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Jazz Articles about Scott Amendola
WD-41+2: Temi Per Cinema
by Glenn Astarita
Temi Per Cinema is the follow-up to guitarist Willie Oteri and trumpeter Dave Laczko's self-produced WD-41 (2009), with the addition of lap steel dulcimer and beat jockey artist Dino J.A. Deane and drummer Scott Amendola. Collectively, the musicians have been at the forefront of new music-making, amid variable flavors and shades, bordering on the avant-garde, jazz-rock, electronica and other intertwining genres. Here, the WD-41+2 unit expands upon applications and concepts, first evidenced on the 2009 effort. At times, ...
read moreScott Amendola Trio: Lift
by Nick Millevoi
Scott Amendola is probably best known as the drummer with the Nels Cline Singers, a guitar trio with detailed compositions, high-energy improvisations, and an oft-exhibited ability to shift gears at a moment's notice. On Lift, his first album since 2005's Believe (Cryptogramophone), Amendola debuts his own take on the guitar trio format, with guitarist Jeff Parker and bassist John Shifflett. Most of his compositions follow standard jazz structures built upon mid-tempo grooves, with unique melodies that sit deep in the ...
read moreScott Amendola: Unlimited Possibilities
by Forrest Dylan Bryant
When Scott Amendola sits down at his drum kit, almost anything can happen. That's not mere hyperbole; it's a fact. From his base in Berkeley, California, Amendola provides the rhythmic drive for some of the most creative and acclaimed ensembles in the jazz avant- garde, including the Nels Cline Singers and his own Scott Amendola Band. But he's also the road drummer for the phenomenally popular singer Madeleine Peyroux. Throw in his work with Charlie Hunter and the funky quartet ...
read moreScott Amendola Band: Believe
by Michael McCaw
With instrumentation that includes up to 26 reverberating strings accompanying a drum kit, Scott Amendola's Believe has a lot of resonance. Comprised of Jenny Scheinman (violin), Nels Cline and Jeff Parker (guitars), John Shifflett (bass), and Amendola (drums, percussion and electronics); the album should stand as a high water mark for all types of music this year. Unusual instrumentation aside, Believe encompasses nine-minute ballads, alt-country leads, jazz freak out sections, and more, covering a lot of ground during its hour-plus ...
read moreCharlie Hunter Quartet: Natty Dread
by Douglas Payne
From the surprisingly successful Blue Note Cover Series comes this exceptional disc by multi-talented eight-string guitarist Charlie Hunter. The 29-year old Hunter has made a thankfully unpredictable choice covering" Bob Marley's influential and popular 1974 reggae classic Natty Dread. Hunter, heard here in a quartet with an alto, tenor sax and drums, resists the urge toward reverential readings and reggae clichés in this music. As a result, the soulful beauty of Marley's outstanding music shines through. Anyone familiar with Hunter's ...
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