Straight outa Rikers. Straight outa Cook County, straight outa that prison in Louisiana that everyone says is horrible, but I can’t be bothered to Google, it’s MASKED INTRUDER, four melodious felons in ski masks with rap sheets, matching converse and some of the catchiest tunes this side of Johnny Cash, Live in Folsom Prison, and they’re coming at you with their second full length, the semi eponymously titled M.I., scheduled to break out on Fat Wreck Chords on May 27, 2014.
Some say they hail from Wisconsin, some say their accents on stage betray a New Jersey heritage and some people think they’re just Chixdiggit in disguise, but one thing’s for sure, Blue and the gang have been crafting some of the sweetest pop-punk gems about breaking and entering, stalking, and muggings that you’ve ever heard. Not many grown men in ski masks can claim to be the very favorite band of Fat Mike’s daughter, for example (not many men in ski masks should be around children at all) but that’s what makes Masked Intruder so special. They’re more than a gimmick. They’ve got chops. They’re weird, kinda arty, fairly goofy, vaguely dumb, relentlessly smart and they appeal to pretty much everyone, from their fellow hardened criminals to little girls and everyone in between.
Now, they’re back on the lam in support of M.I., featuring thirteen tracks of broken hearts, broken promises and breaking and entering. Recorded by Matt Alison at Atlas Studios in Chicago (Alkaline Trio, Lawrence Arms, Menzingers), M.I. boasts the Intruders at their toe tapping, jewelry stealing best. I mean, if there’s a better title for a love song than Don’t Run Away, I sure as hell haven’t heard it.
In support of M.I., and in order to stay a step ahead of their parole officers, the Intruder duders are hitting the road nonstop, traversing the globe, from Europe to Australia to the US of A, with bands like the Dwarves, Face To Face and more, bringing their heart-stealing songs to the people, all while merch dude, stage security and exquisitely mustached lawman Officer Bradford makes sure that hearts are the only things Masked Intruder steals. Officer Bradford may not wear a smile during a Masked Intruder show, but everyone else in the house sure is, and you can bet your ass that whether live or on record, the boys in Masked Intruder are sure to have you singing along and looking for your wallet. Oh, that prison in Louisiana is called Angola. Score one for memory. Take that, Google
Ellen Miller: Blues harmonica ace and leader of Nelson Street Revival band which features international blues sensation Peaches Staten, Anne Harris on fiddle (of the Otis Taylor Band), and Cathy Richardson, Grammy-nominated solo artist and currently lead singer of Jefferson Starship.
The Countess became fascinated with music at an early age, inspired by her grandmother’s singing and music. She won a poetry contest writing about her mother’s murder in 1996. Now all her passion comes from the pain of a mother gone to soon. One minute sexy and seductive and the next down right rough. Her style pays tribute some some of the best: Nancy Wilson, Rachelle Ferrelle, Billie Holiday, Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin, Bill Withers, Al Green the list goes on. She has performed with the Mike Wheeler Band, Carl Weathersby, Charlie Love, and was a finalist for Chicago Blues Divas at BLUES on Halsted. Her comedian side and creating a song on the spot adds a extra touch to her show. She will leave you on the edge of your seat waiting for her next performance.
IVY FORD
“Miss Ivy Ford, wise beyond her years,”
Ivy Ford, singer, musician, entertainer. Waukegan born and raised, at just 22 she is quite the up and coming artist of the Chicago blues and live music scene. Ivy Ford started performing live with Kenosha based band The Real Deal, managed by Steve Rainey at 13 and since then continues to nurture her niche and calling to the music. She plays piano, alto saxophone, drums, bass guitar and guitar which are primarily self taught. In late 2012, Ford joined a local blues band which in time evolved into Ivy Ford and The Cadillacs and gained fair amounts of popularity.
Fast forward two years and Ivy Ford has managed to take the Chicago scene by storm. In January,2015 Ivy Ford opened for the legend, Buddy Guy at his club in Chicago and continues to share the stage with Chicago blues hall of famers, J.B. Ritchie, Joe Moss, Toronzo Cannon and Tom Holland. She fronts her very own band and besides obtaining the title of “Chicago’s Blues Kitten,” performs song selections from not just the blues genres but RnB and soul. Aside from performing every weekend at both private and public event, clubs and venues, she is in the process of recording an unplugged album including originals. Some recent event for Ford include, radio shows on 90.9 WDCB, and In a Nutshell radio show on 98.3 WRLR. She’s been apart of Buddy Guys Legends, Artist series and traveled to Minneapolis, MN to perform at Artspace’s 2013 Celebration at the Cowle Theater. Ivy Ford has been featured in Buddy Guy’s Blues and Music News, Lake County Magazine and Blues Guitar Expert’s online forum. To follow or check into Ford’s shows and happenings go to www.Facebook.com/IvyFord or Twitter at #MissIvyFord.
Ivy Ford, is one of the leading “youngbloods” of blues and brings a refreshing yet classic face to the music. She handles her cherry red, Epiphone-339 with as much confidence as any of the bluesmen today and can belt out notes to fill a room and serenade a phrase sweeter than sugar in ways that make anyone and everyone tune in to what she has to say. Ivy Ford, always respects the history and tradition of roots and blues music, while presenting it in a fresh, young and trendy way.
Passing The Torch…
When not fronting her own blues party, Ivy is quite respected backing up Chicago Blues Hall of Fame Inductee, J.B. Ritchie. Legendary guitarist and frontman as his bass player. Ritchie has played alongside some of the greats himself and has been amongst famous artists such as Muddy Waters and Johnny Winter.
Ron Gilmore Jr. is an American musician, keyboardist, producer, and composer from Nashville, Tennessee. He is best known for his work as the keyboardist for Lauryn Hill and J. Cole’s performing bands, along with his production work on J. Cole’s certified platinum album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive and Bas’s most recent release, Too High To Riot.
Ron is a product of the Nashville School of the Arts. Originally pursuing music through local Nashville churches, Ron continued his musical studies and training through college and his military service from 2002-2008. At the conclusion of his service, Ron briefly toured with 90’s R&B artists such as Angela Winbush.
In 2010, Ron moved to New York City in search of a greater musical stage. He was quickly introduced to world renowned bass player Nate Jones, and landed an audition for Lauryn Hill. He was immediately chosen as her keyboardist and toured with Lauryn Hill performing on both her domestic and international tours from 2010-2012. The two still maintain a working relationship to this day. Ron was also introduced to hip-hop artist J. Cole during this time in 2010. J. Cole quickly recognized Ron’s musical ability and added Ron to his tour band. Ron led the keys for all of J. Coles domestic and world tours from 2010-2015 including last year’s highest selling hip-hop tour, The 2014 Forest Hills Drive Tour featuring J. Cole, Big Sean, Jeremih, YG, Jhené Aiko, and Pusha T. Ron also accompanied and performed with J Cole on a variety of additional performances and music festivals including SXSW, Drake’s OVO Fest, Governor’s Ball, Lollapalooza and the Late Show with David Lettermen.
In 2012 Ron shifted from performing musician to a producer and composer. He began composing beats and added production for J. Cole’s Cole World: The Sideline Story (certified Platinum), Born Sinner (certified Platinum) and 2014 Forest Hills Drive (certified Platinum). Additionally, Ron went on to executive produce hip-hop artist Bas’s latest project Too High to Riot and Last Winter and Co-produce Omen’s Elephant Eyes. Ron continues to work with Lauryn Hill, J. Cole, and Dreamville Records leading into 2016.
Ron recently completed his first ever solo musical project, set to be released on April 27, 2016 titled: The Maturation of Little Ron
For any band, it’s terrifyingly easy to get lost in the shuffle, especially in a city as vast as Chicago. Setting yourself apart, or even finding kinship with other like-minded acts, are tough tasks with all the booking and promotion that needs to be done. But from the start, it seems The Fox & The Hounds have never had such issues. Self-billed as “Chicago’s only burlesque rock n’ roll band,” the area sextet create seductive and sensual sounds with elements of high-drama classic rock, baroque chamber pop and cabaret-style performance. There truly is nothing like them in the Windy City, and upon the release of their debut album, they’re well on their way to making their mark.
Baby Money is the brainchild of Chicago based songwriter Pamela Maurer. What started as a solo project has evolved into a 3-piece band based in the Windy City. Her original songs, ranging from gritty, sparse arrangements, to soulful, roof-shaking foot-stompers, are inspired by 1960s girl-groups, soul, old time revival, gospel, and traditional rhythm ‘n’ blues. Want to hear more? Baby Money’s new EP, which features local heartthrobs, the Bribes as a backing band is out now! Get your hands on a hot copy of surfy and surreal ‘shy-CITY,’ VOL. 1:pyramid!, or Baby Money’s first full-length record, In Memory of John Doe, released in May 2014 at www.babymoney.bandcamp.com.
Consider 2015 something of a fresh start for Hawley Shoffner. The songwriter and musician has always pursued her passion and even released music, but she’s now reclaiming her sound and voice while showcasing new skills.
Although she has played piano since she was a child, and guitar for the past four years, she only recently began taking lessons. Shoffner is less an overall perfectionist, more interested in transforming the way she works and performs.
“I think now I’m less scared of failing,” Shoffner said about changing how she works and playing the guitar. “I used to be scared of playing in front of people, even when I started up a band a couple of years ago. It’s nice to be prepared and, when talking to people, know what key this is in or whatever notes sound good with it.”
In the process, she adopted the use of alter egos. The songwriting process can be daunting for any artist, but for Shoffner, a musician who is open and vulnerable about her struggle to stay open and vulnerable with her writing, songwriting provides unique challenges. “My trick is to write a song usually as someone else or someone talking to me,” she began. “Sometimes when I’m writing as myself, I’m too critical of myself. It’s really hard to write honest lyrics that way.”
This past winter she created Bunny, a side project/alter-ego. Shoffner began writing songs in the character of Bunny, eventually finishing 15 monologues and a storyline that includes a signature pink wig and a personality imbued with naivete. Based on Candy Darling, an Andy Warhol Superstar and a muse for The Velvet Underground, Shoffner says her character is also an exploration of songwriting processes that differ from her normal routines. “It’s just easier sometimes to picture your life in a different way and just to write songs for someone else,” she said. Despite the alter ego, Shoffner makes a point of identifying these alter egos as all her. “I think it’s important to do some stuff under my actual name for a second.”
Her latest project is Tiger, an upcoming 7-inch release, which serves as an emotional release and a statement for the person (and musician) Shoffner has become as she’s gotten older and wiser. The title comes from a song on the release which has shifted meaning over time. Originally about a bad relationship and, what Shoffner describes as, “the girls who go to shows and try to date and hang out with the guys in the band,” she now says the track details the evolution of her sexuality and sense of self.
“I was in a bad place and I was jealous, but now that I’ve been single for a while, it’s kind of turned more into learning about my sexuality so that girls are an option,” she said. “It makes more sense now than it did then.”
The rest of the songs on the 7-inch were also written around the same time as a previous relationship. For Shoffner, the tracks represent a part of her life that is now gone. “I just feel like I’m a completely different person now,” she said. Musically speaking, the release is also a letting go of her “past musical self” and everything it entails. Whether the newness of her instrument, overcoming the struggle to write the songs she wants to write or reclaiming her recording sessions, Shoffner is in a newer, better, stronger place. “I think I’m finally at the point where I sound exactly how I want to sound,” she said.
Drewsif Stalin’s Musical Endeavors (or DSME for short) is a metal collective from Baltimore, Maryland. Focused on heavy grooves and emotive melodies, DSME sets out to convey a strong message while smirking the entire way through.
Based in Minneapolis, self-described as “blackened sludge punk,” they pull from things they loved about old school black metal/post-punk/hardcore/doom/rock and infuse that into something truly honest. No bullshit Satanism or sensationalism, just pure honest hatred for religion, capitalism, politics, sheep mentality and typical human behaviour.
With simple, memorable, and truly hate-filled metal anthems for themselves and all the other blue collar, working poor, and generally unsatisfied people who are looking for something raw and classic as soundtrack to rise up and fight the status quo around them in any way they see fit to do.
The Black Flowerz Movement is a Chicago based urban rock fusion band, merging various genres of music to come up with a sound that quickly develops a happy bond with your musical taste and emotional intelligence. The band consists of seasoned veteran players in the games that have come together to change the landscape of modern music today. The music of Black Flowerz Movement does more than offer a new twist to a music genre; rather it delivers a powerful lyrical message they hope will resonate with today’s urban youth community. That message being…The Black Flowerz Movement is all about the cause for justice and peace. Without justice there can be no peace! The senseless shootings in Chicago needs to stop. Police brutality needs to stop. The Implicit racial bias needs to stop. We can in fact all get a long, but everyone must put in work, No one is exempt.
WINGTIPS began in southern Illinois at the end of 2012 as a duo between Vinny Segretario and Kyle Crider. Together they wrote the the first release, “AMBIGUITY”. Shortly before moving to Chicago in 2013, Vinny took over the project as a soloist and has continued under the moniker to present day, releasing two full length albums, “RECOVERY MODE” in 2014, and “ULTRAVISION” in 2015. Immediately following the most recent release, WINGTIPS played a clutch of shows in the midwest and toured the east coast in summer 2015, with newly added instrumentalists Hannah Dickerson, and Henry Zimmerman. WINGTIPS, now in the process of writing new material, functions as a three piece band.
CURRENT LINEUP:
Disaster Sounds is the instrumental-rock brainchild of guitarist Mike O’Meara. With the help of longtime friends Tony Tabor on drums and Ben DeBiasio on bass, Disaster Sounds will take listeners down a winding road of guitar-driven rock that will pass through realms of funk, jazz, and metal. You know, it’s like “eclectic” or something…
The Smiley Tillmon Band was formed in early 2008 when Smiley Tillmon and Tom Rezetko began playing blues together at local open jam nites throughout the Chicagoland area. After a few weeks, the jams got funkier and the crowds got bigger, which led Smiley and Tom to seek out a band. Smiley likes to mix up the group to achieve a modern and unique style of blues, funk, soul and jazz.
Entertainer, Showman, and profound Guitarist, Smiley Tillmon was born in Jefferson County, Georgia in 1941. After a short while, he relocated and was raised in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida where he started playing R&B and Calypso in 1957. His biggest influences were George Benson and Matt Murphy.
After moving to Chicago, IL in 1959, Smiley decided to make the blues his priority, playing full-time until 1976. During this time, Smiley performed with established artists such as Junior Wells, James Cotton, Zora Young, Lefty Dizz, Sunnyland Slim, Johnny Dollar, Bob Stroger, and helped start the career of Denise LaSalle.
In 1977, the music became Smiley’s 2nd priority, as he raised his family and maintained a full-time job at a Chicago school district until 2007. During this time, he was still playing part-time and working on his chops more than ever.
In 2007, Smiley emerged back on the scene, with the help of Tom Rezetko, to fulfill his calling as a music man and start a blues revival on Chicago’s Southside.
Since his comeback, Smiley has performed with the likes of Lonnie Brooks, Jimmy Johnson, Eddie Clearwater, Twist Turner, Rockin’ Johnny Burgin and countless others. He has graced the stage at venues of all sizes, including Kingston Mines, The Checkerboard Lounge, Chess Records, The Beverly Arts Center, and even Toyota Park.
Now, at the age of 70, Smiley’s passion for music is higher than ever before, constantly learning new playing tactics and teaching future generations of musicians to come.
Keeping true to the true spirit of rhythm and blues, The Smiley Tillmon Band blends Chicago Blues, Stax and funk favorites to keep the party groovin’!
Joel Paterson is one of the most respected guitarists on the Windy City music scene today. The blues/country/rockabilly/jazz guitar wizard has spent the last 10 years touring and recording with acts like Dave ‘Honey Boy’ Edwards, Wanda Jackson, Carl ‘Sonny’ Leyland, Jimmy Sutton’s Four Charms, Deke Dickerson, and his own Joel Paterson’s Blues Roundup and the Modern Sounds (who were voted best Chicago Jazz Band in the 2009 Chicago Reader Poll). While Paterson can recreate the sound and feel of guitar greats like Django Reinhardt, Tiny Grimes, Chet Atkins, Wes Montgomery, and Merle Travis, he can also nail the Chicago and delta blues idioms of guitarists like Blind Blake, Robert Nighthawk, Jimmy Rogers, and Freddie King. If that wasn’t enough, this guy can also tear it up on a pedal steel. Plain and simple this cat can play.
“Their debut release, “Pretty Girls” is a grouping of jittery, garage-rock jams with a healthy dose of group choruses, fuzzy vocals and steady percussion. A. Sinclair is a mature project aiming for honesty and joy in the music itself. They’re not flashy or glamorous, finding more musical satisfaction in simple tone work and phrasing. The pace is always quick and varying; boosted by a sense of urgency and a clear message.”
“Staying away from the traditional constraints of a single genre label, Misanthropy fuses mind dissolving dissonant melodies, twisting hyper speed technicality, foundation-shattering low brutality, and hooks that will worm their way into your brain and take up permanent residence “
Morocco Brown is a 20-year-old rapper from Chicago, Illinois. Brown was only 15 when he produced his first mixtape and 17 when he decided he wanted to dedicate his time to making music. Once he graduated high school, Brown signed with Tay Bennett Entertainment as Bennett’s first signee. While his fans describe his musical style as “revamped, old-school Hip-Hop,” Brown prioritizes lyricism and says that “melodies come after” deeming his musical style as “indescribable.” As an artist, Brown’s agenda aims to encourage listeners to “whole-heartedly” remain true to themselves. Brown stays motivated by continuing to progress and excel as an artist, knowing his music will one day reach millions. The young Chicago artist looks forward to releasing his first album this September tilted, Manic.
K-Mu is a band of young musicians, ages 17-20, each from different sides of Chicago. K-Mu was formed in the summer of 2015 by Eddie Burns (Drums), Tony Milano (Keyboard), Kopano Muhammad (Vocals), and Johnathan Miller (Bass). They first performed together at a house show on the city’s north side but made their debut at House of Blues in January 2016. They then went on to perform at venues such as Subterranean, 27 Live, and even selling out Martyrs’. K-Mu plays music ranging from neo-soul to hip hop and their influences include Erykah Badu, J-Dilla, and The Social Experiment. They recently dropped their first single on Soundcloud, “Red Wine” early April and look forward to dropping their EP, “The K-Mu Tape” in the coming months.
Chicago’s All Else Fails Reunites for one show. You may remember them from such venues as….The Fireside Bowl…..The Knights of Columbus….Off the Alley….Riley’s Rock House
BURN REBUILD
Burn Rebuild is a punk rock band from Chicago started by guitarist Brian Hampson and lead singer/bassist, Franky Tsoukalas. In 2013, the guys started up to relieve the stress of college while they both pursued degrees in their 30’s at UIC. The main goal of the band is to play and write as much as adult life allows. Though the band has had many…many member changes, all members that have come and gone in Burn Rebuild have always been friends of the band. Now with a solidified lineup and their EP Losing Grip, the guys are looking to bring their take on punk to the streets of Chicago. They’re not touring. They have kids and dogs and shit…and it probably just isn’t in the cards. However, come out to a show in Illinois and go check out their ep at www.burnrebuild.bandcamp.com
Around Christmas of 2010, Mike Martello was stuck in a stranger’s house with three weeks to kill. He decided to write and record an album using an acoustic guitar, a microkorg, and whatever else was lying around. The project was dubbed Sheep Numbers, and the album was actually pretty cool, so now Sheep Numbers is a real band with real people playing ramshackle pop/rock nuggets.
The Looking is the brainchild of singer/songwriter Todd Carter. His music has its roots not just in country and indie-rock, but immaculate ‘70s singer-songwriter classics. Fusing together a wide scope of inspiration including opera, punk rock, traditional folk, and psychedelic soul, The Looking creates music that has been described as “intriguing….fascinating” (Collected Sounds), “eclectic and provocative,” (The Chronicle), and “like nobody else you have heard before” (IndieMusic.com ). Carter’s ability to captivate audiences lies in the power of his “phenomenal….goose-bump-inducing voice” (Direct Current). Bringing a real consistency and fluidity to his latest long player Lead Me To Water, Carter’s various influences cohere into a consistent, kickass collection.
I am moving in a new direction, freshly branded, equipped with new original music, management and a new website in an effort to expand my horizons. This is an exciting time and I ask that you please join me in my pursuit.
Browse the new site and all it has to offer with details on upcoming shows, music releases, photos and booking info.
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Born in Mississippi and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Linsey Alexander discovered a down to earth city that truly understands and appreciates music on Chicago’s southside. In much the same way as many great blues artists before him, he grew up in a poor but honest and hard working family, learning early on that music has the power to lift the spirit and comfort the soul. In Linsey’s own words, “Blues is not hard- it’s just a documentary about life.” His first guitar – a gift from a family friend who played on the front stoop of Linsey’s home in Memphis – was never retrieved from the pawn shop where he left it almost 50 years ago. Using the money to help pay his way to Chicago, he now plays a variety of Gibson and Fender guitars. Since 1959, Linsey Alexander has been perfecting the art of entertainment blues for the sheer and simple pleasure of it. His easy smile and unpretentious personality define a charismatic entertainer who loves to perform; and perform he does!
Although having played with B.B.King, Bobby Rush, Buddy Guy, Little Milton, Magic Slim, Johnnie Taylor, A.C.Reed, Larry McCray, Bither Smith, John Primer, Otis Clay, Eddie Clearwater, and other great blues performers, Linsey Alexander has remained resolutely true to his own style. His earlier CD’s released, “Someone’s Cookin’ in My Kitchen,” “My Days Are So Long,” and “If You Ain’t Got It” are all three compilations of original Blues and R&B tunes.
Alexander has been to 10 countries and all across America spreading the joy of blues.
He is thankful for the good things in his life, and now at last, seems willing to realize that the friends that encouraged him to keep playing over the years may have known a thing or two about talent. Linsey has “never truly believed in himself” until now; Now, he is ready to believe. In 2012, He signed with Delmark Records and recorded his first international CD, “Been There, Done That.”
Linsey’s recent CD, released in August 2014, “Come Back Baby,” landed Linsey a spot as number three best Chicago Blues album.
Linsey Alexander was inducted into the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame June 8th, 2014.
Linsey Alexander’s tour put him in Mexico, Brazil and France. Alexander plans to return to Brazil and France soon in 2015.
A Quick One is the second studio album by English rock band The Who, released in 1966. The album was also released under the title Happy Jack on Decca Records in the United States, where the song “Happy Jack” was a top 40 hit.
THE KINKS “MUSWELL HILLBILLIES”
Muswell Hillbillies is an album by the English rock group The Kinks. Released in November 1971, it was the band’s first album for RCA Records.
Listener is a spoken word rock band from Fayetteville, Arkansas. Initially an underground hip hop project by Dan Smith, who used the moniker “Listener”, the project evolved into a full-fledged rock band.
‘68 is an American rock duo that formed in 2013. The two-piece band features guitarist and vocalist Josh Scogin, formerly of the hardcore band The Chariot, and drummer Michael McClellan.
“PROVE YOU’RE NOT A ROBOT” (2025/MoonJune Records) is the sixth LP by Brooklyn based Alex Skolnick Trio (AST).
The album’s title has multiple meanings. On the one hand, it reflects the effort to hold onto our collective humanity in an era of increasing reliance on technology. Secondly, it represents the notion that the process of direct human interaction – particularly music that captures inspired improvisations and compositions, such as those heard on this LP – cannot be replaced with AI (which, as of this writing, is the latest and most disruptive development in tech). Additionally, the title refers to our time of unprecedented political polarization coupled by mass addiction to social media and people who exhibit robot-like behavior. Finally, it is a phrase that should be all too familiar to anyone who’s ever forgotten their online password, a situation humorously captured in the video for the title track (directed by Frankie Fulleda and featuring a cameo by the album’s photographer, Lamb of God vocalist D. Randall Blythe).
A variety of guitars were used on the recording, including a top-quality archtop borrowed (and later purchased) from famed builder Roger Sadowsky, a Gibson 335 style semi-hollowbody and Alex’s oldest guitar, a 1935 L-00 acoustic “parlor” style guitar (think Robert Johnson), the latter of which is featured on the uplifting “Guiding Ethos” and the closing ballad “Asking For A Friend.” While upright bass has been prime component for AST, here Nathan Peck’s bass is more than often electric (also a Sadowsky). Odd-time signatures are quite prevalent, in particular the title track, helping capture the flavor of the unusual time we’re all living in. Although original songs make up the majority of PYNAR, there are two quirky arrangements in the classic AST mold, including “Breakdown” (Tom Petty) and a mind-bending mashup no one saw coming, “Armando’s Mood,” which pays tribute the late piano master Chick Corea and Yes guitarist Steve Howe.
“I feel this album represents my strongest work as a composer, with several pieces written at the piano” the bandleader offers. “The soloing also went to new places for all of us. Nathan and Matt really brought their A-game throughout. I think it’s safe to say this is the record we’re all most proud of.”
Beginning in the early 2000’s, AST has become known for catapulting the jazz guitar trio format into new and interesting territory. With an unconventionally wide fluidity of diverse styles (tango, calypso, Western swing, electronica, Prince-inspired funk, to name just a few), the trio gained notoriety for it’s quirky but respectful arrangements of songs previously unmined by improvisers, including by the likes of Aerosmith, Scorpions, Ozzy Osbourne and Kiss.
Comfortable in blurring the stylings of Wes Montgomery with Black Sabbath, Mssrs. Alex Skolnick (guitar and vocals), Matt Zebroski (drums), Nathan Peck (acoustic standup bass) are stellar virtuoso artists who thrive on playing challenging music in front of their fans. As a headliner, AST has enthralled audiences in at the Larvik Guitar Festival in Norway, the World Guitar Festival in Quebec as well as in Italy, The Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Austria. The audiences are made up of jazz aficionados and metal heads wanting to see what the lead guitarist from the thrash metal band Testament is up to. Their music has been heard in promotions for National Public Radio and more. Among their fans are Rodrigo Y Gabriela, who have brought the trio out as a support act at venues including Paris’s The Olympia, London’s Shepard Bush Empire and New York’s Radio City Music Hall.
Conceived as a sharp three piece ensemble uniquely inspired by the musical wanderings of Alex Skolnick, world-renowned lead guitarist and founding member of Testament, one of the most influential metal/thrash bands of all time. Yet those unaware of Testament are shocked by his backstory when hearing AST – or Alex’s work with PAKT featuring Percy Jones (Brand X/Brian Eno), Stuart Hamm (Steve Vai/Joe Satriani) – as his guitar work defies the odds of most with guitarists with similarly metallic associations. He also has the profound distinction of being one of the more successful breakout individual students of uber-guitar-hero Joe Satriani. Along with Charlie Hunter, Steve Vai, Kirk Hammett (Metallica) and Larry Lalonde (Primus).
Since the debut, AST had had an entire Jazz notes column in Billboard, garnered 4 ½ stars by Downbeat, reviewed by Jazziz, The Village Voice and has charted on the JazzWeek radio charts. Apple Music frequently features the group in its Spectrum playlist, with notable other jazz crossover artists such as Snarky Puppy, Mike Stern and Marcus Miller. Most recently the Trio enjoyed its status amongst the greats as an NPR Jazz Daily Pick feature. A perfect description comes in the form of a review by Downbeat journalist Bill Milkowski (well known for his bio on Jaco Pastorious Jaco): “Skolnick runs the guitaristic gamut from lush chord melodies to Wes Montgomery-style octaves to screaming Sonny Sharrock-esque skronking” (Jan 2017).
Line-Up:
Alex Skolnick (Testament, Stu Hamm, PAKT, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Jane Getter Premonition): GUITAR
Matt Zebroski: DRUMS
Nathan Peck (Maynard Ferguson, Maria Maldaur, Richard Cheese): BASS
