Apparently, this is the third album from D’Adamo, but it is the first time I have come across him. Paul started formal lessons when he was just six years old, passion for singing, performing, and playing piano continued through his college years where he studied with some of the finest teachers at the Indiana University School of Music, The Juilliard School and Berklee College of Music. He also began teaching students, as well as studying privately to further his art and hone his craft. In 2002, Paul opened The D’Adamo School of Performing Arts, where he still teaches private voice, piano, music theory and songwriting lessons in his Las Colinas studio or at his students’ homes in the Greater DFW area. He has brought in a selection of musicians to assist him on this release, including Jerry Marotta, Tony Levin, Alphonso Johnson, Vinnie Colaiuta, Lee Curreri, Grant Geissman, Trey Gunn, Billy Sherwood, The California Guitar Trio, Chris Remediani, Canyon Kafer, Fuzzbee Morse, Nichelle Monroe, Connie Jackson, Lynne Fiddmont, Amy Keys and Fred White.
The ten songs comprise just four original numbers, alongside one each by Genesis and Michael MacDonald and four by Peter Gabriel. When I looked at the tracklisting I really wasn’t quite sure to expect, as I have never been a fan of bands who attempt to provide note for note replications of others material, but there was no worry of that here. D’Adamo has one of the most luscious, velvety, beautiful voices I have ever come across. He has a tremendous range, but normally contains himself to the baritone, but it is all so effortless and timeless. For the most part we are in the world of soft jazz, and “Lovin’ Me Back To Life” has to be at least forty years out of time as the polish and harmonies, along with some stunning bass and horns makes one think of the major pop hits of the mid Seventies.
Right from the huge harmonies which opens the album on “Games Without Frontiers”, I knew this was going to be something special, and the muted trumpet just takes it to a whole new level. Although fans of the aforementioned bands are of course going to be interested in discovering more, this is an album which will be appreciated by all fans of great music as the arrangements and vocal performances are simply superb, all backed up by wonderful musicianship.
Resonance’ is the recording debut as a leader of drummer Dave Rudolph, who is based in Tampa, Florida. Rudolph is a veteran of the local scene for the last 25 years and is also currently the Professor of Contemporary Percussion at the University of Tampa. Inspired by his close friend Jessica Hiltabidle, who passed away recently, he realized that he was long overdue to record his own music. He has brought together a band of local musicians to bring his dream to reality, namely tenor-saxophonist Zach Bornheimer, guitarist LaRue Nickelson, pianist Pablo Arencibia and bassist Alejandro Arenas and together they perform nine of Rudolph’s originals. These are all instrumental, apart from the title song where be brought in Whitney James to provide vocals.
This is an album which takes no work at all to relax into, and the very first time I played it I knew I was in for an enjoyable time. Some jazz albums are bloody hard work, some concentrate solely on the skills of those playing, while others honestly never seem to make any sense whatsoever and others are just too lounge to be at all enjoyable. None of that is the case here, as we are treated to a band who really do feel like a band. I wasn’t surprised to discover that Rudolph started on guitar before moving onto drums, as this really is a very melodic album, and not as heavily rhythmic as some where the leader is also the percussionist. Although they are a quintet it isn’t unusual for the band to be working as a trio, such as on “Lonely Train” where Arenas keeps it all together, Rudolph displays lots of different tricks and styles, and at the front we are treated to a masterclass in understatement from Nickelson who shows there really is no need to play 9000 notes to the bar if you have an affinity to what you are doing.
Fresh, full of space, full of class, this post-bop set is creative, enjoyable, and a damn fine listen. It is possible to hear the album by going to the website at www.daverudolph.net.
Duke 72 is a new project formed by Big Hogg’s Justin Lumsden with drummer Jonny Mitchell (Future of Dead Relic Memories, Bricolage, The Stranglers). According to the press release it was conceived, written and performed by Justin Lumsden and Jonny Mitchell during a single nine-hour tracking session in Glasgow, with no prior rehearsal. Some of the music was written from scratch that day, while some others were revisiting material which had been thought about years earlier. After Mitchell returned to Melbourne the album was then completed with guest appearances from Justin’s Big Hogg bandmates Ross McCrae and Sophie Sexon, and Lavinia Blackwall (ex-Trembling Bells). The result is an incredibly evocative and atmospheric album, one in which in some ways is incredibly interesting and in others isn’t.
In many ways it sounds as if it was recorded no later than 1972, which makes me wonder if that is why there is a number in the band name. Harmony guitars, slide, little bits of horn, it’s almost as if Stone The Crows are back in town (with male lead vocals), while early Seventies band like Savoy Brown and Chicken Shack are also here (less blues than either, but with the same feel). There are bits of songs which are nothing but sheer delight, showing what might have been, but there is the downside in that they never really live up to the expectations offered. Most of this is down to the quality of some of the material, some of which would have benefited from judicious editing. By the end of “Backbone of a Jellyfish” I wanted to scream at trombone player Ross McCrae and ask him to stop repeating the same phrase over and over again as it was driving me insane. This feels more like a cult release than one which is going to set the world alight. There are plenty of Canterbury influences, some lovely rich guitar distortions combined with some sweet clear lines, but this is an album full of experiences and not many songs to which I want to keep returning.
The frustrating thing is that when they get it right, such as on “Oxblood and Rings”, which is a wonderful ballad, one can almost forgive them all their other sins. But not quite. Next time there needs to be a lengthier songwriting process, more culling, and then I am sure there will be quite an album to behold. I for one am looking forward to it.
This rather short six-track 25-minute-long jazz album features Johnson performing in a mix of instrumentals and vocal numbers, two of which feature an actual group. For the rest of the time, it is just Johnson and either a singer or one more musician, so he plays the part of a jazz multi-instrumentalist, something I have previously not come across. Probably for very good reason, as it is the interaction between the musicians which makes jazz what it is, what gives it its very soul, whereas what we have here is something which is pleasant, sanitized, and perfect 70’s background music. I can’t really imagine anyone sitting down and just listening to this, as it is way too clean and safe. He has a pleasant guitar sound, but although he may style himself on George Benson, sadly there is a great deal of difference between the two of them. Not one I can ever imagine playing again.
This band originally started life as a duo back in 1995 when bassist/ songwriter/ producer Bob Madsen met guitarist/songwriter/singer Brian Cline in the North Bay Area of California. Brian and Bob began working together on a few tunes written by Bob and began a lifelong “bromance.” Interestingly to progheads, Brian was the original singer with Enchant and Bob has guested with them multiple times. The band is now completed by Kenny Steel (guitars, keyboards, string arrangements) and then guests are brought in on drums and additional instrumentation. There are a few things which make this band stand out for me, and the first is the bass. Here it is not being used as an instrument to sit alongside the drums but is often the lead melody. We are treated to a masterclass in how to use the instrument, both fretted and fretless, and it took me a long time to work out who Bob reminds me of, and in the end, I finally realised it was the mighty Ox, John Entwistle. Like Entwistle, Madsen can provide nuances, work the complete length of neck, and also put in blisteringly quick bursts when the music demands in. There are also times when we get slap and pop, which provides a totally different feel to the songs.
But, one of the reasons the bass is such a success is due to the strength of the songs and also to the wonderful vocals of Brian Cline. He can put a rough edge on his voice, or sing melodic straight down the line, which gives a totally different feel in many ways. This is music which refuses to be pigeonholed – I know there are some which are calling it progressive, even heavy, but to be perfectly honest it is neither of those things, both these things, and much more. Think of it is as songs-based rock which contains elements and influences from everywhere while still staying pretty middle of the road in terms of overall sound. It is a clever trick designed to lull in the listener as the songs are full of hooks, well sung, but with far more going on than may immediately be apparent. I gave up trying to think who these guys really remind me of, and in the end will just say Eighties melodic rock with pop and prog tendencies, which at times may or may not include funk. There is a confidence in both the performance and material that they will have complete sections where it may be just drums, vocals, and/or bass. It is an incredibly laid-back album in that it never feels rushed and the listener relaxes into it like a favourite armchair.
Elements of Level 42, Tears For Fears and Be Sharp? Yes, I guess, maybe. Oh, I don’t know, just go out and grab this album as it is a damn fine listen and I smile each and every time I play it as I enjoy it that much.
I have loved Art-Rock and what many now call Prog or Progressive Rock since the late ’60s. I can still recall the day and place I discovered my first Art-rock band it was the summer of 69 I was listening to a pocket-sized AM radio while visiting relatives when I heard a song called White Bird by San Fransico based band “Its a Beautiful Day”.
Soon I would discover many other Art, Prog or Psychedelic bands such as Pink Floyd, The Moody Blues, Traffic, Procol Harum and Jethro Tull, by the ’70s it was Electric Light Orchestra, Barclay James Harvest, Supertramp, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band and in the 80s I was into all styles of music from The Art of Noise,Alan Parsons Project, Tears For Fears, Kansas, Marillion, IQ, It Bites and the story continues today. Yes, I was a fan of the staple bands: Yes, Rush, Genesis, however, I seemed to have gravitated to and built a strong love for all things Melodic.
Which leads me to Pattern-Seeking Animals a fantastic new US melodic Art-rock band formed in 2018 by John Boegehold songwriter and guest musician on many Spock’s Beard albums. Starting with Feel Euphoria (2003) and including Octane (2005) Spock’s Beard (2006) and finally X (2010). Spock’s Beard not only is one of the most important US prog bands, but also one of my favorites. Pattern-Seeking Animals is rounded out by Ted Leonard, Jimmy Keegan & Dave Meros all of whom have been involved with Spock’s Beard or still are.
Boegehold comments: “My goal was to produce music that’s progressive and intricate while keeping things immediate and melodic. Whether a song is four minutes or ten minutes long, I didn’t want more than a few bars go by without some kind of instrumental or vocal hook.”
So what’s in a name? According to my wife and a google search “Humans are pattern-seeking animals and we are adept at finding patterns whether they exist or not” I have to say this seems to fit the debut very well indeed.
I will not give you a play by play of each track, but I can tell you there are no fillers on this album, the album is filled with brilliant fretwork and tasty hooks, stunning Vocals & Harmonies that remind me of the heyday of Styx, ELO as well as Flying Colors, and Spock’s Beard, the album is chalk full of memorable lyrics that you will want to sing along with: and if that’s not enough the album is rounded out by lush and majestic keyboards and a top-notch rhythm section.
As I said before, there are no fillers on this album but there a few tracks that really sealed the deal for me like; Orphans Of The Universe, These Are My Things, No One Ever Died And Made Me King, or We Write Ghost Stories
1 – No Burden Left to Carry (9:38) 2 – The Same Mistakes Again (5:10) 3 – Orphans of the Universe (10:28) 4 – No One Ever Died and Made Me King (3:54) 5 – Fall Away (4:47) 6 – These Are My Things (4:52) 7 – We Write the Ghost Stories (3:22) 8 – No Land’s Man (5:35) 9 – Stars Along the Way (10:20)
Line-up: John Boegehold (synths, keyboards) Ted Leonard (vocals & guitar) Dave Meros (bass) Jimmy Keegan (drums & vocals)
I listen to a lot of music nowadays so its sensory overload, that said… it’s refreshing when something comes across the desk that makes me go OMG what is this? P-SA is a must-have for any respectable music collection. ★★★★★ Un-qualified-Kritic
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