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Alex Skolnick: Transformation
by Andrey Henkin
Despite his best efforts, guitarist Alex Skolnick remains a novelty in the exclusive jazz community. Why he should care though is another question, given that as a thrash metal guitarist, he probably sold more records than Miles Davis. His decision to be reborn as a jazz player has been well documented, as has his movement to create a new set of standards based on the hard rock oeuvre. His second album continues this effort with the inclusion of material by ...
Continue ReadingAlex Skolnick Trio: Transformation
by John Kelman
Call me a jazz bigot. When I received Transformation by Alex Skolnick, apparently the ex-guitarist for thrash metal-heads Testament, my first thought was, “Great, another rocker trying to be a jazzer." Things didn't get better when I saw that Skolnick was interpreting material by Judas Priest, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Scorpions, Iron Maiden and--yes--Ronnie James Dio. Sure, plenty of serious jazz artists have approached contemporary singer/songwriters in recent years--Brad Mehldau, Charlie Hunter, even Herbie Hancock. But metal bands? I mean, ...
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