The distinct vocals of legendary singer, Eric Burdon, still resonate and captivate us nearly fifty years since The Animals made their way to America as part of the now heralded British Invasion. There was something deeply organic about the music that Eric and the rest of The Animals played, a gritty earthiness that had a working class feel to it.
Moving between the Metal and Jazz worlds throughout his long and successful career, guitarist Alex Skolnick is one of the few musicians on today’s scene who can claim to have played Thrash Metal shows and appeared at the Rochester International Jazz Festival. After graduating from the New School in New York, where he studied jazz, Skolnick has been blazing a new trail with his music as he and his trio brings Metal, Rock and Jazz together in highly personal and effective combination. All of these influences can be heard on the band’s latest album, Veritas.
Jazz is an art form that lives in the moment. Musical ideas are created on the spot, melodies swirl around complex harmonies and everything is kept together with a pulsing rhythm that ranges from bombastic to sultry and seductive. Because of Jazz’s ability to be absolutely spontaneous, many fans believe that live albums are the only way to properly capture the moment when a band comes together to breathe life into their tunes. But, live albums are also some of the hardest to capture because of the risk involved whenever a high level of improvisation is being injected into the music.
British-born guitarist, Billy Morrison recently decamped and made his way to Billy Idol’s band for an extensive globetrotting gig that’s carried him to Russia, Greece, Switzerland, England and Eastern Europe. That’s not to say that’s he’s not continuing his work with Camp Freddy and Circus Diablo, two groups that he’s worked with for several years.
Power pop balladeer, actor and rock chronicler Marshall Crenshaw creates and electrifies contemporary songs from the heartbeat of vintage vinyl. He’s firmly and comfortably grounded in the roots of rock ‘n’ roll and has gathered up a strong coterie of fans with his catchy hooks and timing. Crenshaw is a craftsman who merges classic taste with new style in a manner to produce his unique and captivating sound, always reminding us of the days when rock was young and magical.
When one thinks of Brazilian music, the soft sounds of Tom Jobim or Stan Getz usually spring to mind. Music that conjures up images of white-sand beaches, palm trees swaying in the breeze and long summer nights spent relaxing with friends. But, there are many sides to Brazilian music that don’t often receive the same level of attention outside of the musically bountiful country as Bossa Nova does.
Rock has a legacy of communicating rebellion, with street smarts and an eye towards defining distinctions between generations, the rich and poor, the isolation of youth and the anger when dreams are shattered by realities. And it may not always be the lyrics that reflect the plight of the underdog, as much as the grit and primal nature of the sound of rock. Few places have risen to the occasion to offer up rock like Detroit and its surrounding working class suburbs.
After finding international success in the 1970s, Progressive-Psychedelic rock band Nektar found themselves going their separate ways, and not releasing an album after 1980s Man in the Moon. The next two decades found Nektar’s band members doing solo project and pursuing other endeavors as the band moved further away from their heydays of the ‘70s. While many other bands would have simply moved on and called it quits after such a long time apart, in 2002 Nektar reunited and have been recording and touring together ever since.
Steve Stevens is most notably recognized as the guitarist for Billy Idol, a partnership of 30 years that has produced countless Top 10 singles and platinum LPs. He is by far one of the most gifted guitarists to emerge from the ’80s music scene with his background being forged with the greats of the early ‘70’s like Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. Unknown to most, Steve also became an avid prog-rock fan, especially the likes of King Crimson and Yes.
When one hears the words “one-man band,” they often get a comical picture of a cartoon like character dancing around with a bunch of instruments strapped to his back. While this may work for the movies or in TV shows, it is musicians like Claude Hay that take this term and turn it into an art form. Utilizing modern technology such as loop pedals and effects, Hay is able to bring together multiple layers of instruments and sounds into his songs, both in the studio and live, all without hiring a band. He is a DIY musician in the purest sense.
