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Jack Wilkins
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Trio Art
- Jack Wilkins
 Born into a musical family, his father
played the saxophone and his mother the piano, Jack began playing the guitar at the age of
14 studying with Joe Monti. After hearing Johnny Smith, Jack decided he wanted to study
more Jazz and began lessons with Sid Margolies and John Mehegan.Jack
is a regular on the New York scene performing in his own right and has worked as a sideman
to top Jazz artists including Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Earl Hines, Michael Moore, Mel
Torme and Sarah Vaughan. Jack currently teaches at the Manhattan School of Music in New
York.
Trio Art, is Jack's latest album featuring him in the trio setting,
allowing him the freedom, to express himself both chordally and in fluid single line. |
Merge - Jack Wilkins
 Recorded back in 1977, this album features Jack playing with
Randy Brecker, Michael Brecker, Phil Markowitz, Jon Burr, Al Foster, Eddie Gomez and Jack
De Johnette. Jack plays a Gibson L-7, it was recorded live, direct to 16 track. The CD
album is a compilation from two previously released records Merge and You Can't Live
Without it. During the time when these two albums were recorded Jack had been playing
regular sets at Sweet Basils, a Greenwich Village Jazz Club, and the album captures some
of the music that was being played at that time. Jack says his personal farourites from
the album are the self-penned FUM and Chick Corea's 500 Miles High. Solo Extract from
Fum
Solo Extract from
What's New
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Music Of
Alec Wilder - Vic Juris
Initially influenced by rock guitarist Chuck Berry, Vic Juris first came to the notice of
jazz fans by playing with saxophonist Eric Kloss. From there he went on to a stint with
jazz-rock fusioneer Barry Miles before settling into an important role with saxophonist
Richie Cole's fine late-1970s group. It was while playing for Cole that Juris got the
chance to record under his own name, an opportunity that resulted in three albums for Muse
Records (now out of print). Since his days with Cole, he has played a supporting role in
organ groups led by Don Patterson, Wild Bill Davison, and Jimmy Smith in addition to
working in Mel Torme's backup band. Juris's most recent long-term employer has been
saxophonist Dave Liebman. Juris has also worked in tandem with some of the finest jazz
guitarists of the 1980s and 1990s, including Larry Coryell and Birelli Lagrene. In the
same vein, Juris took part in a 1997 concert with Coryell, David Fiuczynski, Russell
Malone, and Jack Wilkins, called Five Guitars Play Mingus. In addition to his regular
musicianly duties, Juris has worked the academic angle, teaching jazz improvisation and
guitar at the New School (Mannes College), Lehigh University, and William Patterson
University. |
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Black Butterfly - Russell Malone
 A self-taught guitarist, Russell Malone has
won accolades from Les Paul, Larry Coryell, Jimmy Bruno, and George Benson. His
professional experiences include backing pop artists like Regina Belle, Peabo Bryson, and
Clarence Carter in addition to work with jazz musicians Jimmy Smith, Harry Connick Jr.,
Kenny Burrell, Diana Krall, Kenny Barron, Gary Bartz, and Stephen Scott. Malone was also
one of the guitarists used in Robert Altman's jazz-based flick, Kansas City. His solid
sense of swing owes a lot to Benson, Burrell, and Wes Montgomery, which makes him a good
choice as a sideman for new traditionalists like Benny Green and Branford Marsalis, who
have also employed Malone's skills. Tracey Freeman), augmented by vibist Steve Nelson on
two cuts, Malone and his quartet (pianist Gary Motley, bassist Paul Keller, and drummer
Peter Siers) have come up with a pretty decent mainstream jazz album. There are some
tributes to guitarists who helped shape Malone's sound--including Wes Montgomery
("Jingles") and Kenny Burrell (the Malone-penned "With Kenny in
Mind")--and the title tune is a nice bit of '30s Ellingtonia. |
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Jimmy Bruno
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Burnin' -
Jimmy Bruno
 Jimmy Bruno learned guitar from his father,
Jimmy Bruno Sr., a one-time guitarist for Nat "King" Cole. When the junior Bruno
was 19, he started his professional career with Buddy Rich by going on the road with the
demanding drummer/bandleader. Since that time Bruno has worked with singers Lena Horne and
Frank Sinatra in addition to a surprising number of fellow guitarists--Joe Pass, Tal
Farlow, Bucky Pizzarelli, and session wizard Tommy Tedesco. Currently working as a
professor of jazz guitar performance and jazz improvisation at Philadelphia's University
of the Arts (he has also released an instruction video), Bruno is a technically astute
player partial to blazing single-note runs. The Wes Montgomery-style octave leap is also
in his bag of tricks. Bruno's Like That [Rating: 4.5] (Concord Jazz, 1996, prod. Allen
Farnham) as two of Philadelphia's finest jazz speed merchants hook up for an album that
might be the best thing that either of them has done. Their interplay is so tight, clear,
and impressive, particularly at the high speeds each of them seems to favor, that they
might as well be twins. Both of these guys are mighty good at slow tempos too, as their
playing on Bruno's moody "Night Dreamer" should prove. Steve Holloway on drums
and Craig Thomas on bass are good, but they fade into the background when Bruno and
DeFrancesco are working up a sweat. In addition to DeFrancesco's normal organ chores, he
can be heard playing trumpet on "There Is No Greater Love" and "Stars Fell
on Alabama |
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