Bass CDs
Bruce Gertz – Singularity and Blue Cube CD Reviews
Listening to bassist/composer Bruce Gertz is one life’s simple pleasures without a doubt!
So, I was honored to check out his recent pair of releases:
Singularity – featuring Bruce’s incomparably well played solo acoustic contrabass, and Blue Cube – a quartet outing featuring saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi, pianist Tim Ray, and drummer George Schuller (who is also the son of conductor and music educator Gunther Schuller).
The opening Bergonzi penned title track, Blue Cube, is a true work of beauty. Bruce adds light, depth and an amazing arco-to-pizzicato solo that I only wish lasted twice as long! Bass First, Face First is a completely improvised piece that follows the groundwork laid by Bruce’s introduction. Kudos to drummer George Schuller for his ability to add ferocity through a feather light attack, which adds a great touch to the music! A Conversation We Had is a wonderful example of the play between long-time friends in good company. In addition, Tim Ray’s gliding solo captures this moment in time masterfully. Aperture is the hardest swinging tune on this delightful outing – as the melodic composition serves as a new outfit for the Arthur Schwartz/Howard Dietz standard Alone Together. Squeeze combines the best elements of Ellington’s Squeeze Me But Don’t Tease Me and (the Great) Scott LaFaro’s Gloria’s Step that results in a loping, easy dance that belies the skill-set of this sly quartet. Several times while listening, my head turned to contemplate what was being played and how the musicians were responding to the matter!
The Heart Of A Champion is an inspirational piece that calls the listener into the accountability of perseverance. This is the “best” played tune from Blue Cube, and Bruce lays in a jaw dropping solo! The interplay between these four great musicians is absolutely first rate! So Lie is a play on Mal Waldron’s Soul Eyes and the composition is a political statement about our current National state of affairs. Nicely done, Bruce! Finally, Trajectory is a brilliant and, at times, dark waltz that is served well by the quartet’s makeup. Throughout Blue Cube, Bruce’s tone, musicality and ability is stunning, and as the composer of seven of the eight beautiful tunes on this release, his heart, soul, and passion are truly heard. This group needs to be seen as well as heard, and Blue Cube is one of the most well presented collection of music I have heard in a long time!
Must Hear Tunes: Blue Cube, A Conversation We Had, Aperture
Meditation is the word that comes to mind as I spent several days with Bruce Gertz’s solo release Singularity. Though Singularity features six compositions, the longest piece clocks in at a mere 4:41, and all of the music is presented has a calm, thoughtful, warm and very much “at home” vibe that gives this release a feeling of familiarity that is typically lacking in much of the solo music I’ve heard over the years – even if the playing is nothing short of “super human”. The primary feature of this collection is Bruce’s tone and his seemingly bottomless well of creativity and sheer ability to (not so simply) play BASS!
The world of jazz could well use more of his wit, warmth, wisdom, and forward thinking! Although each tune presents well stated (and, again, very well played!) ideas, my favorite tune is Slinky! In short, there is something so close to who Bruce is in this composition that the singing of this song lightly touched my soul! I like it! Every bassist should own, and breathe Singularity.
Must Hear Tunes: Singularity, Slinky, Clear Night
Mark Egan, Cross Currents…
It is exciting every time I get a new album from Mark Egan as he is such an amazingly versatile player and I never know what to expect (except for excellent artistry!) In his latest release, Mark has teamed up with Shawn Peyton on drums and Shane Theriot on guitar to bring us “Cross Currents”.
This collection of eleven tracks transports me to the Gulf Coast (New Orleans specifically). Mark’s fretless basses lay down a solid groove and lots of juicy solo work for this rootsy collection of funk, ambient, swamp-rock, second line, ballads, Cajun and even Indian Raga.
This trio is super-tight and the musicianship is flawless as each member has ample opportunity to shine. Even though each player is very talented in their own right, I feel that the collective energy is greater than just the sum of the players on this album. Each musician contributed to composing music for this project but the lion’s share are Mark’s original pieces.
I spent the summer of 1981 in New Orleans and this wonderful music takes me back to those fond memories. I participated in a wacky raft race on Lake Ponchatrain and this opening track elicits images of fun, sunshine, music, and great food.
This is another superb album that everyone will enjoy. Get your copy today! Cross Currents is available online at Amazon.com. Visit Mark online at markegan.com.
ALBERTO RIGONI’s New Project NEMESIS CALL Announce “Kingdom of Shred” Album, Feat. Super Talented Guests Such as Mike Terrana, Alexandra Zerner + Many Others
Worldwide known Italian bassist and composer ALBERTO RIGONI (soloist, BAD As, Kim Bingham, Vivaldi Metal Project, etc.) announces the new album “Kingdom of Shred” of his new project NEMESIS CALL.
Alberto says:
“Even if my latest album “Unexpected Lullabies”, dedicated to my newborn Vittoria Parini Rigoni, was released on June 4th 2024, I felt the need to compose new music (yes, I really can’t stop!). This time will be quite challenging because I’m willing to release an instrumental shred/prog/rock/metal/melodic album, that will feature many talented top-notch musicians such as drummer Mike Terrana, Alexandra Zerner, Alexandra Lioness, Aanika Pai (11 years old!), Keiji by Zero (19 years old!), SAKI and many others TBA/TBC). It won’t be easy to manage all such great musicians but I will make it! Are you ready to face a new prog experience? The album will be released in Digipack CD and in high-quality digital format approximately at the beginning of 2025 or maybe for Christmas!.”
As an independent artist, Alberto Rigoni has launched a fundraising campaign to support the project. Support at www.albertorigoni.net/nemesiscall. 20% of the income will be donated to Lega del Filo d’Oro (www.legadelfilodoro.it/it), an Italian association that helps deaf and blind children!
Visit online at www.albertorigoni.net | albertorigoni.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/albertorigonimusic | www.badas.rocks
Today, Los Lonely Boys announce the release of their first new album in 11 years.
Out August 2nd via BMG, Resurrection marks a return to form for the GRAMMY-winning, multi-platinum trio of Texican brothers, who have performed everywhere from the GRAMMYs telecast to the World Series to recent tours with The Who. Lead single “Wish You Would” conjures the group’s classic sound, combining breezy guitar leads with hard-earned doses of wisdom.
“It’s something we think people need to hear—especially the youth,” says bassist/vocalist Jojo Garza, speaking on “Wish You Would” and Resurrection. “When we’re young, we think we have it figured out. When you get older, you start to see things differently. Having kids of our own, we see their ambitions and ideas of what they want to be, so we want to be good parents. The message is, ‘Be careful what you wish for. There could be a false light, and we don’t want you to get hurt’.”
After an extended break from recording, Los Lonely Boys are making a triumphant return with Resurrection. Rejuvenated and more cosmically attuned than ever before, the album rekindles the sonic fire that bonds the Los Lonely Boys brotherhood, while also paying respects to Texas legends like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Freddy Fender, among others. The album was recorded at guitarist/vocalist Henry Garza’s home studio in St. Angelo, TX, and El Paso’s Sonic Ranch (Fiona Apple, Bon Iver, Snarky Puppy etc), and mixed live in Chicago by Chris Gelin at Opus Audio Labs.
This year Los Lonely Boys will also celebrate the 20th Anniversary of their self-titled debut, which reached double-platinum status and yielded the gold-certified, generational smash “Heaven,” which earned them a GRAMMY Award for Best Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and performance on the awards telecast. The brothers’ follow-up Sacred bowed at #2 on the Billboard 200, paving the way for fan favorites Forgiven, Rockpango, and Revelation. Along the way, Los Lonely Boys collaborated with legends such as Santana, Willie Nelson, and Dr. John.
Even as they’ve been away from the studio, Los Lonely Boys have continued to tour tirelessly for decades, and this year they’ve hit the road again for an extensive, months-long run across the US. They will also perform on select shows alongside long time friends Los Lobos. Find tickets here. Pre-order Resurrection
Alberto Rigoni, Unexpected Lullabies…
ALBERTO RIGONI Springs Surprises on “Unexpected Lullabies” Album, Out Today!
Today, Italian bassist and composer ALBERTO RIGONI has released his new solo album “Unexpected Lullabies” via Sliptrick Records, containing songs that are half-sweet and half rock-metal. The album is produced and partially composed by Alberto Rigoni and it’s dedicated to Vittoria Parini Rigoni and all newborn babies.
Alberto shared: “There are no just tragedies in this world, life is going on!”
Album Design and Artwork created by Mark Barrett at elmtreecreative.co.uk
Among the various bass used one belonged to Randy Coven for the recording of Ark – Burn The Sun. Alberto searched it for years since he’s a great fan of Randy (Rest in Peace and Power)!
Tracklist:
01. Vittoria
02. Fly Me To The Moon
03. Azzurra
04. Dancing With Tears In My Eyes
05. Out Of Fear
06. Veni Laetitia
07. Nenia
08. Slap Lullaby
09. Saga
10. Vicky
11. Ocean Traveler
12. Strangers In The Night
13. Peaceful
14. Un uomo che voga
Order the album at deadpulse.com/product/alberto-rigoni-unexpected-lullabies/
This album promises to be a collection of auditory wonders, each track a testament to Rigoni’s genius and his ability to transcend musical boundaries. Featuring a symphony of guest musicians alongside Rigoni’s virtuosic bass, Unexpected Lullabies is poised to be a beacon for lovers of music, an invitation to explore the depths of creativity and emotion. What makes ‘Unexpected Lullabies’ even more exciting is the assembly of musical titans. The album features the legendary bassist Michael Manring, the keyboard wizardry of Alessandro Bertoni (of the Graham Bonnet Band) and Vitalij Kuprij (known for Artension and Trans-Siberian Orchestra), and many more yet-to-be-revealed guest artists.
Alberto Rigoni is:
Alberto Rigoni – Bass | Plus various guest musicians
The Chilean bassist, producer and sociologist, Ben Mortiz, celebrates the launch of his latest studio work, “MORENO” an album that mixes jazz, soul, and funk following the characteristic Latin style of Mortiz. The artist completely produced the album under the label “Fallen Lab Records” in the south of Chile.
“MORENO” brings deep and smooth sounds, expressing a sophisticated and elegant Latin vibe. You will find meditative harmonies and joyful melodic voices. The record’s core is the human vibration that Mortiz feels from the Latin American music. The Caribbean rhythms and strong Latin percussions are the musical glue in every song that emerges with the force of the electric bass.
“MORENO” creates a real connection between corporal reactions and mind sensations, always in reference to the originality of Mortiz to fuse modern and classic Latin sounds.
For more information, visit online at danielbenmortiz.com/