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Jonathan Kreisberg
Unearth
Release Date: September 20, 2005
Frank Vignola will probably be known to those of you with a jazz bent as one of the foremost practitioners of gypsy jazz guitar in the US, but his six string talents extend a lot further than the odd Djangoesque outing, as this CD proves admirably.
David Mead
Guitar Techniques
For those who thought that there could be no more surprises in the world of jazz guitar…may I introduce Jonathan Kreisberg. Hailed as a major up and comer by players, fans and critics alike, and only in his early thirties, Kreisberg sounds and plays like a seasoned veteran. You only need to listen to his latest CD release from Mel Bay Records, Unearth, to hear his brilliance as an electrifying player and composer.
Lyle Robinson
Jazz Guitar Life
Kreisberg nears his target of becoming the Keith Jarrett of the guitar.
Bill Meredith
Jazziz
We really want to stress how talented Jonathan Kreisberg sounds on Unearth, and how to the European public this could be not only a revelation, but a shock. Kreisberg, steeped in modern guitar and American jazz, is an outstanding technician, but also a remarkable composer. We simply are in the presence of a great musician. Period.
Philippe Baron
RTBF / Belgian Jazz Radio
Kreisberg illustrates his deft compositional touch on Unearth yet his playing is perhaps even stronger - he's prone to compact runs with a strong sense of fluidity and has a flawless sense of harmony.
Tad Hendrickson
JazzWeek
Kreisberg is a consummate storyteller aided by animated passages and fluently expressed chord voicings.
Glenn Astarita
eJazz News
After listening to these discs, it's obvious that Kreisberg is well on his way to becoming a jazz standard himself.
Terrell Kent Holmes
All About Jazz
Alex de Grassi
Alex de Grassi in Concert
Release Date: July 17, 2007
De Grassi doesn't get lost in a myriad of technical gymnastics for the sake of it. His wide-ranging arsenal and artistic sensitivities become prominent on standards such as "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat," "Swing Low," and other works. Nonetheless, he injects his personalized style into anything and everything, often producing a mark of distinction that could also serve as a mini-clinic for aspiring plectorists.
Glenn Astarita
EJazzNews.com
Playing a Lowden F Maple de Grassi Signature model and a Traugott Model R Brazilian Rosewood guitar, he has a flawless technique and is one of the finest steel string players around. His interpretation of the Monk classic “Round Midnight” is approached as if a vocalist were singing it.
Ian Macgregor
Frank Vignola
Vignola Plays Gershwin
Release Date: April 17, 2007
Frank Vignola is one of the finest six-stringers around, and this album is an example of how a really good musician can take treadworn songs and make a guitar record of major importance while translating a seemingly bottomless supply of soulful licks and ideas.
John Heidt
Vintage Guitar
Frank Vignola will probably be known to those of you with a jazz bent as one of the foremost practitioners of gypsy jazz guitar in the US, but his six string talents extend a lot further than the odd Djangoesque outing, as this CD proves admirably.
David Mead
Guitar Techniques
Various Artists
John Pisano's Guitar Night
Release Date: February 20, 2007
This two disc package from Mel Bay Records is a marvel of mainstream jazz guitar...
...Full review
Michael P. Gladstone
All About Jazz
A delight for anyone into the intricate inner workings of postbop jazz guitar.
Tom Hull
Static Multimedia
John Pisano's Guitar Night is wonderfully old-fashioned and refreshing in its reliance on plain-spoken melodic improvising at swinging tempos. Pisano, whose jazz credits include work with Chico Hamilton and Joe Pass, has been a West Coast Studio stalwart for years. Even though he modestly says his forte is rhythm playing, he is a compact, clear soloist. The two CDs document the Tuesday night happenings known as Guitar night, and the sampler format allows for memorable performances.
Michael Steinman
Cadence
MB3
Jazz Hits / Volume 1
Release Date: December 21, 2006
Jazz guitar traditionalists of the world unite - or at least take note of this triumvirate of six-string masters as they explore a selected catalog of perennial jazz classics.
Peter Margasak
DownBeat
MB3 provides tasteful and masterful renditions of jazz standards in an exquisite setting of rhythm and lead guitars weaving in and out of the melodies. In what could easily have been a traffic jam, masters Jimmy Bruno, Vic Juris and Corey Christiansen handle the logistics of this task with aplomb and alacrity.
George Harris
All About Jazz / Los Angeles
What's better than one excellent jazz guitarist or even a jazz guitar duo? Well, how about a jazz guitar trio, a rare instrumental lineup being explored by Jimmy Bruno, Vic Juris and Corey Christiansen?
Richard Harrington
The Washington Post
This one will camp on my play list for many weeks.
Doug Moody
KMFB-FM / Fort Bragg, California
One for the guitar freaks out there, but certainly no novelty
Tad Hendrickson
JazzWeek
A good blending of musical personalities producing fine music
Vince Lewis
Just Jazz Guitar
Eminently playable
Peter Poses
KRFC / Fort Collins, Colorado
John Abercrombie & Andy LaVerne
The Art of the Duo
Release Date: September 19, 2006
If you’ve recently acquired a taste for delicately nuanced duo jazz, with the recent sounds of Metheny and Mehldau still shimmering in your ears, then here are two more masters of the idiom.
Mike Flynn
Jazzwise
http://www.audaud.com/article.php?ArticleID=3050
Four Stars
Audiophile Audition
Howard Alden
Live at the Smithsonian Jazz Cafe
Release Date: August 15, 2006
A professional for over twenty years, (Alden) has performed with just about all of the jazz greats. This is a chance to watch one of the best in action. Howard makes it all look easy. He can move from playing gypsy jazz, bebop, standards, and just about anything else thrown at him.
Ed Benson
Just Jazz Guitar
Vic Juris & Corey Christiansen
Live at the Smithsonian Jazz Cafe
Release Date: July 18, 2006
The conversational qualities that define the best duo partnerships are simply overflowing on this wonderful collaboration between guitarists Corey Christiansen and Vic Juris. (Four stars)
Mike Flynn
Jazzwise
Relaxation and amiable swing characterize two-and-a-half hours with the veteran Juris and the relative newcomer Christiansen. The guitarists are close listeners and thoughtful improvisers more concerned with line, chords and mood than with display and fire.
Doug Ramsey
Rifftides
Two wonderful players
Bob Karlovits
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Not only are these two guitarists fluent in almost every aspect of the instrument, they are constantly being creative and melodic, never relying on flash or chops for the sake of chops.
Matthew Warnock
Just Jazz Guitar
Dave Stryker
The Chaser
Release Date: July 18, 2006
A sense of effortless, swinging chemistry permeates the entire session.
Don Berryman
JazzPolice.com
Harking back to Stryker's early days with organ legend Jack McDuff, (The Chaser) finds the guitarist in absolute top form.
David Adler
JazzTimes
Easily one of the top modern jazz picks for 2006
Glenn Astarita
EJazzNews.com
While he has been a leader on close to 20 projects, Stryker is still not a household name among jazz fans, but this album should go a long way in fixing that.
Ed Trefzger
JazzWeek
A hip trio that gets it all (Four stars)
John Gilbert
EJazzNews.com
That Stryker's The Chaser is the product of a working band is obvious; it feels as comfortable as a broken-in leather jacket. Stryker, young B3 Hammond organist Jared Gold and veteran drummer Tony Reedus click on all cylinders, creating irresistible grooves in their own take on the classic organ trio sound.
George Kanzler
All About Jazz / New York
Stryker, once again, has created an album that mixes traditional styles and unique compositions/arrangements into a single appealing package.
Dan Bilawsky
Jazz Improv
If you're looking for an energetic, swinging CD from beginning to end, Dave Stryker's The Chaser is your purchase. Three master players with one common goal: to play "feel good" music on an extremely high level. In addition, the recording quality is top notch, with a clean, crisp, warm sound from all three instruments. This is surely one recording not to be missed. Highly recommended! Five starts (out of five).
Jeff Barone
Just Jazz Guitar
It is delightful to hear Reedus, Gold and Stryker at the apex of their powers.
JazzReview.com
Randy Johnston
Live at the Smithsonian Jazz Cafe
Release Date: April 18, 2006
It's a fine program from start to finish, and Johnston practices a dexterous yet elegant '60s-era Pat Martino style that swings soothingly even at its most convoluted - somehow making even the gymnastic bop staple "Billie's Bounce" sound lax. And while so many of his peers have gone the way of the stompbox, Johnston's vintage cool-toned style reflects hard-bop's timelessness: He's soulful without overtly funking out and explosive without succumbing to rock pyrotechnics.
Evan Haga
JazzTimes
This is an enjoyable set, documenting an important modern jazz guitarist. The setting is informal; the atmosphere as well as the music is relaxed. Johnston and his band perform well and though this is a small venue without elaborate sound systems or a huge audience, you know that old cliché: you can't judge a book by its cover. And, better yet, there is nothing but great jazz on Randy Johnston: Live at the Smithsonian Jazz Café.
Dave Miele
Jazz Improv
Joe Diorio Trio: Live
Release Date: April 18, 2006
A master craftsman
Glenn Astarita
EJazzNews.com
Joe Diorio and his trio demonstrate the sheer power that can be collected from a standard tune when interpreted by creative artists.
Jim Santella
Jazz Improv
Diorio's tone is robust, and his solos are entirely free of stock licks. His melodic and intervallic paths through the changes are consistently fresh, creating solid chemistry with the rhythm section.
David Adler
JazzTimes
Although you can never really replicate the experience of live jazz, some recordings come very close, and this six-song set is a true testament to Diorio's genius as well as a simply enjoyable set of great jazz.
Fred 'Starr' Gerantab
JazzReview.com
Rodney Jones
Live at Smoke
Release Date: March 21, 2006
No matter what your background - jazz, metal, blues, hip hop - you'll find it extremely difficult not to enjoy this vibrant set from one of the most versatile and tasteful guitarists in the country
Jude Gold
Guitar Player
Jones is a groove-jazz extraordinaire, as cuts like "Soup Bone," "Soul Manifesto" and Odilen Dibango's "Soul Makossa" attest, but he's also adept at standards (a sparkling chord-melody solo arrangement leads "Round Midnight"), Takoma Records-esque acoustic fingerstyle meanderings ("For Love Alone"), hard B.B. and Albert King-style blues ("Miss B's Blues") and veraciously swinging bop (an uncredited closing breakout of "Oleo").
Evan Haga
JazzTimes
A remarkable viewing experience
JazzReview.com
Rick Haydon & John Pizzarelli
Just Friends
Release Date: February 21, 2006
It only makes sense that Haydon and Pizzarelli chose a brisk rendition of "Just Friends" to close their initial recording date together, as it is obvious that they had a ball making this CD.
Ken Dryden
All About Jazz / New York
Although the duo only played together on a couple of occasions prior to this session, their musical touchstones and graceful styles blend together like a seasoned team.
Mike Shanley
JazzTimes
The music overall includes bop, swing and Brazilian pieces, all performed with good humor and creative ideas, making this an easily recommended set.
Scott Yanow
All Music Guide
Bucky Pizzarelli with Frank Vignola
Favorite Solos
Release Date: November 15, 2005
Pizzarelli's solo constructions are consistently dazzling, and his emphatic chording behind Vignola is creative. Pizzarelli selects only vintage material, and his playing on standards like "Honeysuckle Rose" and "In A Mellow Tone" is flawless.
Mitch Myers
DownBeat
His effortless phrasing and mellow tone are the epitome of cool, swinging jazz guitar.
Mike Flynn
Jazzwise
Pairing these two masters of the guitar in this informal setting makes you feel as if they are playing only for you in your living room.
Ed Benson
Just Jazz Guitar
The ease with which they alternate between soloing and accompanying makes it seem like they've been working together for years. Pizzarelli is a master of melody and a superb soloist, while Vignola's solos are just a bit more flamboyant, while never overshadowing his partner.
Ken Dryden
All About Jazz / New York
A straightforward and unassuming duo presentation that will afford great pleasure to both general jazz audiences and guitarists at any level of ability
John Henry
Audiophile Audition
Peter Bernstein Trio
Live at Smoke
Release Date: August 23, 2005
In the intimate surroundings of the tiny New York club Smoke, a lighter touch and a more nuanced attack are required, one which six-stringer Peter Bernstein achieves with sublime restraint. (Four stars)
Mike Flynn
Jazzwise
This is one of the most exciting videos I've ever seen.
T. Bruce Wittet
Drums Etc.
What's better than one excellent jazz guitarist or even a jazz guitar duo? Well, how about a jazz guitar trio, a rare instrumental lineup being explored by Jimmy Bruno, Vic Juris and Corey Christiansen?
Richard Harrington
The Washington Post
Engaging in an accessible way that, in its honesty and unassuming nature, is as real a performance as you're likely to get, Live at Smoke is required viewing for anyone wanting to understand the true importance of long-term musical relationships.
John Kelman
Jazzviews
The playing is A-1 throughout.
Zan Stewart
Newark Star-Ledger
On Live at Smoke, Bernstein & Co. demonstrate the effectiveness of understatement, the power of group chemistry, and the agelessness of good time, tone, and taste.
Thomas H. Greenland
All About Jazz
Dave Stryker
Big City
Release Date: May 17, 2005
A tour de force of Stryker's playing is found on the Mel Bay disc, his first for this St. Louis-based label which also will publish his upcoming instructional book. With sensitive, often striking support from pianist David Kikoski, bassist Ed Howard and drummer Victor Lewis, the music holds the intensity and precision one expects from a New York-based group. (Four stars)
Will Smith
DownBeat
Big City, Stryker's 18th CD as a leader, wedges itself firmly into the consciousness after just one or two listens. It's good music, played well, by a band that hangs together just the way it should.
Elzy Kolb
Jazziz
(Stryker's) latest release, Big City, continues to showcase his soulful lyricism, warm and inviting tone, and an advanced linear conception that finds him capable of confidently navigating the most challenging of changes.
John Kelman
All About Jazz
Everything clicks, from the driving "It Was a Very Good Year" and the lickety-split "Biddy Fleet," to the simmering blues, "All Night Long," and the pulsating title track. This music, teeming with life, honors tradition while not fearing to stretch. Bravo.
Zan Stewart
Newark Star-Ledger
Those who are familiar with Dave Stryker's inspiring guitar and compositional talents will not be disappointed in the least with this latest outing. For those who are not familiar with Stryker, Big City would be a great CD to begin exploring the marvelous career of a very serious player.
Lyle Robinson
Jazz Guitar Life
Dave Stryker is a veteran mainstream guitarist whose sound is nimble and fluid on this session, mixing stinging single note runs with lovely billowing chord work. He is helped immeasurably by a tremendous rhythm section of Dave Kikoski, Ed Howard, and Victor Lewis who seem to play with special inspiration.
Jerome Wilson
Cadence
Stryker's big on big-city blues, walking in Grant Green's shoes, Wes Montgomery's bop noir, years of McDuff and Turrentine dues, a hallway where Stryker's lush tones, bad bones and muscular presence with headlong writing create a memorable pose on one hell of a BIG CITY.
Dick Crockett
KXJZ / Sacramento
Tremendous intuitive interplay and extended yet cohesive solos
Ken Franckling
Hothouse
Vic Juris
A Second Look
Release Date: April 19, 2005
What has Vic Juris learned from a career that's put him in the professional company of the likes of Dizzy Gillespie and Phil Woods? Besides the skills and flexibility of a virtuoso guitarist, he's seemingly gained a sense of humility that leads him to disregard any impulse for the flashy stuff he could surely coax out of his ax. Even his tone - effected subtly with a haze of reverb and chorus - renders his melodies as mirages of sound, dreamy and never clamoring for attention.
Russell Carlson
JazzTimes
If you are a fan of great jazz guitar or just great music in general, Vic Juris' A Second Look is definitely a must for your music library. Don't give it a second thought.
Lyle Robinson
Jazz Guitar Life
A Second Look, like last year's Blue Horizon, continues to assert Juris' considerable talents in a less-is-more context. To hear someone who is almost insidiously pushing the boundaries of jazz guitar, one needs look no further.
John Kelman
All About Jazz
Vic Juris is simply one of jazz's finest. His playing is modern, creative and progressive yet steeped in tradition. He's indeed arrived and this collection belongs in any jazz enthusiast's library.
Jim Carlton
Author of Conversations with Great Jazz Guitarists
Juris' dry tone and subtle creativity are easy to take for granted at first but grow in appeal with each listen.
Scott Yanow
All Music Guide
The rapport between Juris and Liebman is marvelous, all the more so in that the saxophonist is very much the sideman, deferring to Juris' lead in mood and tone.
George Kanzler
All About Jazz / New York
Jimmy Bruno
Solo
Release Date: November 16, 2004
This recording is a must have for fans of Joe Pass and Ted Greene, fans seeking a different side of Jimmy Bruno, or fans of simply a great guitarist playing masterful renditions in the classic songbook tradition. Highly recommended
Sean McGowan
Jazz Improv
His skills will send young guitarists to the woodshed and cause older ones to consider hanging up the ax forever - Bruno's that frustratingly great. His flights off the melodies of Ellington's "Satin Doll," Rodgers and Hart's "Have You Met Miss Jones" and just about every other tune on this standards-heavy disc sound effortlessly conceived, as if he just can't help devising unique twists for these fusty changes. The way he can daisy chain quirkily voiced chords and ascend toward ecstasy only to climb back down on a simple, quarter-note run never gets old, even though he does it over and over again
Russell Carlson
JazzTimes
First off, forget the title. Jazz guitarist Jimmy Bruno is playing solo, all right, but he's often thinking "trio," augmenting single-note melodies with bass lines that move in parallel or contrary motion and chordal accompaniment that suggests the presence of a phantom pianist. The results often bring to mind the late Joe Pass's mastery of solo jazz guitar, which is saying a lot for Bruno's technique and taste.
Mike Joyce
The Washington Post
On Solo, Jimmy delivers a textbook reading of how unaccompanied jazz guitar should be played. (Four stars)
Guitar Techniques
Corey Christiansen Quartet
Awakening
Release Date: July 20, 2004
Awakening awakens listeners to a superb guitarist who has developed his own approach that remains technically accomplished and inviting.
Bill Donaldson
Jazz Improv Magazine
High-energy playing from start to finish
Vince Lewis
Just Jazz Guitar
A gifted, Wes Montgomery-influenced player
Mike Joyce
The Washington Post
An excellent guitarist who has a passionate sound
Scott Yanow
All Music Guide
Refreshingly vibrant, in a genre fraught with tepid competency
Troy Collins
Cadence
His stinging, elastic solo lines are marvels of technique, precision, invention and storytelling prowess, and he writes delightful, memorable tunes.
Steve Pick
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Awakening is one of the heaviest debut offerings I've heard in a long time.
Jim Fisch
20th Century Guitar
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