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Various Guitarists: The Middle of Everywhere: Guitar Solos Vol. I
by Glenn Astarita
Produced by laudable guitarist/composer Joel Harrison and the Alternative Guitar Summit, The Middle of Everywhere: Guitar Solos Vol. 1 is a compelling exploration of the intersections between jazz, classical and world music traditions--think of it as a musical United Nations, where six-stringed diplomats from various genres come together to harmonize. In the album liners, Harrison states, “The idea for this project started when I presented a concert of virtual solo performances from around the world during the pandemic." Hence, it ...
Continue ReadingJanel Leppin's Ensemble Volcanic Ash: To March Is to Love
by Vincenzo Roggero
Uscito nel mese di giugno insieme a New Moon in the Evil Age del duo Janel & Anthony, questo To March Is to Love presenta una formazione dal nome intrigante di Ensemble Volcanic Ash nella quale al duo sopra menzionato si aggiungono un basso, una batteria e ben due sassofoni. Registrato live in un solo giorno con la supervisione di Curtis Fye e con il mixaggio di Mike Reina--vero e proprio valore aggiunto dell'incisione--To March is to Love cattura tutta ...
Continue ReadingJanel & Anthony: New Moon in the Evil Age
by Vincenzo Roggero
Due dischi differenti riportati su un unico CD, separati da una pausa di dieci secondi, strumentale il primo, con voce e importante uso dell'elettronica il secondo. Stiamo parlando di New Moon in the Evil Age, recente opera di Janel Leppin e Anthony Pirog, coppia nella vita e in musica da oltre vent'anni. Lei violoncellista, vocalist, multistrumentista, compositrice, arrangiatrice che attraversa i generi e ne tesse intrecci virtuosi, lui chitarrista visionario e inclassificabile, tra jazz d'avanguardia, rock sperimentale, ...
Continue ReadingAnthony Pirog: The Hunger Artist
by Glenn Astarita
Anthony Pirog's The Hunger Artist is a sprawling, bold opus that defies easy categorization. This sonic collision of jazz, rock, and experimental music is a semi-chaotic beauty that rewards the adventurous listener with its sheer unpredictability. Pirog, a guitar alchemist known for his boundary-pushing artistry, delivers a mesmerizing work that is less a collection of songs and more a journey through the looking glass of sound. The guitarist has previously conjured aural magic with cellist Janel Leppin and ...
Continue ReadingJanel & Anthony: New Moon In The Evil Age
by Glenn Astarita
The married duo of cellist Janel Leppin and guitarist Anthony Pirog are no strangers to pushing boundaries. Their collaborative work under the Janel & Anthony moniker has long been admired for its innovative blend of genres, and 2024 proves to be a particularly fruitful year for the duo. New Moon in the Evil Age arrives alongside Leppin's exploration with the larger Ensemble Volcanic Ash on To March is to Love (Cuneiform), highlighting the depth and versatility of her artistic vision. ...
Continue ReadingJanel Leppin, Ensemble Volcanic Ash: To March Is To Love
by Glenn Astarita
Janel Leppin, a multi-instrumentalist and composer known for her innovative approach to music, leads her Ensemble Volcanic Ash in their latest release, To March Is To Love. Her debut album, Ensemble Volcanic Ash, released in 2022, garnered widespread acclaim. Now, with her follow-up, Leppin continues to push boundaries and explore new sonic landscapes. This project, recorded live in the studio, features a stellar sextet. Her versatility and creative vision have made her a distinctive voice in contemporary music. Notably, Leppin ...
Continue ReadingThe Messthetics: The Messthetics And James Brandon Lewis
by Chris May
There are few examples of ranking jazz saxophonists collaborating with rock bands, and even fewer that are as successful as this one featuring tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis and the instrumental trio The Messthetics. One notable precedent is the partnership of Ethiopian tenor saxophonist Getatchew Mekurya with Dutch punk band The Ex, which exploded into life in concert and on record periodically between 2006 and 2012. In the mid-1950s, Mekurya, who wore a lion's mane headdress when appearing in Addis ...
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