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Hard Edged Rhythms & Meditative Melodies
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The New York area band Trikus, led by bassist/keyboardist/composer George Hoar submitted their self-titled, ten song instrumental CD-R, and the album delivers a hard edged jazz/world/blues sound that is immediately likable and of keen interest for both guitar and bass fans. The opening, multi-layered track, "Front St." features a classic guest performance by none other than Mike Stern, while the second track, "Free Bass", is a grooving George Hoar-led bass showcase (he plays four basses), but for a novelty track, is fine stand-alone composition as well. Guitarist Kevin Lutke plays mature, modern fusion lines on he bulk of the remaining tracks, while Mike Hogan plays the six-string on the sixth track, "FX", a similarly bass-heavy/guitar fusion extravaganza. The final bass inspired piece on the album is "Palette One", a lyrical piece which finds Hoar going toe to toe with himself on piano. Trikus has a modern sound, outstanding musicianship, a sense of humor and a great direction for the future. Try to get a hold of any official recording by this band when they become available - you can't go wrong.
George has studied music at William Patterson with an impressive list of instructors, including Rufus Reid, Dave Samuel, Harold Maybern and Art Resnick. He also studied arranging with Don Fornuto. The group Trikus, which focuses on improvisation and meditative melodies, has performed in many club venues and recently were asked to play for Musikfest in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania for two consecutive years. The drummer heard on the Trikus CD is Mike Feldman, who drives the Hoar compositions with his unfaltering rhythm chops.
Hoar and Trikus continue to gig in the Northeast in order to increase their fan base and infuse the world of contemporary jazz with their maiden release.
Contact Information
George Hoar
19 Nassau Ave.
Glen Cove, NY 11542
United States
E-mail:
Trikus
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Austrian Instrumentalist Balances Melody & Virtuosity
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Never sacrificing melody for technique, and making sure that music is more than just a collection of learned licks and phrases perfectly describes the music of guitarist Chris Schatz on his demo CD-R. Featuring seven instrumentals in number of different styles (rock, blues, pop, etc.), the demo is a showcase for his singing, soulful style. Does this mean he can't 'shred' if called upon to do so? Not a chance. Schatz actually has chops to spare, as a number of pieces ("Legends", "Car Fun", "Hell Blues", etc.) amply demonstrate. In contrast to a lot of players who overuse their abilities, Schatz keeps his technique in check, bringing it out and letting it surface when the music demands some aggression, fury, passion or simple burst of energy. His demo is very well put together and his musical direction is clear and purposeful - hopefully a full length commercial CD is the next step for this young, talented Austrian.
Born in Austria in 1973, Chris began from the age of 12 to teach himself the guitar, and within a short time he started practicing intensively . From 1988 to 1989 he played in the melodic rock band King Size, followed by stints in bands such as Frontliners (Austrian Country Awards winners). During this time he acquired skills in various styles, including fusion, blues and funk, and gained extensive live concert experience during tours of Austria and abroad. Chris founded the blues/rock trio Medicine Men in 1995, where he took the role of guitar player and singer. It was in 1998 that he finally began to develop his own ideas into instrumental guitar music.
Schatz aim is to strike the perfect balance between melody and virtuosity, treating both elements equally. He hopes in this way that his music has the potential to reach a wider audience.
Contact Information
Christoph Schatz
Raiffeisenstrasse 4/1/4
4300 St. Valentin
Austria
E-mail:
Chris Schatz
Web site:
www.home.pages.at/guitar
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Vol. 17, No. 2: Feb.-Mar. 2012
