 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
The masters of jazz demolition perform a kickin' set of power-trio jazz. "Enough" is not a concept this band understands, whether referring to enough tension and release, enough emotion, or enough power. Guitarist and composer Dave Wright turns up the volume and the energy on the aptly-named disc Breaking Apart, pumping out a series of high-powered originals with roots in rock, jazz and New Jack swing. With Wright assailing the guitar, Jay Mazzarella thrashing the bass and Jon Doty slamming the drums, the trio works hard to prove the theorem that "enough is never enough". The disc starts off hot with Wright's fusion piece 'Sand', a 7/4 blast of desert air and twisting, bluesy Arabian melodies. 'Urbanicity' follows with a funky New Jack swing groove, alternating between clean and overdrive guitars. The third song is a musical experiment: what do you get when you take the same New Jack swing groove and layer it with complex, drifting harmonies? Answer: 'Halcyon', a peaceful, medium-groove song with a dark side that just might disturb your sleep. 'Life After Death' is Wright's anthem dedicated to anyone who has survived the death of someone they love. 'Too Many People' is a blues tune that digs into the emotions roused by overcrowded conditions (remember, rats attack each other when overcrowded). 'How Can I Stop' started life as a composition with too much cool jazz feel, forcing the question: "How can I stop it from continuing in this direction?" The answer may lie in the wailing guitar and eclectic drumming. Jay Mazzarella contributes 'Blighty' to the album, an awesome example of tension and release, more tension and release, and a little more tension (not to mention some wild drumming). 'Allah' is a very old tune of Wright's and was recorded here as a sound check, but when you hear the performance you'll understand why it ended up on the album; although played with little or no rehearsal, it really works. The disc comes to a climactic close with the title track 'Breaking Apart', a musical description of a lover's fight (and right around the holidays, too) and the lingering emotions that follow. If you're looking for emotional, high energy music with jazz, rock and New Jack swing influences, then you can't listen enough to this disc. Breaking Apart 1. Sand (3:55) 2. Urbanicity (3:00) 3. Halcyon (3:45) 4. Life After Death (5:15) 5. Too Many People (4:50) 6. How Can I Stop (5:35) 7. Blighty (3:00) 8. Allah (4:20) 9. Breaking Apart (9:50) All compositions by Dave Wright, except Blighty by Jay Mazzarella Dave Wright: electric guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin, Photon MIDI converter, synthesizer, percussion Jay Mazzarella: electric bass, synthesizer, percussion Jon Doty: drums Produced by Dave Wright for Hellacious Modal Combat Jazz Records, Fort Nurney, South Dakota. Recorded at Studio X, Peekskill, NY. = = Dave Wright In the course of his career, guitarist and composer Dave Wright has played gigs at venues from the US West Coast to Western Europe. He has played many styles of music in many settings, from solo guitar to full orchestra. Some musical accomplishments include: Over 300 shows at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City as guitarist with the Radio City Music Hall Orchestra, both in seasonal shows and with artists like Peter Allen and Raphael. Over 40 shows with the Fifth Dimension, 16 shows with Jack Jones, 16 shows with the Smothers Brothers, as well as shows with stars including Diahann Carroll, Vic Damone, Rita Moreno, Charo, Frank Sinatra Jr, Debbie Reynolds, Shields & Yarnell, Petula Clark and many others, while staff guitarist on the largest cruise ship in the world. Recording on Caedmon Records, performing on New York City industrial recording sessions for companies including Citibank and Chemical Bank, and public service recordings like 'Crack Attack'; performing with the Rochester Philharmonic Pops for artists including Patti Page. Producing and recording a number of solo albums on the HMC Jazz label, including 'Gifts', 'Island Changes', 'All The Funny Things', 'Death On Ice', 'Breathe Easy', 'The Shadow', 'X-Centrix Live', 'Colorado River Toads', 'Io Rocks', 'Breaking Apart', 'Eyes Closed' and '9 Dreams'. Writing, performing and recording many original compositions, as well as arranging and producing music for recording sessions and performers, in instrumentations ranging from small group to big band. Dave Wright studied jazz guitar with Gene Bertoncini (Wayne Shorter, Hubert Laws, Clark Terry, Paul Desmond), Randall Dollohan (Jaco Pastorius, Stanley Turrentine, Edgar Winter, Steve Morse) and Tom Rizzo (Maynard Ferguson, Doc Severinsen), and attended the Studio Jazz Program at the University of Miami, Coral Gables. Taught adult students privately and through community music schools. His father, Rayburn Wright, was an award-winning arranger and jazz educator (as head of the Jazz and Contemporary Media Department at Eastman School of Music) and while growing up Dave was exposed to many musicians his father worked with, such as African drummer Olatunji, Keith Jarrett, Toots Thielemans, Dave Brubeck and Joe Farrell. Dave Wright currently performs and records in upstate New York with his own band, when not producing or accompanying other performers. For further information contact 800-790-6021. Track List: 1. Sand (Wright) 2. Urbanicity (Wright) 3. Halcyon (Wright) 4. Life After Death (Wright) 5. Too Many People (Wright) 6. How Can I Stop (Wright) 7. Blighty (Mazzarella) 8. Allah (Wright) 9. Breaking Apart (Wright) Other Genres:
|