By: M.J. Brady
fter having heard some demos a while back from Chris Brooks' website, I was very excited about hearing the final product of his debut release The Master Plan. As great as those song clips were, my expectations were well exceeded when I first listened to this CD all the way through. From the Land Down Under, Australia, the land that also has brought us some of the worlds very best fusion musicians (Gambale, Garsed, Donati, Fierabracci, Aliano, Indaba, DeLuc), it seems as though there is something in the water down there. Chris Brooks, acknowledges some of these influences as well as many others such as Vinnie Moore for inspiration while coming up as an aspiring musician. Though I can say, he sounds nothing like any of these artists, perhaps his studies at the Australian Institute of Music in Sydney, gave him the tools to express his musical personality and identity.
I can attest, that he is an amazing musician, and is a very crafty composer also. It would have been far too easy for him to have mimicked the Moores, Malmsteens, and Garseds of the guitar world. His playing is far beyond such apery, this is proven by is writing abilities. His music is always in a rhythmic flux, utilizing a high complexity level, blistering speeds, and precision-like melodic interchange. The fact that he performs all the instruments is also an amazing feat in and of itself, as the music is such, that nothing less than highly competent professional virtuoso types would be capable of keeping up with the demanding changes and progressions.
I am reminded of some of the more challenging artists coming of age such as Cyril Achard, Michael Harris or Dave Martone, also there are times when I am reminded of Liquid Tension Experiment, or Planet X. And yes, he is worthy of this lofty company of musicians. From beginning to end The Master Plan produces music of the highest caliber, how Chris plans to upstage this debut is going to be a challenge, but knowing this is his first solo project, hopefully the best is yet to come. A MUST for technical, instrumental fusion listeners!
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