Yiorgos Fakanas: Domino (2007)

The name of Yiorgos Fakanas has been flying around the bass community since an article in which Anthony Jackson named him as one of his favorite bassists. After receiving this CD I can attest (like you needed ME too after that) that, yes, Yiorgos is a stunning player! It always astounds me how much talent there is in the world that we are yet to be made aware of in the US. You would do well to check Yiorgos out!

There are certainly some familiar names on this CD. Dave Weckl and Mike Stern as well as Bob Franceschini, for example. Although, as you might expect from the lineup, the music sounds very much like the Dave Weckl band with a Greek influence. That said, it is perfectly recorded, musically stimulating, the playing is of an astounding caliber all around and this is some of the best groove-fusion music I've heard in quite some time. Yiorgos' playing is stunning. You can bet I, for one, will be transcribing some of his lines and solos (as I suggest you all do!).

Bottom line:

If you're not a fan of the Mike Stern band or Dave Weckl band, this is probably not your thing, but if you're like me and love the way these guys play and love to transcribe some stellar grooves, you absolutely can't go wrong here. In this style, it just doesn't get better than this!--Bass Musician Magazine

Tracklist:

01. Narkissos
02. Rootbraker
03. Freedom Jazz Dance
04. Domino
05. Hawk
06. Passion Groove
07. Bitter Sweet
08. Osaka Express
Domino
Hotfile / Depositfiles @ 320K

Metro: Special Edition North Sea Jazz Festival (2008)

Metro was formed in 1994 by jazz guitarist Chuck Loeb (Steps Ahead) and pianist Mitchel Forman (who has played with John McLaughlin and Wayne Shorter, among others). The two established names came across each other regularly when they worked in the bands of Stan Getz and Bill Evans and they decided to join forces. In the six recordings Metro has made with a series of changing bassists, the band's sound has developed from contemporary jazz to fusion. Although the music is complex with a great deal of improvising, it always sounds funky. In Metro Special Edition the band is supplemented by an unbelievably select company: trumpeter Randy Brecker, saxophonist Eric Marienthal and drummer Dave Weckl.

Tracklist:
1. Metrocafe - Rio Frio
2. Cross Currents
3. The Standard for Michael Brecker
4. Dirty Dogs
5. Field of Diamonds
6. Bing Bang Boom
Personnel:
Chuck Loeb (Guitar);
Randy Brecker (Trumpet);
Mitch Forman (Keyboard);
Eric Marienthal (Sax);
Gerald Veasley (Bass);
Dave Weckl (Drums)

Rapidshare / Hotfile @192K

Anthony Jackson - Yiorgos Fakanas: Interspirit (2010)

For over 40 years Anthony Jackson has been the bassist's bassist; the man most admired by his peers for his groundbreaking groove work in jazz and pop with the likes of Billy Paul, the O'Jays, Buddy Rich, Roberta Flack, Chaka Khan, Chick Corea, Steely Dan, Donald Fagen, Paul Simon, Al DiMeola, Quincy Jones, Steve Khan's Eyewitness, Luther Vandross, Lee Ritenour, Michel Petrucciani, Pat Metheny, Michel Camilo, Mike Stern and Wayne Krantz. Jackson's conception and invention of the 6-string contrabass guitar led to further lauding from his low-end colleagues and resulted in the global standardization of extended-range basses, changing the sound of contemporary music from the bottom up. Additionally, Anthony's landmark use of a pick and flanger pedal on the O'Jays' smash, For the Love of Money, revealed a unique sound and approach that remains one of his signatures. About the only milestone missing from Jackson's remarkable career is a solo album. Being neither a composer, nor known for taking solos, however, Anthony has resisted countless offers (beginning with one from Quincy Jones in 1978). Until now.

Jackson's close friend, celebrated Greek composer/bassist Yiorgos Fakanas, proposed a project featuring the two bassmen, for which he would compose contemporary chamber music utilizing a rhythm section, horn section and string quintet. Jackson would then be able to define his role. This appealed to Anthony's uncompromising commitment to artistry, and he consented, choosing two of his strengths: Reviving and advancing his picking technique to fully interpret Fakanas's extremely challenging melodies (including double tracking them, often an octave apart), and providing the written as well as improvised bass lines behind soloists - a skill at which he is without equal. Fakanas, highly accomplished in his own right, would contribute all (five) of the bass solos. Recorded in 2009, in Athens and Connecticut, the CD brings together many of Greece's finest jazz and classical musicians - including alto saxophonist Takis Patarelis and trombonist Antonis Andreou - while starring such international heavyweights as drummer Dave Weckl, guitarist Frank Gambale, keyboardist Mitch Forman and saxophonist Tony Lakatos.

The nine-track disc erupts via the volcanic opener, Inner Power, with Weckl's double-time fusion-funk groove fueling Jackson's fearless flatpick foray through the tortuous melody. In divine contrast is Anthony's palm-muted quarter-note swath beneath Forman's synth solo, further engaged by Jackson's spontaneous reharmonization. Anthony and Yiorgos (on fretless) explore Wayne Shorter's Footprints through theme and variation, before brightly coloring the pleasing Cuore Vibes Part 2 with chord melody. On both tracks, the duo's differing approaches to their instrument are clearly audible. Summoning Isaac Hayes and Bob James' CTI days, the soul-tinged title track pivots on Jackson's bass line melody and Fakanas' ensemble counterpoint. Meanwhile, the brooding Seviglia recalls Return To Forever and Anthony's pivotal precision pick work with Al DiMeola, while showcasing his best pick-and-flange tone to date.

All credit is due Fakanas for recognizing Jackson's original voice and for creating a touchstone vehicle for his one-of-a-kind talent. Interspirit's impact is immediate, while its deep layers demand repeated listenings. Either way, spread the word: Anthony Jackson's solo statement has arrived!

Tracklist:

1. Inner Power 8:40

2. Footprints 9:06
3. Cuore Vibes Part 1 1:31
4. Cuore Vibes Part 2 10:09
5. Interspirit 9:41
6. Seviglia 10:01
7. Caldera 8:41
8. Ionio II 8:10
9. Parhelia 7:54
Interspirit
Rapidshare / Hotfile @ 320K

Jeff Lorber Fusion: Now Is The Time (2010)

Keyboardist and producer Jeff Lorber has wrapped up production of a new CD that delves back into his early catalog and reinvents some of his compositions from the Jeff Lorber Fusion heyday. The CD, Now Is the Time, is Lorber’s follow-up to 2008’s Heard That. The new CD will be released June 1.

By the late 1970s, Lorber had become a prominent figure in the new movement known as jazz fusion – a marriage of traditional jazz with elements of rock, R&B, funk and other electrified sounds. Lorber and his band, Jeff Lorber Fusion, first honed their craft in the Portland, Ore., club scene and rapidly expanded their reach to a national and international audience.

This new incarnation of the Jeff Lorber Fusion includes bassist Jimmy Haslip (who co-produced with Lorber and Bobby Colomby), saxophonist Eric Marienthal, trumpeter Randy Brecker, guitarist Paul Jackson Jr., and drummers Vinnie Colaiuta and Dave Weckl.

“We all had a vision of what we wanted this record to be,” says Lorber, who points to a recent European tour with many of these same musicians – and the positive response that resulted from it – as the primary catalyst for the album. “We wanted a return to the sound of the Jeff Lorber Fusion, but informed by everything I’ve learned since then. All of a sudden, people seem to be interested in hearing that again. They’re ready to hear musicians who can really play, really stretch the envelope with their technique, with their songwriting, and with harmonic structure.”

Tracklist:

01. Pixel (Jeff Lorber-Jimmy Haslip-Bobby Colomby) – 5:23

02. Black Ice (Jeff Lorber) 4:22

03. Rain Dance/Wanna Fly (Jeff Lorber-Irene Bauza-Frankie Biggs) – 4:13

04. Las Rosas (Jeff Lorber) – 4:00

05. Water Sign(Jeff Lorber-Irene Bauza-Frankie Biggs) – 3:56

06. Mysterious Traveller (Wayne Shorter) – 4:55

07. Curtains/Before We Go (Jeff Lorber-Irene Bauza-Frankie Biggs) – 4:17

08. Dr. Moy (Jeff Lorber-Steve Dubin) – 3:07

09. Sugar Free (Jeff Lorber-Irene Bauza-Frankie Biggs) – 4:49

10. Chinese Medicinal Herbs (Jeff Lorber) – 4:24

11. Sumatra (Jeff Lorber) – 4:11

Now Is the Time
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Dave Weckl Band: Transition (2000)

Dave Weckl's third release for the Stretch Records label reflects a new direction; seven newly penned compositions, new techniques, and new personnel. Aptly titled as Transition, the drummer benefits tremendously from his longstanding musical relationships with saxophonist Brandon Fields, bassist Tom Kennedy, and, the newest member of the band, keyboardist Steve Weingart. In addition to the four-piece lineup, Weckl jams with new percussive techniques; the incorporation of bongos, a tombek, wind chimes, and metal percussion into his drum setup. Just as the chart maker Synergy showcased the leader's ability to groove as well as to cut loose, Transition provides generous doses of high-energy drumming that characterized Weckl's days in Chick Corea's Elektric Band and the Akoustic Band, with the two approaches revealing a marked convergence. "Mild Hysteria" has a bluesy melody that changes gears harmonically for the solo sections and features the artist drumming in a fast double-time while the rest of the band is almost in half-time. Brandon Fields' "Group Therapy" features the saxophonist's swinging groove and great blowing. "Passion" is an emotional number that features the Steve Weingart great keyboards in tandem with Weckl's delicate, percussive ambience. Fields' beautiful sax is resonant and alluring on his solo and deepens the impact on the listener. "Crossing Paths" is another great song with a catchy melody that is marked by the consistent bass playing of Tom Kennedy. Together, the Dave Weckl Band is an ensemble that has blurred the line between soloist and accompanist and creates layers of sound that flow between several distinct moods.

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Transition (RS) @ 320K

Dave Weckl Band: Synergy (1999)

After being dismissed by some as a mere "chops meister," former Chick Corea Elektric Band drummer Dave Weckl purposely sought to reinvent himself as a groove player on his previous solo outing, Rhythm of the Soul, which also marked the debut of his own band. While the group toured, soundcheck jams evolved into tunes, and the resulting music on Synergy provides the most balanced document yet of weckl's drumming and his strongest musical statement.

Tracks such as "Panda's Dream," which features some of the fattest backbeats Weckl has ever played, and the New Orleans-inspired "Swamp Thing" are strong on pure groove. But tunes such as the African-influenced "High Life," the salsa/funk-informed "Synergy," and the solo drum/percussion tour de force "Cultural Concurrence" bear all the syncopated complexity of Weckl's original fame. He also displays a subdued, sensitive side with brushes and coloristic cymbals on the ballads "A Simple Prayer" and "Where's My Paradise?" A particularly definitive track is "Tower '99," a rewrite of "Tower of Inspiration" from Weckl's first solo album, Master Plan. It has all the technical mastery of the original but a deeper groove and a lot of soul.

On Weckl's four previous solo albums, he and Jay Oliver keyboardist composed just about everything. But on Synergy, the songwriting credits are shared among Weckl, Oliver, guitarist Buzz Feiten (a major asset to this band), saxophonist Brandon Fields, and bassist Tom Kennedy. The result is Weckl's broadest level of self-expression.--- Rick Mattingly, JAZZIZ Magazine Copyright © 2000, Milor Entertainment, Inc.

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Synergy (RS) / Synergy (HF) / Synergy (MU) @ 320K

Dave Weckl: Hard-Wired (1994)

What was true of Master Plan is also true of Dave Weckl's third album as a leader of Hard-Wired — it isn't the fusion masterpiece Weckl is capable of delivering, but it certainly isn't bad either. This time, the drummer's guests include keyboardist Jay Oliver and bassist Anthony Jackson as well as bassist John Patitucci, who like Weckl, was no longer a member of Chick Corea's Akoustic and Elektric Bands and was making his own albums a priority. The album's main emphasis is fusion that is fairly accessible, yet substantial and improvisatory. Tunes like the Asian-influenced title song and the groove-oriented "Crazy Horse" weren't recorded with hard bop's hard-liners in mind, but at the same time, they don't pander to NAC radio. As enjoyable as this album is, it isn't essential. One sensed that Weckl's best work as a leader was yet to come. -- All Music Guide

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Hard-Wired (RS) / Hard-Wired (MU) @ 320K

School of the Arts: ST (2007)

Cutting-edge compositions, beautiful sinuous melodies, and massive chops make School of the Arts (SOTA) a truly rare confluence of influences and musical styles, pushing jazz and jazz-fusion into another dimension.

The brainchild of keyboardist extraordinaire T Lavitz (Dixie Dregs, Jazz Is Dead), SOTA culls the supreme talents of such fusion and progressive instrumental music heavyweights as drummer Dave Weckl (Chick Corea) bassist John Patitucci (Corea, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter), guitarist Frank Gambale (Corea, Vital Information), electric violinist Jerry Goodman of Mahavishnu Orchestra, Shadowfax, and Dixie Dregs fame, and T s longtime friend, Dregs mastermind, and Magna Carta label mate, monster axeman Steve Morse.

School of the Arts is different from every album I ve ever done as a leader, says Lavitz

With SOTA, Lavitz (with four decades experience in the music biz having played with such wide-ranging musicians as Widespread Panic, Bill Bruford, Billy Cobham, Nils Lofgren, Pat Benatar, Jefferson Starship, Mother s Finest, Dave Fiuczynski, Peter Himmelman, Dennis Chambers, Jeff Berlin, and Scott Henderson) is top dog, playing acoustic piano (an instrument close to his heart), and composing most of the material for the band s debut.

Underscoring Lavitz s empathy and musical instincts, is the keyboardist s ability to spearhead and hold together the SOTA project, despite each member s busy schedule: Morse is constantly touring with Deep Purple (occasionally with the Dregs); Jerry Goodman is an in-demand electric violin trailblazer; Patitucci and Weckl crisscross the globe with various artists and solo work; and likewise for Gambale, who recently finished a tour with Billy Cobham.

The music is definitely interactive, Lavitz says. When I take a solo, there s Frank Gambale answering me, like something you d hear on a gig.

Case in point: the Afro-Latin acoustic jazz tune Gambashwari. Sinewy guitar and piano chords/notes weave around one another in syncopated patterns, stating main, contra and counterpoint melodies. It s breezy, not cheesy, jazz -- the kind that possesses sophistication without being elitist, boring or unlistenable. It s utterly infectious jazz-fusion with aspirations toward chamber or classical music, with rock s reckless abandon simmering just under the surface.

Other tracks include, High Falutin Blues (an appropriate title for a song that crosses the boundaries of country, blues, and jazz), Like This (listen as Weckl locks into Patitucci s sparse bass line all the while commenting on Goodman s and T s jazzy/bluegrass-esque soloing acrobatics), and Teaser (a Chick Corea-style acoustic rocker, complete with trill-filled piano performances, blanketed by Weckl s silky stream of beats). Dave Weckl laid down some of the best drum tracks I ve heard in a while, Lavitz says.

Despite the obvious and some might say inevitable chops heard on this record, the high level of musicianship never detracts from the overall flow of the compositions. In fact, the record has a ring of newfound freedom; of a songwriter allowed to spread his compositional wings, which recalls the artistic creativity and motivation that drove Lavitz to create his 1986 solo debut, Storytime an album produced in the wake of a Dregs breakup. I am very excited about this, because not only did I get to write the bulk of the music, but I produced, played and played only acoustic, says Lavitz. While it has elements from other recordings I've done, it seems, at least to me, to stand out as being very different.

Personnel:

T Lavitz - Piano;

Frank Gambale - Acoustic Guitar;

Steve Morse - Acoustic Guitar;
Jerry Goodman - Violin;
John Patitucci - Acoustic and Electric Bass ;
Dave Weckl - Drums and Percussion
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SOTA (RS) / SOTA (HF) @ 320K

Mike Stern: Big Neighborhood (2009)

Mike Stern's music has always come from a colorful and diverse part of town - a place where numerous artistic styles converge to create a fresh sound that's rooted in jazz but refuses to adhere to rigid borders. Since his earliest recordings, this former bandmate of Miles Davis, Jaco Pastorius, Billy Cobham and other high-profile innovators has grafted elements of rock, blues, soul and more to his solid jazz foundations. On Stern's street, anybody who brings a sense of energy, eclecticism and passion to the craft of music is welcome to play.

Stern invites fans and newcomers alike into his rich and diverse little corner of the world with the release of Big Neighborhood. Aiding Stern in this latest chapter of his never-ending quest for the new and better groove is a long list of talented guests: guitarists Steve Vai and Eric Johnson; bassist-vocalists Esperanza Spalding and Richard Bona; jamband godfathers Medeski Martin & Wood; drummers Dave Weckl, Terri Lyne Carrington, Cindy Blackman and Lionel Cordew; bassists Chris Minh Doky and Lincoln Goines, and several others.

With a crew this large and diverse, the idea of the album title should be pretty clear, says Stern. "Music is like a big neighborhood - a place where anything and everything can happen," he explains. "You can find all kinds of things in a big neighborhood - all kinds of different people, all kinds of different ideas and perspectives, and of course, all kinds of different sounds."

Mike Stern's Big Neighborhood is an open community where everyone is welcome. Everyone has something worthwhile to say, and everyone is given plenty of room to say it. "The thing that really gets me going is listening to all these very different artists on this record interpret my songs," says Stern. "In the end, everything is unified by the mere fact that there's a lot of spirit and a lot of fun in the music. That's really the common thread. There's just that vibe that emerges when good musicians play their hearts out. Nothing else really matters as far as I'm concerned...I think anyone who likes any of these artists will really dig what they did on this record."

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Big Neighborhood (RS) / Big Neignborhood (MU)