Jazz Articles about Paul Bollenback

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Gemma Sherry: Let's Get Serious

by C. Michael Bailey
December 15, 2020

A perfect response to challenge and change. In the parlance of the agrarian American South, Gemma Sherry is “makin' hay while the sun shines. Let's Get Serious is the singer's light-as-air, coquettishly coy wink at the COVID-19 pandemic—a wink as opposed to any other response, as Sherry is a true Lady. The title of her third full-length (in 2020 alone) recording is deliciously ironic as the tone is anything but. Globally, this release is best defined in the ...

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Paul Bollenback: Portraits In Space And Time

by Dan Bilawsky
September 5, 2014

Guitarist Paul Bollenback is valued by listeners and musicians alike for his incisive and inventive guitar work, wholly in the tradition while simultaneously branching out beyond the same old same old. His playing has been a key ingredient--in some cases, the key ingredient--in much of organ kingpin Joey DeFrancesco's recorded output, saxophonist Jim Snidero's highly praised Savant dates, vocalist Chris McNulty's post-millennial releases, and elsewhere, but it's his own albums that truly provide a full picture of his talent(s). Bollenback ...

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Stevie Holland: Before Love Has Gone

by AAJ Italy Staff
December 2, 2008

L'ascolto di Stevie Holland mentre interpreta standard famosi oltre a due canzoni di Gary William Friedman (autore pure di tutti gli arrangiamenti) e “Riverboat Gambler" di Carly Simon fa dimenticare tutto quello che avviene intorno. Poi al secondo ascolto si riesce a focalizzare sull'alto livello di produzione, della perfetta incisione e di come tutte le note, sue e dei musicisti, siano al posto giusto. Mica poco. La Holland scrive nelle ricche note di copertina che questo disco è pieno di ...

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Paul Bollenback: Invocation

by AAJ Italy Staff
May 22, 2008

Il chitarrista Paul Bollenback ha alle spalle oltre quindici anni passati con Joey DeFrancesco in un organ trio che ha lasciato una traccia interessante, anche se certamente non fondamentale, nel jazz degli anni novanta. Questo è il suo secondo album per l'etichetta Elefant Dreams e la formazione in quartetto, con la tromba di Randy Brecker nella front line e senza le tastiere nella sezione ritmica, riesce sapientemente a sottolineare i meriti di questo chitarrista che non ha il piglio e ...

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Paul Bollenback: Invocation

by Tom Greenland
February 8, 2008

Journeyman guitarist Paul Bollenback's Invocation is just that: a shout-out and a summoning forth of the muses, representing a high point in a consistent and substantial oeuvre. This sophomore release for Elefant Dreams is a departure from the guitarist's R&B cover-heavy material found on several of his five earlier recordings for Challenge. Like Brightness of Being (2006), its immediate predecessor, Invocation features the wordless vocalese of Chris McNulty, who doubles the melody on “Alter Ego" and harmonizes with trumpet and ...

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Paul Bollenback: Invocation

by Michael P. Gladstone
January 7, 2008

Paul Bollenback continues to show his stuff on Invocation. Bollenback's early recorded appearances came with the rise of Joey DeFrancesco, with whom the guitarist spent sixteen years, appearing on the award-winning organist's early 1990s albums.

On Brightness of Being (Elefant Dreams, 2006), Bollenback demonstrated his value as a composer and player. For his second project on Elefant Dreams, the guitarist is joined by bassist Ed Howard; drummer Victor Lewis; trumpeter/flugelhornist Randy Brecker, and with vocalist Chris McNulty's vocalese ...

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Paul Bollenback: Invocation

by Dan McClenaghan
December 6, 2007

Guitarist Paul Bollenback, who spent sixteen years backing organ great Joey DeFrancesco in concert and on CD, has some serious chops. Reviews of his previous CD release, Brightness of Being (Elephant Dreams, 2005), heaped praises on his technical prowess. On Invocation those chops are in fine form once again--the richly layered harmonies, the fluidly inventive intensity of his soloing, the accessible braininess of his compositions. Also apparent is Bollenback's finely honed, expansive Metheny-esque artistic vision.Bollenback brings in trumpeter ...