sonic brew that will leave you speechless.
Aaron gets some vintage sounds of the classic Hammond keyboard sound
while other tracks feature mellotron. Guitar work of Dave North
and a range of guitarists enhance the power trio of Clift, Devin
North (bass) and Tim Smith (drums). Recorded in Austin
in late 2017, If All Goes Wrong features a range of memorable
tracks and overall the album makes for a solid progressive music experience.
www.aaronclift.com
DOONE
RECORDS – Record label home of the NY/NJ based progressive
rock band IZZ, Doone Records released the 2018 solo album from IZZ
vocalist Laura Meade. The ten track Remedium is
very IZZ inspired and follows the progressive rock sound on the recent
IZZ albums as well as the sound of IZZ guitarist Paul Bremner’s
album The Witness. Laura is a fan of art-rock and prog-rock
and the Remedium album shows that style to a tee. Laura’s
unwavering rock vocal style borders on operatic at times and as the
album shows, she’s clearly up for the task at hand on Remedium.
Speaking about her songwriting style on her new CD, Laura tells
mwe3.com, “Each song unfolds in its own way and I just follow
where it leads… sometimes a lyric will present itself, other
times I’ll begin with a melody and go from there. Ninety nine
percent of my songs 
are
written on the piano, with one exception being “Home Movies”,
which I wrote on the ukulele.” Among the musicians taking
part in Laura’s band are IZZ founder John Galgano (bass,
keys, drums) and Randy McStine (electric guitar). John Galgano
also co-wrote many of the tracks here, and the album is further enhanced
by guest spots from IZZ guitarist Paul Bremner, Greg Meade
(guitar), Greg Mimiceli (drums) and Jason Hart (strings).
A modern day prog-rock classic, Remedium CD is superbly packaged
in a digipak case with complete lyric sheet. www.facebook.com
/ www.laurameademusic.com
/ www.izzmusic.com
JERSVILLE
ENTERTAINMENT – A left-field sleeper of a pop-rock album,
Soul Redemption is a modern day album classic by drumming
/ producer icon Jerry Marotta and singer-songwriter and acoustic
guitarist Flav Martin. A blend of adult rock and traditional
world pop, the nine-track CD features pop hooks aplenty and the production
is first rate as is the CD packaging and artwork. Flav’s songs
and vocals are front and center while Jerry Marotta’s production
will impress the most seasoned pop music fan. Friends of the duo assist
with fleshing out the studio soundstage and include Peter Primamore
(piano), guitarists Thor Jensen and Marc Shulman and
Gary Schreiner (harmonica / accordion). Pop fans into tasteful,
easy-on-the-ears rock flavored melodies will find much musical solace
on the finely attuned good vibrations of Soul Redemption. www.jerrymarotta.com
/ www.flavmartin.com
LO-BALL
RECORDS – American pedal steel guitarist Joe Goldmark
strikes gold on his 2018 CD called Blue Steel.
The 13-track album is unusual as it combines both instrumentals
and vocal tracks. Joe has done all instrumental albums in the past
(including a steel guitar Beatles tribute) and Blue Steel features
original Americana-flavored steel guitar instrumentals and vocals
spotlighting several singers, including Dallis Craft and Glenn
Walters. A number of musicians take part in the studio recordings
including Gary Potterton (guitars), Paul Revelli (drums)
and much more, including guest guitarist Jim Campilongo. Speaking
about Blue Steel, Joe tells mwe3.com, "This is actually
my third album in a row mixing vocals with instrumentals (Seducing
The 60's, The Wham Of That Steel Man). I do it because I've found
that most folks can't deal with a whole album of instrumentals, and
this makes it easier on the listener. Also, I enjoy trying to find
songs and reformatting them as country-rock tunes with pedal steel,
etc. I enjoy producing. The title Blue Steel has a dual meaning. The
album cover is roughly modeled on an old Arthur "Guitar Boogie"
Smith album cover, called Blue Guitar. I happened to have a blue steel
guitar and i donned my Ernest Tubb blue jacket, that I bought from
Buddy Charleton of the Texas Troubadours, E.T.'s band, for the cover
photo. The other meaning is that this album has a blues bias. Glenn
Walters does three bluesy tunes, and a couple of my instros are blues
leaning." The covers, mostly vocals, include songs written
by giants like Rufus Thomas, Bob Marley, B.B. King, Jeff Lynne, Graham
Parker and more. Ms. Craft sounds quite appealing on her tracks. A
world-renowned guitar enthusiast, Joe Goldmark hits the bulls-eye
yet again on an excellent and varied album that combines pop and country
within the context of a steel guitar based setting. www.joegoldmark.com
MUSIC
BROKERS – With a voice built for jazz, Karen Souza rolls
her music out in style on the 2017 CD Velvet Vault.
Smooth as silk vocal jazz, on the eleven cut CD, Ms. Souza covers
her favorites including chestnuts from Sammy Kahn and Duke Ellington
and newer classics by U.K. rock legends Elton John and 10cc, who are
feted by the songstress with a natural smooth jazz bossa nova cover
of “I’m Not In Love”. One can wonder why it took so
long for a kind of Sade-style cover of a song that was massive 40+
years ago. Same could go for a Karen Souza take on the 1972 Lou Reed
standard “Walk On The Wild Side”, which paid tribute to
the whole glam-rock era yet also works as a jazzy take. Producer legend
Richard Gottehrer gets a sumptuous vocal effect from Ms. Souza
who is perfectly backed up by some of the best session players on
the NYC jazz scene. www.karensouza.com
PROG
CABIN - Progressive rock continues as one of the most popular
musical art forms of the early 21st century. Fans of the beloved genre
looking for new and interesting prog should check out Transcendental
Circus, the 2017 CD by the band Orpheus Nine.
Produced and arranged by Jason Kresge (keys, lead vocals),
the album also features key contributions from Matt Ullestad (guitars),
Tony Renda (bass, vocals) and Mark DeGregory (drums,
vocals). Unique in the sense that the CD also blends in a solid dose
of metal rock, the 15-track, 75 minute Transcendental Circus also
features mind-boggling album artwork complete with full lyrics. Speaking
about O9 being the latest band in a long line of prog-rock icons,
Jason Kresge tells 
mwe3.com
"To be honest, we’ve mostly just tried to be ourselves
and do what comes naturally. Sure, everyone in the band spent decades
hearing countless other artists, prog and otherwise, so of course
the brain is a crazy sponge and absorbs this infinite amalgam of music
already out there. And we definitely have a wealth of influences,
but the truth is that we’ve never aimed to emulate anyone directly.
I’m not the least bit offended by the comparisons reviewers have
made. We’ve seen a bunch: Rush, ELP, Zappa, YES, Genesis, Marillion,
Gentle Giant, Spock’s Beard, King Crimson, Jellyfish, The Flower
Kings, Pink Floyd, Return To Forever — hell, even Iron Maiden."
With the keys and vocals of Jason Kresge driving the band forward,
there’s plenty of hard driving musical interplay throughout Transcendental
Circus. With their widely acclaimed debut album, Orpheus Nine
should find a home among fans of timeless prog-rock legends such as
Spock’s Beard, ELP and Rush. www.orpheusnine.com
SCIENCE
NV – Progressive rock fans will be in for a thrill with the
late 2017 / early 2018 CD release of The Quest For Prester John
– Volume 1. Recorded by the musical ensemble known
as Science NV, the seven track, 56 minute CD features a wealth
of vocal-based and instrumental progressive rock music. Among the
musicians taking part includes the core Science NV band, featuring
Jim Henriques (guitars, keys, vocals), Rich Kallet (drums),
Larry Davis (guitars) and David Graves (keys, vocals).
A number of musicians also assist, including several female vocalists
who add a definite sense of sonic zing to the whole thing. The wild
thing here is the source of musical reference, including assorted
influences from classic early 1970s U.K. prog legends such as early
Gentle Giant and Hatfield & The North, the far- flung eccentricity
of Frank Zappa, along with newer fusion icons such as Joey Backenstoe’s
California-based band Blue Shift. The concept of this Science NV album
is quite admirable, bringing to light the legendary kingdom of Prester
John which was said to exist in East Asia and Africa from between
the 12th and 17th century. Science NV have really stepped up to the
sonic plate so to speak with this intriguing musical concept. Featuring
a wealth of vocal-centric and progressive fusion instrumentals, The
Quest For Prester John – Volume 1 is like a giant sonic onion
with many layers that makes it all the more fascinating to work through
it all. The band’s web site is filled with links and loads of
information behind the wide-ranging concepts in play here. www.sciencenv.com
7D MEDIA – A live document from the Security Project,
the release of Contact features new live imaginations
of music written by Genesis founder Peter Gabriel, recorded in both
the US and Japan in 2016 and 2017. Key to the band’s sound is
world-renowned producer and drummer Jerry Marotta, who is joined
here by his Security Project band mates Trey Gunn (guitars),
Happy Rhodes (vocals), David Jameson (keys) and Michael
Cozzi (vocals). Of course Jerry Marotta was featured playing drums
on Peter Gabriel’s first five solo albums so a lot of the music
here has an air of authenticity to it. Those familiar with the music
of Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush (also covered here on one track) are
recommended to hear this album but all fans of progressive rock vocal
albums will get a solid buzz from Security Project and their superbly
recorded and packaged Contact album. Released on CD by the
7D label, Contact was recorded by Robert Frazza and
for a live album it has an excellent ambiance and sound. www.securityprojectband.com
SHRED
THE EVIDENCE MUSIC - Echoing the early days of The Easybeats and
Split Enz, Australian pop and rock continues to amaze with the 2018
CD release of a 2018 album release called Things Are Looking
Up by Australian / America pop-rock band The Walk-A-Bout.
You might be expecting plural in the name but fusing acoustic guitars
with a solid pop-rock beat, these guys have a unique modern twist.
Featuring the songs of Kevin Anderson (guitars) and
Darren Sullivan (vocals, harp) and recording with producer
/ drummer Michael Bertrand, the North Shore of Long Island-linked
band has a steady sound. Even though the Things Are Looking Up
is only six tracks long, the mini album provides a good representation
of the Walk-A-Bout’s 21st century pop-rock sound. www.walkaboutband.com
INSTRUMENTAL
ACAI
JAZZ RECORDS – Brazilian guitarist Eduardo Mercuri strikes
jazz guitar gold on his 2018 CD called Prelude To A Kiss.
Brazilian jazz is just one area of music Eduardo brings into focus
on Prelude To A Kiss, which also features tastes of timeless
songs and modern jazz. On the nine-track Prelude To A Kiss, Eduardo
pays tribute to his favorite composers including Erroll Garner, Richard
Rogers, Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Joe Henderson
and Toninho Horta. Eduardo’s trio members, including Hayden
Farrar (bass) and Patrick Simard (drums), are joined by
several other players who add in occasional flute, clarinet and sax
but the main focus is clearly on Eduardo’s impeccable jazz guitar
skills. The connection between classic jazz and the South American
music connection is never far away on Eduardo Mercuri’s Prelude
To A Kiss. www.eduardomercurimusic.com
ALCHEMY
RECORDS – Guitar conceptualist Jon Durant has always
been unique and thus in a sonic class all his own. Tempered by his
attack on New Age and his love of progressive rock and jazz guitar
sounds in the spirit of Terje Rypdal and more recent icons like David
Torn, Jon has released a number of incredible guitar instrumental
albums in recent years, including his 2016 album with the band Burnt
Belief. Jon’s 2018 album, Parting Is will do wonders
for his many fans. Ostensibly a solo album, the 9 track Parting
Is is brimming with electric guitar soundscapes that transcends
genres. Perhaps it’s the way he records or maybe it’s his
myriad of influences, but the jaw-dropping effect of the album is
staggering. Jon’s trademark is his cloud guitar sound, which
is just that: an ethereal effect that makes his electric guitar sound
appear weightless as if it’s transpondered by mere thought inspired
by invisible kinetic energy. Anyway, it’s nearly impossible with
mere words to describe the magic Jon Durant brings to the entire 21st
century concept of just what the electric guitar means in the now
century. There’s no sweet sorrow here as Jon’s credits at
the end are most telling and, although Parting Is remains a
solo album in the best sense of the term, in doing so he tips his
hat to his musical associates and peers, Colin Edwin, Tony Levin,
David Torn, Stephan Thelan of Sonar, Michael Bearpark and others.
So if any of those names ring a bell or a chord, by all means find
a way to hear the magical guitar movements in play on Jon Durant’s
2018 album Parting Is. www.jondurant.com
/ www.alchemyrecords.com
ANGEL
AIR RECORDS – Best
known for their reissue CDs and new albums by rock legends, Angel
Air steps into the acoustic instrumental guitar arena with the 2018
CD release of 6 Strings by U.K. guitarist Nick Hooper.
Describing his album as being “Irish music and is affinity with
the guitar”, Hooper’s guitar prowess is very impressive
and as such fans of U.K. guitar icons like Gordon Giltrap and even
Steve Howe will be mighty impressed with 6 Strings. Speaking
about his 
2018
Angel Air CD release, Nick tells mwe3.com, "I decided to make
an album of my favorite Irish tunes. After the massive weight and
complexity of the Potter films, and other films besides, I wanted
to do something really small scale, so I called the album 6 Strings
because that is all it is: just the six strings of the solo guitar."
Some tracks evoke Tommy Emmanuel’s guitar style but others
are much more in line with classical guitarists like Julian Bream
and even John Williams. In recent years, Nick has done soundtrack
work for several Harry Potter films yet on 6 Strings, Nick
Hooper takes you back to the lute and classical guitar of the Elizabethan
era and the heyday of instrumental Irish and English folk music. www.wordandnote.com
/ www.angelair.co.uk
ART
OF LIFE RECORDS – Guitarist Carl Filipiak has released
a number of widely acclaimed albums over the past 30 years. Recording
as Carl Filipiak And The Jimi Jazz Band, Carl released I
Got Your Mantra in 2007 and in 2013 he released Live At The
Cat’s Eye. Carl has always been a big Beatles fan, having
recorded instrumental guitar fusion versions of “A Day In The
Life” on I Got Your Mantra and “I Want You (She’s
So Heavy)” on the live Cat's Eye album. So, true to form
on the 2017 CD release of What Now, Carl tackles
a guitar heavy, studio version of “Strawberry Fields Forever”,
complete with all types of psychedelic attachments. Speaking about
his latest Beatles cover, Carl tells mwe3.com, "It is the
first studio recording I have done of Strawberry Fields Forever. We’re
working on recording a version of “Help!” for the next album.
We actually recorded it for What Now but we weren’t happy with
it." Start to finish, the eight song What Now is filled
with daring guitar fusion tracks that blends funk, jazz, psychedelic
and even instrumental pop as expressed on the CD closing version of
Bobby Hebb’s “Sunny”, a song long regarded as one of
the most revered song classics, the standards of the 1960s. Regarding
his cover of Hebb's 1966 classic, Carl adds, "I like playing
the song "Sunny", but the band really wanted to do this
one a little more than I did. I was aware of the the iconic version
that Pat Martino did, and I didn’t want to go near it. Our version
is so different that I’m cool with having it on an album."
Assisting Carl in the Baltimore studio where the What Now album
was recorded is Matthew Everhart (bass), Paul Hannah (sax)
and Frank Young (drums). Also on hand is Brian Simms, adding
in B3 organ on a pair of tracks, including “Sunny”. In Carl’s
own words, “The songs co-written by members of the band are
a new shared direction for me, and I love the results.” The
chemistry of Carl’s skillful guitar fusion chops and the proficiency
of his Jimi Jazz Band makes What Now a most welcome entry in
the world of 21st century instrumental guitar fusion. www.carlfilipiak.com
BLUJAZZ
PRODUCTIONS – Guitarist
/ composer Bill Hart has released several critically acclaimed
instrumental jazz-fusion albums and on his 2018 Blujazz CD, Live
At Red Clay Theatre the sound is authentic and compelling.
Recorded live at the Atlanta concert venue, Bill’s sixth solo
album, Live At Red Clay Theatre features a solid six piece
band, including Pat Strawser (keys), Alex McGinnis (sax),
Dwayne Wallace (bass), Steven Walker (drums) and Emrah
Kotan (percussion), while the live stereo mix by Shalom Aberle
captures the live in concert ambiance in all its glory. Speaking
to mwe3.com about Live At Red Clay Theatre, Bill explains,
"This live CD will be number six. All the tracks are original
but none of them are new, although you could say they are new versions
that somehow have taken on a beautiful life of their own. 
Anytime
I record a CD I have to have some kind of a concept. Otherwise it
really makes it hard for me to compose. I look at a concept like planting
a seed and then I try to let it take on a life of its own."
With so many jazz-rock fusion guitar moves under the spotlight, it’s
clear that guitar heroes like Metheny and Beck were influences in
Bill’s playing while his early studies and seminar clinics with
contemporary guitar heroes Mike Stern and Scott Henderson are also
reflected in Bill's tasty guitar techniques. Although he's busy these
days recording his music and performing live concerts, Bill also dedicated
part of his career with the Atlanta Institute Of Music & Media,
where he taught and inspired younger musicians for over 25 years.
With ten tracks clocking at 70+ minutes, and most tracks at seven
+ minutes, Live At Red Clay Theatre makes for an electrifying
CD of expertly performed, totally easy on the ears, guitar-centric
jazz-fusion. www.billhartmusic.com
/ www.blujazz.com
BLUJAZZ
PRODUCTIONS – Chicago-based Blujazz continues on the leading
edge of mainstream 21st century jazz with a number of releases including
Jazz Marathon 3: Two Quintets - Live Upstairs At Vitello’s.
The double CD set features new live recordings by Doug MacDonald
Quintet and Roger Neumann Quintet. Guitarist Doug MacDonald
gets excellent backup from his band, including Rickey Woodard (sax),
Andy Langham (piano), Harvey Newmark (bass) and Paul
Kriebich (drums). Featuring an all-instrumental set of originals
and covers of Sonny Rollins, Irving Berlin and Antonio Carlos Jobim,
the set, captured on Disc 1, swings in style. Disc 2 features Roger
Neumann Quintet spotlights Roger’s tenor sax in a horn-heavy
set of originals, some written by trumpeter Carl Saunders and
featuring John Campbell (piano), John B. Williams (bass)
and Roy McCurdy (drums). Roger’s set features band covers
of Duke Ellington, Harold Arlen and more. With both sets recorded
live in L.A. on April 4th, 2017, Jazz Marathon 3 is a swing-heavy
double CD of instrumental mainstream jazz. www.blujazz.com
BLUE
RHYTHM RECORDS – Did you ever wonder what it would be like
to enter a time machine and go back in time to New York City in the
1930s or ‘40s? Well dream no more and pick up a copy of Ain’t
It Grand? —the 2018 double CD set by The Glenn Crytzer
Orchestra, The album amazingly features new instrumental and vocal
music written by Glenn Crytzer for his big band orchestra along
with well placed covers written by Benny Goodman / Charlie Christian,
Duke Ellington and more. Glenn cites music of the era by The John
Kirby Sextet, The Ray Noble Orchestra. To help realize this vintage
dream and make it seem better than real life, Glenn’s guitar
and vocals receive superb backing by a number of big band horn and
brass players and vocalists that make the music seem larger than life.
To top it all off, the recording engineer Sean Yoo has done
a brilliant job and helping create the ultimate vintage recording
sound and vibe. You could swear this was Glenn Miller or Benny Goodman
with Charlie Christian most of the time. Bandleader, arranger, conductor,
composer, lyricist and guitarist Glenn Crytzer put his unique big
band swing sound into the wayback machine and the results and superbly
startling. Vintage jazz buffs need to hear Ain’t It Grand
by The Glenn Crytzer Orchestra. www.glenncrytzer.com
DEACON
RECORDS – Per the album cover art, rock guitar icon Steve
Hunter may be going blind, yet his musical vision is very much
in tact on the CD release of Before The Lights Go Out.
It must be difficult t lose one’s vision, yet as my interview
with Sweden’s Citizen K proves that music is truly a mind game
that transcends sight. One of the most eclectic electric guitar albums
of 2018, Before The Lights Go Out is mostly Steve but several
guests appear including Joe Satriani, New Age bassist Erik
Scott and Steve’s wife Karen Hunter—who sings
the lone vocal on the CD closing “Happy Trails”, the old
Roy Rogers classic from the 1950s! Guitar fans who enjoyed the 2017
Satch album What Happens Next, will equally find much guitar
goodness on Before The Lights Go Out. With an album cover that
shows Steve’s walking stick, it would easy to feel bad for him
but with Before The Lights Go Out Steve Hunter reasserts his
standing as America’s preeminent instrumental rock guitar hero.
www.stevehunter.com
FRESH
SOUND RECORDS – Guitarist Ryan Meagher spent a decade
of his life jamming around NYC but now he’s back on the West
Coast and his latest CD, Lost Days was recorded in Portland,
Oregon. The album is filled with free form jazz fusion that contrasts
his funky and jazzy guitar instrumental sound with the offsetting
sounds of notable players like Bill McHenry (sax), George
Colligan (keys), Chris Higgins (bass) and Mark Ferber
(drums). The sound is similar in part to guitar icons like John
Scofield and was superbly mixed and mastered by Josh Powell.
The organ / keys of George Colligan makes an interesting contrast
to Ryan’s high flying guitar sounds and the album has a steady,
driving fusion sound. Several tracks receive in depth liner notes
and overall, guitar fans will enjoy the guitar-centric sound of Ryan
Meagher’s Lost Days. www.ryanmeagher.com
GILLAZILLA
RECORDS – Florida-based
guitarist Richard Gilewitz has long been on the musical radar
of guitar fans for years. Richard’s 2004 album, Thumbsing
drew praises from the guitar community and he has returned in
recent years with several new albums including a 2011 album called
Tasmania Live. Inspired by the 1981 album, John
Fahey Live In Tasmania, Richard’s Tasmania Live is
very much rooted in the Fahey style of finger-style acoustic instrumental
guitar music, jazzed-up with a liberal dose of Ragtime-flavored acoustic
guitar magic. Recorded live at the old theatre at the University 
Of
Tasmania in Australia, the 22 track CD features covers some of the
most famous guitar music of all time, with many of the tracks penned
by guitarists with huge names like Kaukonen, Fahey and Kottke. Along
with a sprinkling of originals, Tasmania Live is a good example
of the Gilewitz
live
concert experience. More recent from Richard is his latest single
called “Fuschia Circle North” released in 2017 through CD
baby. There’s a definite Irish music lilt to the track, which
features Richard’s guitar performing a duet with fellow guitarist
Stephen Housden along with some excellent flute work by Margaret
Kennedy. In addition to his inspiring acoustic guitar work, Richard
Gilewitz is also a renowned music instructor and his latest book on
Mel Bay is called First Lessons: Fingerstyle Ukulele.
An easy how-to book for aspiring Uke fans, the 40 page book includes
plenty of easy to read sheet music featuring Uke transcriptions of
song classics from “Bicycle Built For Two” to “Waltzing
Matilda”. Guitar fans could also learn learn something from the
easy to read, melody lines that accompany the chord transcriptions
as well as the song histories of each track. With so many albums and
music books to his credit, Richard Gilewitz is a true renaissance
man of the fretboard world. www.richardgilewitz.com
GREYDISC
- The most prolific maestro of the multi-string carbon guitar,
Kevin Kastning returns in early 2018 with his fourth solo album.
Entitled 17/66 the single disc, nine track CD is no
doubt inspired by Kevin’s use of his 36-string Double Contraguitar,
his 30-string Contra-Alto guitar and the latest addition, his 17-string
Hybrid Extended Classical guitar. Speaking about connection between
the album title and his performance on the 17, 30 and 36 string guitars,
Kevin tells mwe3.com, "Yes, that is the intent behind the
album title. For this record, I wanted a title that was numbers instead
of words. For this record, I wanted to take that concept to a bit
more abstract place; hence a title of numbers instead of words. This
is the world premiere recording of the 17-string, so that certainly
figured into the album title. For the 30-string Contra-Alto guitar
and the 36-string Double Contraguitar, I think of them as one large
66-string instrument; it’s hard for me to locate or define mental
or artistic boundaries for them, and in my mind I think of them as
the 66." Kastning fans will be in guitar heaven with 
17/66
as the music centers on a compositional approach that Kevin calls,
'harmonic blocks'. Interesting that in his liner notes, Kevin cites
the Wotruba Cathedral in Vienna Austria as being a “visual representation
of the harmonic blocks concept.” With its dense, protruding geometrical
angles and jutting points of construction, Wotruba and the music on
17/66 enjoy a similar type of shared identity. Long time Kastning
fans who still marvel at his ongoing creating of these 21st century,
multi-string carbon fiber guitars will sit up and take notice of Kevin's
recently acquired 17-string Hybrid Extended classical guitar that
debuts on 17/66. Although his 15-String Extended classical
guitar is replaced here with the 17-string and, while there’s
no inclusion of Kevin’s performance on the Kawaii grand piano,
17/66 is a still an enjoyable follow up album to his 2017 solo
album A Connection Of Secrets. www.kevinkastning.com
JARNOS
MUSIC – Finland remains a hub of interesting instrumental
music and you can place the band The Jarnos at the top of the
current 21st century rock instrumental guitar scene. With their 2018
CD Surfin’ The Beatles, guitarist Jarno
Tilhonen keeps the Fab Four centerstage. Featuring 16 tracks,
the CD features a number of well known Lennon / McCartney originals
along with some other period piece covers of “A Taste Of Honey”
(covered by the Fabs but written by Bobby Scott) and a CD closing
cover of “Raunchy”, the Bill Justis song covered by The
Shadows back in 1982. Also here is a cover of the Lennon / Harrison
track “Cry For A Shadow”, which was no doubt inspired by
Hank Marvin. For some, the murder of John Lennon means some of these
songs bring back memories of the night The Beatles were destroyed
in NYC but if you can get past that night, the album is actually quite
fun. With Jarno on lead guitar, the album gets further support from
the other band members including Jari Pöyhönen (rhythm
guitars), Lauri Valkonen (bass) and Jari Käinenen (drums).
Can Surfin’ The Beatles Vol.2 (The Solo Years) be next?
With hardly an off note anywhere, Beatles fans will be in orbit with
the meticulously executed Surfin’ The Beatles. www.facebook.com
NITISH
KULKARNI MUSIC – Since the Beatles introduced us to it back
in the late 1960s, we all know and love Indian music but one composer
who takes the venerable art form into the 21st century is Indiana
based multi-instrumentalist Nitish Kulkarni. As much New Age
as is traditional Indian sounds, the 14-track Listen is
an ear-opening musical experience that combines venerable Indian sounds
with a range of Western instruments, including Spanish guitars, electric
guitars, harmonica, African instruments, cellos, wordless vocals and
sitars too. The mood of Listen is very ethereal making this
CD by Nitish Kulkarni a good bet for fans of World Music and New Age
instrumentals that will enhance your moods with wondrous and meditative
sonic effects. www.nitishkulkarni.com
LO-BALL
RECORDS – American pedal steel guitarist Joe Goldmark
strikes gold on his 2018 CD called Blue Steel.
The 13-track album is unusual as it combines both instrumentals
and vocal tracks. Joe has done all instrumental albums in the past
(including a steel guitar Beatles tribute) and Blue Steel features
original Americana-flavored steel guitar instrumentals and vocals
spotlighting several singers, including Dallis Craft and Glenn
Walters. A number of musicians take part in the studio recordings
including Gary Potterton (guitars), Paul Revelli (drums)
and much more, including guest guitarist Jim Campilongo. Speaking
about Blue Steel, Joe tells mwe3.com, "This is actually
my third album in a row mixing vocals with instrumentals (Seducing
The 60's, The Wham Of That Steel Man). I do it because I've found
that most folks can't deal with a whole album of instrumentals, and
this makes it easier on the listener. Also, I enjoy trying to find
songs and reformatting them as country-rock tunes with pedal steel,
etc. I enjoy producing. The title Blue Steel has a dual meaning. The
album cover is roughly modeled on an old Arthur "Guitar Boogie"
Smith album cover, called Blue Guitar. I happened to have a blue steel
guitar and i donned my Ernest Tubb blue jacket, that I bought from
Buddy Charleton of the Texas Troubadours, E.T.'s band, for the cover
photo. The other meaning is that this album has a blues bias. Glenn
Walters does three bluesy tunes, and a couple of my instros are blues
leaning." The covers, mostly vocals, include songs written
by giants like Rufus Thomas, Bob Marley, B.B. King, Jeff Lynne, Graham
Parker and more. Ms. Craft sounds quite appealing on her tracks. A
world-renowned guitar enthusiast, Joe Goldmark hits the bulls-eye
yet again on an excellent and varied album that combines pop and country
within the context of a steel guitar based setting. www.joegoldmark.com
MARBIN MUSIC – One of the top jazz-fusion bands anywhere
in the world, Marbin returns in early 2018 with a vital new
CD called Israeli Jazz. True, these guys hail
from the Middle Eastern country of Israel and true to form, there’s
a solid combination of guitar / sax driven 21st century fusion that
borrows heavily from Israeli music, including an Eastern European
sounds that gives it a very old world meets new world musical vibe.
Cover art is excellent as is the music, which features Dani Rabin
(guitar), Danny Markovitch (sax), Blake Jiracek (drums)
and Jon Nadel (bass). Much like the 2013 Marbin album Last
Chapter Of Dreaming, as well as the band’s other recent albums,
the music on Israeli Jazz is hard driving and quite electrifying
instrumental music written and performed by some of the most skillful
jazz-rock musicians anywhere in the world today. www.marbinmusic.com
MUSIC
FOR THE NEW AGE RECORDS – America must be blessed to be the
home of so many excellent pianists and one name you can add to that
roster of musical talent is Mark Dunn. Mark’s 2018 CD,
entitled Melodic Voyage is sure to perk up the ears
of piano music mavens. The twelve-track CD highlights compositions
by Mark and the melodic and harmonious nature of the music on hand
provides a splendid feeling of musical déjà vu. Mark
Dunn’s easy on the ears style of piano music mixes in New Age
meditation music, light piano-centric classical, Celtic, and even
the upbeat jazz in the style of 
Vince
Guaraldi. Commenting on his being called a modern day neoclassical
New Age composer, Mark tells mwe3.com, "I don't mind those
titles, but I just think of myself as a composer. It's not that I
was exposed to New Age music, and it influenced my writing. I have
a thing for traditional folk melodies, the kind that are passed down
over generations before ever being written down, and I think you can
hear that in my music, even more than any neoclassical or New Age
notes. Still, I understand that my music fits nicely into those genres,
and I don't mind if people refer to me as a neoclassical or New Age
artist." These
time-honored musical styles featured on various tracks makes Melodic
Voyage an album that is never at a loss for creative sonic solutions.
Mark is also a well-known world traveler and he brings that world-wise
confidence to the sound of his latest album. Mark explains, “I
enjoy being versatile and trying new sounds and ideas musically. Part
of that comes from traveling so extensively, meeting musicians from
all over the world and from hearing all kinds of exciting music everywhere
I went.” Start to finish, Melodic Voyage is a piano
instrumental music trip well worth taking the time out to appreciate.
www.markdunnmusic.net
MVD
AUDIO – MVD
Audio continues on the leading edge of modern jazz-fusion instrumental
albums with a 2018 CD release entitled Visions: Coast To Coast
Connection, from jazz-rock drummer Bob Holz.
The ten-track album features a stunning cross-section of instrumental
jazz-based sounds and there’s also a vocal track on the album
that further showcases the diversity of Bob's music. Dedicated to
the memory of Larry Coryell, Alphonse Mouzon and Mignon Holz, the
album features a number of renowned guest players, including Stanley
Clarke, who adds in his patented jazzy bass, Frank Stepanek
(co-writer, guitar, bass, keys) Randy Brecker (trumpet),
Alex Machacek (guitar), vocalist Dave Porter and many
more. It’s very hard to pick out the best tracks as they all
have something to say but “Richie’s Track”, 
(dedicated
to the late drummer Richie Hayward), simply sparkles with a spectacular
sounding fusion workout. Speaking to mwe3.com about the title of his
new album Bob Holz explains, "The new album title signifies
the trilogy of my last three releases which all reference the concept
of forward thinking as it applies to my vision of the world. I recorded
the material in Los Angeles and finished the project in the Florida
Keys. Hence the Coast to Coast add-on." One of the top jazz-fusion
drummers who has played with the biggest names on the music scene,
including the late, great jazz guitarist Larry Coryell, Bob Holz also
proves his worth as a composer, drumming ace and band leader on the
upbeat, instrumental jazz-fusion sound of Visions: Coast To Coast
Connection. www.bobholzband.com
JIM
OTTAWAY MUSIC – One of the finest New Age electronic artists
from Australia, Jim Ottaway returns in 2018 with Yesterday’s
Passing. A varied look back at various tracks recorded,
mixed and mastered by Jim between 2014 and 2018, the 14 cut CD highlights
Jim’s mastery of the synth soundscapes and some tracks veer into
theme songs and soundtracks for television and film. Unlike some of
the colder synthscapes of the Berlin school of electronic music, Jim
gives the sound of Yesterday’s Passing a human touch,
sometimes counting on folk-themes woven into a New Age synth style.
Maybe it’s the emotional context into which Jim puts his heartfelt
melodies and to that he adds, “Yesterday Passing captures
my thoughts and emotions about my past, wonderful memories of family
and friends.” Overall, Yesterday’s Passing is
a very eclectic cross-section of electronic-based melodies and music
from synth music maestro Jim Ottaway. www.jimottaway.com
PATUXENT
RECORDS – Known for years as the virtuoso pianist who played
with the late great Les Paul during his twilight years stint at the
Iridium nightclub in midtown Manhattan, John Colianni strikes
jazz gold on I Never Knew, his fourth CD for
the Patuxent label. Swing jazz is an understatement on an album that
shines a light on Colianni’s knack for entertaining within the
instrumental jazz medium. Featuring the pianist backed up by a number
of top studio players, including Matt Chertkoff (guitar), the
horn section of John David Simon and Grant Stewart and
more, there’s some original music on I Never Knew, as
well as covers of jazz greats like Monk and Ellington, but what ever
music John covers, turns to magic. Swinging jazz with piano virtuosity
that sounds inspired by giants like McCoy Tyner, I Never Knew is
a most welcome solo album by jazz piano giant John Colianni. www.pxrec.com
JIM
PEARCE MUSIC – Light synth backing and piano expertise combines
for an entertaining hour of intimate music on A Piano Story
by Atlanta based musician Jim Pearce. Known in the
Atlanta area for his live jazz work, on A Piano Story Jim Pearce
settles in for a set of light and breezy piano-centric sounds that
comes to life on a 16-track album of solo piano magic. Different from
his jazzy releases, on Piano Story Jim steps out in style on
his first neoclassical / New Age flavored album. Much more impressionistic
than pure New Age, the CD has lots of sparkle and musical imagination
in play. Jim describes the music on A Piano Story as being
a “compilation of soundtracks to little movies in your mind”.
The soundtrack influence of European composers like Michel Legrand
is not far off regarding the sound of A Piano Story. File A
Piano Story under piano–centric, New Age soundtracks and
jazz solo piano. Either way, A Piano Story never comes up short
of intriguing musical ideas. www.jimpearcemusic.com
PHANTOM
RECORDINGS – L.A. based Simon Phillips is a drummer’s
drummer, a true legend of rock, and he keeps the jazz fusion sound
burning bright with the latest album from Protocol called Protocol
4. Hard hitting instrumental jazz-rock with mucho heart
and soul, Protocol 4 takes the finest elements of vintage jazz-rock
and adds in a solid dose of the now sound. Key to the sound of Protocol
4 is guitarist Greg Howe, who simply shines on a number
of tracks. Also backing up Simon on Protocol 4 is the solid
rhythm section of Dennis Hamm (keys) and Ernest Tibb (bass).
There’s plenty of that classic 1970s jazz-rock aura and true
to form, Protocol 4 mixes in all types of instrumental jazz,
funk and instrumental rock. Fans of the classic ‘70s jazz-rock
sound will get a supercharged buzz from the sound of Simon Phillips
and Protocol 4. www.simon-phillips.com
PEPJACK
RECORDS – From the outer borough of NYC called Staten Island,
Michael Morreale released a double CD set called MilesSong
in 2017. Subtitled, The Music Of Miles Davis, the
double disc features Morreale on trumpet and keys backed up by Tony
Regusis (keys), Bill Moring (bass) and Tim Horner (drums).
In the spirit of Miles, Michael Morreale is a brilliant horn player
and his choice of covers from the history of Miles Davis on record
is further fleshed out in his track by track liner notes. As Michael
further explains in his liner notes, “Miles recorded these
masterpieces which became masterpieces because he recorded them!”
Michael feels right at home with these tracks penned by Miles as well
as Cole Porter, Wayne Shorter, Sammy Kahn and Cyndi Lauper, who wrote
the final track "Time After Time", which was featured in
instrumental form on the final Miles Davis album on Columbia Records
called You’re Under Arrest. Miles fans and jazz fans will
be amazed at the diversity Michael Morreale’s incredible double
CD tribute brings to the recorded legacy of jazz icon Miles Davis.
www.michaelmorrealemusic.com
PLAY
ON RECORDS – Inspired by the music of legendary American
jazz drummer Paul Motian, guitarist Carl Michel sounds quite
inspired on the 2018 CD release of Music In Motian: The Compositions
Of Paul Motian, released by The Carl Michel Group.
The Ann Arbor, Michigan based guitarist is well established in the
jazz world and has also won awards for his soundtrack work. The atmospheric,
cinematic music of Paul Motian seems like the perfect sonic adventure
for Carl’s wide screen guitar vision and his quartet sounds perfectly
in sync with him. On Music In Motian, Carl gets solid support
from Dan Kolton (bass), Mick Dobday (piano) and Alex
Trajano (drums). Although recorded in 2013 and 2014, the 2018
CD release of Music In Motian is a perfectly timed tribute
to time-honored musical vision of the late, great Paul Motian. www.carlmichel.com
PROG
CABIN RECORDS – Progressive
rock continues as one of the most popular musical art forms of the
early 21st century. Fans of the beloved genre looking for new and
interesting prog should check out Transcendental Circus,
the 2017 CD by the band Orpheus Nine. Produced and arranged
by Jason Kresge (keys, lead vocals), the album also features
key contributions from Matt Ullestad (guitars), Tony Renda
(bass, vocals) and Mark DeGregory (drums, vocals). Unique
in the sense that the CD also blends in a solid dose of metal rock,
the 15-track, 75 minute Transcendental Circus also features
mind-boggling album artwork complete with full lyrics. Speaking about
O9 being the latest band in a long line
of prog-rock icons, Jason Kresge tells mwe3.com "To be honest,
we’ve mostly just tried to be ourselves and do what comes naturally.
Sure, everyone in the band spent decades hearing countless other artists,
prog and otherwise, so of course the brain is a crazy sponge and absorbs
this infinite amalgam of music already out there. And we definitely
have a wealth of influences, but the truth is that we’ve never
aimed to emulate anyone directly. I’m not the least bit offended
by the comparisons reviewers have made. We’ve seen a bunch: Rush,
ELP, Zappa, YES, Genesis, Marillion, Gentle Giant, Spock’s Beard,
King Crimson, Jellyfish, The Flower Kings, Pink Floyd, Return To Forever
— hell, even Iron Maiden." With the keys and vocals
of Jason Kresge driving the band forward, there’s plenty of hard
driving musical interplay throughout Transcendental Circus. With
their widely acclaimed debut album, Orpheus Nine should find a home
among fans of timeless prog-rock legends such as Spock’s Beard,
ELP and Rush. www.orpheusnine.com
RARE
NOISE RECORDS – After releasing an album on the Ronin Rhythm
label and a couple CD releases on Cuneiform, the Swiss band known
as Sonar returns with Vortex, their 2018
album produced, mixed and featuring key contributions by American
avant-jazz guitar hero David Torn. Hard to believe it’s
been three years since Torn’s Only Sky album yet with
his collaboration / production with Sonar it sounds like he’s
really at home. One of the most eclectic and gifted guitarists to
come out of Switzerland, Sonar mastermind Stephan Thelen has
composed a series of devastating sonic extrapolations for Torn and
the Sonar gang and the results equal or even surpass anything released
on disc by Sonar yet. The Sonar lineup with guitarist Thelen, co-guitarist
Bernard Wagner, Christian Kuntner (bass) and Manuel
Pasquinelli (drums) is in stellar form throughout the six track
Vortex album, which clocks in just under an hour. Insightful
liner notes by musicologist Anil Prasad underscores the significance
of this sonic summit between Sonar and guitar guru David Torn. Sonar’s
Vortex is aggressive, insightful and totally electrifying instrumental
avant-jazz fusion at its finest. www.sonar-band.ch
REAL
MUSIC – California-based Real Music continues on the leading
edge of New Age music with the 2018 CD release of Eternal by
composer Kevin Wood. In contrast to other Real Music releases,
Eternal combines Neoclassical and New Age sounds with sacred
and tribal chanting that also borders on World Music. The 12-track,
55-minute album sounds like a superstar jam with ten guest artists
and musicians featuring added contributions by two world renowned
cellists, Jami Sieber and South African native Francois
le Roux. Speaking to mwe3.com about the wealth of talent supporting
his musical vision on Eternal, Kevin explains, "Choosing
the guest musicians on Eternal started out easy. I knew Jami Sieber
from various projects, including her involvement with a charity compilation
album we did called Music That Matters – Lovelight, which included
36 tracks from 36 great artists. From there the album just evolved
and the performers list grew naturally. The inclusion of Francois
le Roux was providence." Various vocalists add in the chanting
parts and New Age icon Paul Avgerinos adds bass and percussion
on a bonus track here. The Gregorian meets World Music chanting effect
borders on sacred and in his liner notes, Kevin Wood speaks about
his spiritual journey of transformation and reexamining his quest
through the practice of prayer and meditation. The Eternal album
packaging, featuring track-by-track liner notes, is first rate and
the sumptuous CD sound superbly befits an album of this immense scope
and sonic magnitude. www.kevinwood.com
/ www.realmusic.com
VINNY
RANIOLO MUSIC – Inspired by giants like Les Paul and even
modern masters like Tommy Emmanuel, guitarist Vinny Raniolo released
Air Guitar at the start of 2018. Sort of a play on words,
Air Guitar uses the them of air travel in the choice of covers.
Vinny plays these tunes just like Les Paul may have done in his prime.
Les was a true connoisseur of composers and true to form Vinny also
puts his own solo jazz stamp on classic standards such as Jimmy Van
Heusen & Sammy Cahn’s “Come Fly With Me”, Irving
Berlin’s “Blue Skies”, “Fly Me To The Moon”,
Cole Porter’s “Let’s Fly Away” and others including
Vinny’s memorable jazz guitar version of the Django classic “Nuages”.
There’s also a memorable moment with Vinny's take on the John
Denver classic “Leaving On A Jet Plane”, as played by Vinny
in a swinging, modern jazz guitar solo way. Whatever jazz standard
he chooses to play, Vinny Raniolo covers it in style. Backed up by
bass player Elias Bailey, Air Guitar is a spectacular
night flight into the jazz guitar stratosphere. www.vinnyraniolo.com
RAVCON
PRODUCTIONS – The advent of the internet and the rapid rise
of the CD-R / mp3 over the past 20 years has yielded some unexpected
events—some good and some shocking. Among the good stuff has
been the rise of the indy artist and those gifted individuals either
rewarded or left out by the corporate monopolists who gave us much
of our musical history in the 20th century. One artist who continues
taking things into his own hands with surprisingly pleasing results
is North Carolina based Mike Brown—otherwise known as
The Man From RavCon. Mike has released the ninth Man From RavCon
album in 2018 and Another World is another fine album
indeed. Instrumental rock with tips and nods from progressive rock,
1960s soundtracks, electronica and spy/surf instrumentals, Another
World packs a lot of musical info into its nine track / 45 minutes
CD and as a result, The Man gotten a lot of favorable press from progressive
rock zines and other instrumental information outlets. With Mike handling
most of the writing, producing and performing, Another World is
all very much DIY—from the cover art to the CDR pressing. That
said, there are few artists on the indy scene making music as integral
as this. With his usual blend of spy/surf guitars, mellotron strings
and rock beat to the fore, on Another World, Michael Brown
and The Man From RavCon continues to break new ground and impress
long time fans. www.manfromravcon.com
RED
GATE RECORDS – Still living and working Upstate New York,
keyboard legend and soundtrack music maestro Jan Hammer is
back on track again with his Summer 2018 CD Seasons Pt. 1.
The 13 track CD features basic but appealing digi-pak artwork
with excellent photography and the music more than suits Hammer’s
legacy as one of the preeminent, living jazz fusion composers. Going
back to his mid to late 1980’s work as the composer of the hit
TV series Miami Vice and his instrumental rock albums as
well as his groundbreaking early 1970s work in Mahavishnu Orchestra,
this long awaited return by Jan Hammer is a sublime sounding, 21st
century neoclassical film score for half forgotten memories; snapshots
if you will of where and when it was and how we all got back here
anyway. Music fans who lived in awe of dawn of the 1980s easy-prog
rock legends like Group 87 and Pekka Pohjola will thrill to Hammer’s
slightly subdued, yet totally effective Seasons Pt. 1 and he’s
also planning a Pt. 2 so, for some who’ve waited this
long it’s going to be hard to contain the musical joy upon the
return of Jan Hammer. www.janhammer.com
SPHERIC
MUSIC - When it comes to state of the art instrumental electronic
music albums, few labels do it better than Essen, Germany based Spheric.
With so many outstanding releases already on their roster, Spheric
steps forth with The Incident, the 2018 CD by
Klangwelt. Like Tangerine Dream did in the 1970s and ‘80s,
on The Incident, Klangwelt take electronic synth based instrumental
music one step beyond. Comparing their sound to T. Dream as well as
Vangelis, Jean Michel Jarre and even German space poppers Yello is
easy and accurate on The Incident. Like the best electronica
of the 21st century, Klangwelt adds in plenty of dreamy, high tech
beats, sequenced melodies, cosmic epiphanies and the occasional injected
vocal samples. With outrageous cover art to match the otherworldly
sounds of the album, Klangwelt’s The Incident takes 21st
century synth music boldly into the strange new world of the future.
www.sphericmusic.de
STRANGIATO
RECORDS – One of the finest recording artists from the small
but essential European country of Estonia, Indrek Patte is
truly a renaissance man. A renowned vocalist and keyboardist, Indrek
proves his worth as an instrumental rock composer on his 2017 album
Cinemanic. We all know the term cinematic, yet
the more manic nature of Indrek’s skills as a composer of instrumental
soundtrack music is put under the sonic microscope on Cinemanic.
The cover art is kind of a send-up of the traditional movie going
experience yet this music is quite intense. What is surprising is
that Indrek is a fine singer, yet Cinemanic is a mainly, all-instrumental
album of solid, memorable and adventurous sounds with a perfectly
balanced progressive rock side to it. Speaking to mwe3.com about his
new album, Indrek explains, "I see Cinemanic as a studio album
rather than a compilation. The main difference from my previous albums
Celebration and Thank And Share is that on Cinemanic the emphasis
is much more on instrumental music and the mood created by various
tone colors. The album flows on a specific concept, which is the journey
from Creation to the Creator." Assisting Indrek’s keyboards,
guitars and programming skills, are some of Estonia’s best musicians,
including electric guitarists Raul Jaanson and Toomas Vanem
as well as drummer Andrus Lillepea. One can only hope Indrek
will continue creating vital progressive music while pursuing his
inclinations as a soundtrack composer and recording artist because
clearly, start to finish, Cinemanic is a true sonic delight.
www.indrekpatte.com
THREE
MILE TOWN RECORDS – As new waves of musicians appear and
try to push the sonic envelope forward, there’s bound to be new
and interesting developments coming from young and daring minds. Case
in point is Home by the Scotland-based band called Human
Pyramids. Not so unusual after all, Human Pyramids mix minimalist
sound waves ala late 1970s Penguin Café Orchestra with a kind
of upbeat, dare I say, dance music element although the sound is still
quite experimental. More a collective, featuring a core, five-piece
outfit, the instrumental rock sound is further fleshed out by a horn
and string section, hence the neoclassical, Penguin Café comparison.
Composer Paul Russell (guitars, synths, tuned percussion) also
mixed the album and overall, the twelve track album has a finely tuned,
21st century edge to it that suggests wide crossover appeal amongst
fans of new and exciting instrumental music. Scotland’s Human
Pyramids should be applauded and encouraged in the wake of their fine
2017 album Home. www.humanpyramids.co.uk
TRUTH
EVOLUTION RECORDING COLLECTIVE – Carrying forward the tradition
of post-Bop jazz, alto and soprano saxophonist / composer / synthesist
Nick Biello is turning heads around with his 2017 album Vagabond
Soul. Brought to the attention of mwe3.com in early
2018, the nine-track CD is truly an ear-opening sonic adventure that
offers an array of sonic twists and turns. Perhaps the coolest thing
about Nick Biello’s album is that it combines so many different
jazz styles that comes across as clearly undaunted in its approach.
In addition to the post-Bop jazz vibe, Vagabond Soul blends
in a wide variety of styles—from modern mainstream jazz to electronica
laced 21st century instrumental fusion music that also highlights
Nick’s work on synthesizer. Recorded in late 2016 in New Jersey,
Vagabond Soul features Nick in the studio backed up by a solid
band including Phil Markowitz (piano), John Benitez (acoustic
/ electric bass), Clarence Penn (drums), Paul Jones (tenor
sax), Andrew Renfroe (guitar) and Vincent Lionti (viola).
Having worked with the finest players on the current NYC jazz scene,
as well as playing at New York’s best clubs including the fabled
Iridium and the Blue Note, Nick’s sax work has also been featured
on a wealth of recordings over the years. On his latest solo album,
Vagabond Soul, Nick’s talents as composer / arranger are
tastefully featured extensively and overall, the album clearly makes
the most of his masters degree from the Manhattan School of Music.
Nick Biello’s Vagaband Soul will strike a positive chord
among jazz purists and music fans looking to check out the latest
and greatest players on the 21st century jazz scene. www.nickbiellomusic.com
UTA
RECORDS – Texas-based duo Woodwired are making waves
with their 2018 CD called In The Loop. Essentially
a duo album featuring Cheyenne Cruz (bass clarinet) and Hannah
Leffler (flute), the ten track album is meditative, instrumental
duets that combines light classical sounds, in the spirit of French
maestro Jean-Pierre Rampal, with a kind of lighthearted romp that
skirts around the realm of soundtrack music and assorted avant-garde
musical directions. Also incorporating the limitless possibilities
of live electronics, Woodwired’s album was produced and mixed
in 2017 by Dan Cavanagh. Woodwired’s mix of ethereal flute
/ clarinet imbued with electronics is just the ticket for a fun-filled
romp of unexpected instrumental musical elation. www.facebook.com/WoodWiredDuo/
VIN
VENEZIA MUSIC – New Jersey based guitarist Vin Venezia
is making waves with his 2018 CD entitled 5th and Adams.
The sound of the ten-track CD is straight ahead mainstream instrumental
jazz that spotlights Vin’s electric guitar front and center.
Key here is that all the track are originals penned by the guitarist
and also noted are the players backing Vin’s guitar and compositions,
including jazz icons including Mike Stern (guitar), Harvie
S (double bass), Kermit Driscoll (electric bass / double
bass), Richie Morales (drums) David Budway (keys), Bob
Magnuson (sax) and Manola Badrena (percussion). Having
studied with guitar ace Bob DeVos, classical guitar master
Leonid Bolotin and modern jazz hero Mike Stern, Vin’s
guitar sound and stylings are truly impeccable. Although Vin’s
guitar sound has a sound all its own, Pat Metheny’s influence
is noted as are other guitar influences including Wes Montgomery and
Jim Hall as well as late, great luminaries Miles Davis, Bill Evans
and John Coltrane. Veteran sideman, composer and jazz guitar ace Vin
Venezia boldly takes jazz guitar styles into some truly adventurous
terrain on sonic swing-fest of 5th and Adams. www.vincentvenezia.com
WHALING
CITY SOUND – America’s great 20th century piano visionary
McCoy Tyner is feted on the 2018 CD release of Passion Reverence
Transcendence: The Music Of McCoy Tyner. A trio
album featuring Gerry Gibbs (drums), Benito Gonzalez (piano)
and Essiet Okon Essiet (bass), the 13 track CD
features new reworkings of some of McCoy’s most famous tracks
including album title classics, “Fly With The Wind”, “Atlantis”
and more. Produced by drummer Gerry Gibbs, the album is a modern classic
that combines traditional, contemporary and fusion music that works
as a modern day tribute to McCoy. Some may say Tyner’s best work
was backing sax icon John Coltrane, yet it’s McCoy’s solo
albums from the mid to late 1970s that still hold the most sway over
fans. With nine McCoy Tyner originals paid the highest respect, Passion
Reverence Transcendence is further balanced out by several originals
composed by each of these three gifted musicians. www.whalingcitysound.com
FORREST
YORK GUITARS – Tennessee-based
Forrest York doesn’t make a lot of albums but when he
does it’s always memorable and exciting. Hard to believe it’s
been 5 years since mwe3.com reviewed Forrest’s 2013 Rainy
Season, and the underrated guitarist returned in 2018, albeit
under the radar for what is his 2016 album, Elements.
Elements was / is so under the radar that many listeners didn’t
even learn till later that it had actually came out on CD. Containing
all the sonic 
aspects
that made Rainy Season so brilliant, in fact, Elements takes
his sound one step beyond. A number of musicians take part in the
Elements sessions, including Forrest’s son Ryan York,
who adds drums to the album’s magnum opus “The Undertow”,
which clocks in over 13 minutes. Several other musicians appear adding
drums, additional guitars, synths and more, yet composing all the
music, producing all the music and with his guitars front and center,
clearly Forrest York and his unique instrumental rock sound is the
focal point of Elements. It’s hard to draw a bead on where
it’s all coming from, yet, true to form, Elements combines
a range of eclectic instrumental rock of say, Steve Howe or Steve
Hackett, with other sounds drawn from the Teutonic synthscapes of
Edgar Froese and the spacier sounds of Tangerine Dream, with emphasis
on electric guitars. Forrest has stated his fondness for both Jimi
Hendrix and Jeff Beck and fans of Beck’s more melodic fusion
workouts will take Elements to heart. Fans of Beck, Hendrix
and Howe do the right thing and pick up Elements by Tennessee’s
own 21st century guitar hero Forrest York. www.forrestyorkguitars.com
REISSUES
& RETROSPECTIVES
ANGEL AIR RECORDS – Angel Air has a number of CD remasters
by the prog-rock band Greenslade. The band split up in 1975,
yet leader Dave Greenslade had another album up his sleeve
and his solo album Cactus Choir was released in 1976.
Now in 2018, Angel Air has reissued that album with a bonus track
featuring U.K. singing sensation Chris Farlowe. A number of
classic U.K. rock icons add to the mix including Simon Phillips
(drums), Mick Grabham (guitars), John Perry (bass)
and more. Although the instrumental rock tracks are excellent, several
tracks include lyrics by writers including the late great drumming
legend Jon Hiseman. Also on hand are arranger legends such
as Simon Jeffes, Martin Ford and producers Rupert
Hine and Gregg Jackman. Liner notes by John Tucker adds
in much of the details behind this historic CD reissue on Angel Air.
www.angelair.co.uk
BGO
RECORDS – England’s great BGO Records is back in early
2018 with a new double CD remaster by American gumbo rock specialist
and singer-songwriter legend Dr. John. On their 2018 Dr. John
double CD set, BGO pairs Remedies (1970) with Destively
Bonnaroo (1974). Remedies was a true sleeper from 1970,
even though the 1960s teeny boppers hardly knew what to make of it.
A swampy mix of barrelhouse piano driven swamp rock, Remedies features
a number of classic Dr. John tracks including the lead off track “Loop
Garoo”, “What Goes Around Comes Around” and “Mardi
Gras Day”. With its original mix of Mardi Gras sounds and images
and a heavy mix of New Orleans flavored R&B, jazz, rock, funk
and
voodoo, Remedies is a great snapshot of rock greatness in action
during 1970. Destively Bonnaroo is a more smoothed out affair
featuring heavy input by the late, great producer / arranger Allen
Toussaint and soul band legends The Meters. Destively
Bonnaroo was the last album Dr. John made for the fabled Atco
Records label. Extra points to rock writer Charles Waring for
his insightful liner notes detailing each of these Dr. John Classics.
Another classic 1970s artist and fusion drumming legend, Billy
Cobham is given the royal treatment by BGO with a 2018 CD reissue
of his two late 1970s albums Magic and Alivemutherforya.
Released in 1977 and 1978, both albums show Cobham to be well
ahead of the curve in the instrumental world of jazz-fusion. The high-octane
fusion sound of 1977’s Magic features some of the best
players of the day including Joachim Kuhn (keyboards), Peter
Maunu (guitars), Randy Jackson (bass) and much more. Alivemutherforya
is a live set taken from Billy’s show at the Montreux Jazz
Festival and features a different band from Magic, including
guitarist Steve Khan, Tom Scott (sax) and others. Liner
notes by Matt Phillips adds much needed information on this
exciting late 1970s era of jazz-rock fusion. BGO doesn’t reissue
a lot of 1960s based surf-rock instrumental albums but when they do
it’s worthwhile. Case in point is a 2018 double CD by California-based
surf-rock greats The Routers. When California was put on the
rock ‘n’ roll map after the rise of The Beach Boys, there
were a lot of bands that road the surf-rock wave and The Routers were
counted on to reflect the carefree instrumental wave that The Ventures
and Dick Dale plowed before them. Formed by guitarist Michael Z.
Gordon, and featuring the production of famed L.A. studio ace
Joe Saraceno, the Routers released a number of albums. Even
before The Routers, Gordon formed The Marketts, who, would later turn
the ‘60s instro scene upside down with “Out Of Limits”.
BGO’s double CD combines 48 tracks from the four albums including,
Let’s Go! With The Routers (1963), The
Routers Play 1963’s Great Instrumental Hits (1963), The
Routers Play The Chuck Berry Song Book (1965) and Charge!
(1964). BGO’s double CD features all four Routers albums,
original album liner notes and cover art along with new liner notes
by Alan Taylor and Dave Burke of England’s iconic
Pipeline Magazine. 2018 high definition remastering by Andrew Thompson
adds new sparkle to the timeless West Cost surf-rock sound of The
Routers. www.bgo-records.com
CHRYSALIS
RECORDS / RHINO RECORDS – When Jethro Tull burst
on the scene in 1968, with their then album This Was, one could
hardly help but wonder, in a half-state of fear just from looking
at the album cover the day it came out, who the hell are these guys
anyway? On the face of it (and that album cover alone!), Tull seemed
like a band that would never make it. Released to much fanfare by
Reprise Records, This Was proved an amusing diversion at the
time and perhaps because no one knew who they were yet, Tull’s
music was all over the map—incorporating Cream-like blues, instrumental
jazz and some new hybrid type of music that was beyond description
at the time. Perhaps now 50 years later (did someone say half a friggin’
century?), it’s easy to say oh, yeah, Tull was truly great, but
upon the 1968 release of This Was, the jury was still out on
Tull. Perhaps the reason Tull actually made it in the US, could be
laid at the feet of one brilliant and insightful American record company
mogul called Mo Ostin, who headed up Reprise Records at the
behest of the record company founder Frank Sinatra. Interestingly,
Tull were part of Reprise during the time when true alternative American
bands and artists like The Mothers Of Invention, Randy Newman and
Van Dyke Parks and The Beach Boys were also miraculously being signed
to Reprise by Ostin and his friends. Of course, the vision of Mo and
Reprise also put The Kinks on the map here in US starting with "You
Really Got Me", in about 1965. Still, Terry Ellis getting Mo
to sign the first Tull album for Reprise in the first place, was a
stroke of pure genius and basically insured Tull’s imminent ascension
in the ranks of the Warner-Reprise dynasty. All this and just in the
nick of time. Boy, do I miss 1968. So it came to be, from the standpoint
of This Was, that Tull went on to shape the future of
rock, progressive rock, goth-rock, avant-garde rock which leads us
to a fond remembrance of a new multi-disc "restoration"
of their 10th anniversary 1978 album Heavy Horses—an
album that saw Tull perfecting their trademark state-of-the-art progressive
folk-rock sound. Calling Tull just folk-rock at anytime during their
first ten years would be a gross miscalculation yet, those who weren’t
around when it was all going down are always tempted to overplay that
route. Perfecting goth rock or art-rock, the flute and silk and steel
guitar sound was, then, just another prop in the Tull arsenal. When
it was released in 1978, Heavy Horses was hardly considered
folk-rock or even folk anything. At the time, Heavy Horses was
viewed as a continuation of the progressive nature of rock music Jethro
Tull and their stalwart leader Ian Anderson brought to the
world of music all those years ago. “Now you’re down
to the few, and there’s no work to do…”, Ian Anderson,
1978... And so it was, against that backdrop, in 1978 that Heavy
Horses proved to be an impossible act to follow the 1977 Tull
release of Songs From The Wood. Despite a litany of catchy
affable melodies and its democratic accent on Animals (Tull and Pink
Floyd animal tributes the same year? ’77-78), Heavy Horses
would end Tull’s ultra-dominance as the preeminent English
progressive rock band of that '68-78 era, although perhaps, that more
dubious recognition would come in 1979 with Stormwatch, an
album that was perhaps itself an indicator of the storms that were
brewing and, in retrospect, a portender of the shocking changes that
were coming to everyone, including the destruction of The Beatles,
a mere one year later. So this five CD set 2018 version of Heavy
Horses might not prove as valuable as some of the previous multi-disc
reissue sets by Tull, released by Chrysalis / Rhino, though perhaps
this final Steven Wilson remix is just as interesting if somewhat
less grand sounding then some of those prior releases. The inclusion
of a wealth of unreleased classic Tull b-sides, forgotten tracks,
two CDs of live Tull from May 1978, DVD audio for the techies are
topped off by an inclusion of two pretty cool, late ‘70s style
videos of “Moths” and the "Heavy Horses" title
track. Still, as with all of these multi-disc reissues of their ’68-78
Reprise tenure, Rhino’s 2018’s 5 disc CD/DVD box set of
Heavy Horses is a fitting marker and, in some ways the veritable
culmination of Jethro Tull’s dazzling, first 10 year reign of
success.
www.rhino.com
EAGLE
ROCK ENTERTAINMENT – Eagle Rock keeps the legacy of Jim
Morrison and The Doors front and center with The
Doors: Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival 1970. The
various double disc sets features DVD + CD and another features Blu-Ray
+ CD and, of course there’s digital video. By 1970, The Doors
were in the midst of a tragic upheaval that almost destroyed the band
and, of course that would happen, unbelievably, just a mere year later
with the tragic death of Jim Morrison in Paris, France. Arrested on
March 1st, 1969 in Miami for obscenity and indecent exposure during
a performance, Morrison was truly a victim of his own circumstances.
In the aftermath that dogged him for nearly 2 years, the once ingenious
lyricist and clearly one of the greatest lead vocalists in 20th century
American pop music history was reduced a mere shell of his former
self, no doubt taken down and torn apart by the possibility of facing
jail time. With that scenario playing out behind the scenes, the Doors
took the Isle Of Wight stage at 2:00 AM on August 30th, 1970 and burst
into a show that, in retrospect, was very good but, owing to the situation
at hand, was clearly not among their best. With an unfocused set consisting
mainly of their biggest hits, “Break On Through (To The Other
Side)”, “Light My Fire” and “The End”, not
to mention a bad-ass, scathing “Back Door Man”, the Isle
Of Wight show, tragically, just barely touched upon their then current
Morrison Hotel album with nothing from The Soft Parade,
their album from the historic summer of 1969. Despite a lack of
lighting (it was 2:00 in the morning for God’s sake), and his
gloomy mood, Morrison received excellent support from his band mates
Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger and John Densmore.
Morrison hardly opened his eyes during the show, only adding to the
creepiness of the event. The Isle Of Wight festival itself was a tremendous
success overall. Thanks to Eagle Rock’s keen sense of history,
and featuring a film crew superbly directed by mastermind Murray
Lerner, we can all stand back in awe nearly 50 years later at
this breakthrough live event that featured the Doors, Moody Blues,
Hendrix and countless others. Overall, the Doors Isle Of Wight CD
sounds very good yet the movie is obviously an indispensable part
of the Doors canon of greatness. Even on a bad night (or morning),
as God portended, on The Doors: Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival:
1970, rock icons The Doors could always be counted on for
a memorable and sometimes breathtaking performance. www.thedoors.com
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