Besides the larger than life guitar work of Lozaga, the other major factor in separating his trios from many a wannabe, is the agile rhythm section he has supporting him. Long-time associate Rowe delivers thick meaty bass lines that always compliment the guitar work, yet never get in the way of the axe-meister. This support, coupled with super drumming by Stevens, allows Bon to present a powerful electric trio that will pleasantly remind listeners of Espresso era Gong, though somewhat more muscular and rock-oriented than that version of Gong.

Into the mix are thrust a group of supporting musicians: guitarist Geno White, violinist Caryn Lin and guitarist/sample-guru David Torn. Engineer Bob Kimmel adds some tambourine to track 5. While I find Torn and White's contributions to be interesting, the major addition on tracks 1, 3 and 4 has to be violinist Lin. With her in the lineup interesting parallels can be drawn with bands like Ozone Quartet and Boud Deun. Too bad she isn't on more cuts, since she adds enormous sonic depth and vitality to the pieces on which she guests.

For me, the high-point of this exhilarating album is track number three -- a slow 11 minute burner entitled "Kronos" that could be likened to a prog-fusion "Kashmir", replete with middle eastern motifs and dark mournfulness. As the piece builds to its grand conclusion the quartet play like their lives depend on it, with Lozaga unleashing a solo of majestic power and extraordinary vitality.

After that I thought "where do they go from here?". On "Still A Dreamer" Lozaga trots out his acoustic, and Ms. Lin once again augments the trio, taking the piece into a space that mid 70s King Crimson might have occupied, had they been jazzier, and the Mahavishnu Orchestra might have occupied had they been more tranquil. Beautiful and refreshing, this composition is like taking a walk outside in the fresh air just after it has rained.

More outstanding fusion follows, with the band moving through spacey electronics and a Holdsworth-like workout on the funk-flexing "Of Sound Mind". This isn't yer Motown funk or even yer Bootsy Collins funk. No, it is slab-thick and punchy heavy jazz-funk, with Rowe and Stevens at times suggesting what Wetton and Bruford might have sounded like in a fusion context...or how Berlin and Bruford often did sound playing together.

"French Movies" finds the band traversing angular aggressive fusion territory, with Lozaga's electric guitar honking and snorting like an irate bull elephant. Here we find why the electric trio format is so beloved by guitarists of all genres. With all three musicians pushing the envelope, the tune lifts off into outer space before free-falling back into the atmosphere to dissolve on a wave of feedback.

On "Now We Are Speaking" Bon once again delves into the Crimson / Mahavishnu Orchestra eerie and spacey bag of tricks. Out of this sonically disturbing opening the band struts into another heavy funk groove, with Rowe popping and punching his bass over a John-Bonham-plays-jazz foundation provided by Stevens. Lozaga delivers several wicked leads, much of the time operating in the classic Holdsworth fusion-guitar range of tones, his fingers threatening to set his fretboard on fire. Just when it seems that the tune has to end or blow up, Lozaga dips his hands in ice water, cooling the sound to a relaxed a gentle whisper: a mood the band holds for just long enough to make the listener think this is how the tune will end. Then they shrug their shoulders and piledrive back into the main heavy theme again for a powerful close.

The CD closes out with the dreamy romanticism of the acoustic guitar piece "I Dance Alone". I could sit and listen to this on a looped setting for hours. Here Lozaga shows that he isn't just a guitarist of enormous technical ability and flashy showmanship, offering up a soulful lyricism and a delicate, almost classical, touch. And all too soon, the piece ends, and the room returns to silence.

Who would like this? Any lover of monster guitar chops will find this disc to be like a cool tall frosty one on a hot summer day. Any fan of fusion guitar trios who doesn't own this is missing out, since there's enormous depth to every one of these compositions, most of which burn with fierce intensity.

Who would hate it? On To The Bone Bob Lozaga uses a lot of the same tones that have made Allan Holdsworth famous (if not wealthy). If you aren't grabbed by them, you'll probably find his over-reliance on them to be annoying, or at the least a disappointment.

The best tracks: All of these tunes are outstanding, but "Undertow", "Kronos", and "I Dance Alone" get my vote, with "Kronos" getting special mention as a major tour-de-force.

The tracks that best represents Bon's style: "Undertow", "French Movies".

Star rating: 4 out of 5. Another monster meal of tasty fusion to feed the hungry hordes. Put this into heavy rotation...now! I'd have given it 4 1/2 stars had Lozaga not sounded so much like a dead ringer for Holdsworth on this outing. But, once you're past that, the tunes are strong, and the playing exemplary.