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Polish Instrumental Neo-Classical Masterworks
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Heavy metal and hard rock versions of classical music. Well, so it's been done many times in the past, but these guys are pretty good at it. Poland's Mr. Pollack (the band name) submitted their CD-R entitled Air On 6 Strings, which features ten classics by Mozart, Bach, Schubert, Rimsky-Korsakov (he takes on "Flight Of The Bumble Bee"), Daquinn, Beethoven, and Brahms. Guitarist Jacek Polak heads up the group, which also features his brother Grzegorz on drums, Jon Burchell on keyboards and Robert White on bass (full instrumentation, nice!) Jacek is a highly accomplished guitarist who is more than able to do this material justice - fans of this style of music will really have something here they can listen to over and over. The production is clean, the mix is first-rate, the musical choices are hot (Bach's "Badinerie", Mozart's "Turkish March" and Brahms' "Hungarian Dance" are especially noteworthy, but the entire album cooks), and Jacek is exemplary - what more do you need? Except perhaps a record contract! Mr. Pollack was originally profiled in the February-March, 2002 edition of The Undiscovered.
Jacek has been described as the 'Paganini of the Guitar' by a Slovak periodical. He recorded his first album, called "Qri" in 1991, then began playing festivals, concerts and recording sessions, finally appearing at the International Rock Festival in 1993. In 1996 Jacek recorded his second CD, "Manhattan-One", and then in 1997 put out an instructional video called "Video Instruction School", which made his band even more famous in Poland.
Polak owns all the copyrights and production rights to his music and would love to sign a contract with a record label.
Contact Information
Jacek Polak
Ul. Korczaka 1/11
39-300 Mielec
Poland
E-mail:
Mr. Pollack
Web site:
www.mrpollack.pl
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Makin' The Blues His Business
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Fans of the vocal style of Stevie Ray Vaughan and the guitar talents of Pat Travers, Robert Cray and Buddy Guy will get a kick out of Paul Wood's latest CD, Blues Is My Business. Produced by Jack Holder, who has produced/recorded artists such as Guy, Albert King and Jonny Lang among others, the album features ten tracks of guitar-laden blues and Wood's smoky, expressive, road-tested vocals. Delivering his lines with a penetrating guitar tone, cuts such as "She Don't Play By The Rules" and the title track represent music that will get you off the couch - playing air guitar and virtual wah-wah. Recorded two years after his debut album "Bridgeburner", Blues Is My Business will expand Wood's audience many-fold, as blues/rock enthusiasts discover Wood's strengths - songs that roll righteously on rock solid rhythms, and a guitar style marked by searing licks balanced with a tasteful sense of phrasing, Great job. Paul Wood was originally profiled in the April-May, 2002 edition of The Undiscovered.
Born and raised in Oakland, California, Paul started playing guitar at the age of eleven. Initially inspired by George Harrison, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Mike Bloomfield, he soon journeyed into the roots of his heroes, where he discovered John Lee Hooker, Elmore James and Muddy Waters. On his 20th birthday he found himself in the studio with Hooker and Van Morrison, and later spent two years on the road with Hooker's band, recording three albums in the process. Paul also performed with his own bands in the Bay Area, rode the blues circuit in Europe, and eventually relocated to Memphis. His self-produced tribute album, "Bridgeburner", was recorded in 1999.
Look for Paul Wood playing in a venue near you during his Blues Is My Business tour; you'll kick yourself if you miss this future guitar legend in action... on his way to the top.
Contact Information
Broadway Productions
8740 Dunn Lane E
Olive Branch, MS 38654
United States
E-mail:
Paul Wood
Web site:
www.paul-wood.com
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Vol. 17, No. 2: Feb.-Mar. 2012
