Some of our readers also like to listen to jazz or jazz rock with influences of progressive rock. That's why sometimes we also include reviews of acts who release albums which move in this kind of genre. The New York based Alex Skolnick Trio released with Prove You Are Not A Robot such kind of album. Prove You're Not a Robot is already the sixth album of this trio. To be honest I hadn't heard anything of Alex Skolnick before. Even though I came up on his name several times. This album is most of all praised for blending straight-ahead jazz with progressive jazz-rock fusion, incorporating everything from Euro-tinged electro-fusion to classical tributes. Throughout the entire album you can enjoy the strong interplay between Alex Skolnick (guitar), Nathan Peck (upright bass), and Matt Zebroski (drums). Of course it is most of all Skolnick who steals the show with his clear and bright guitar sound. This bright, warm quality sound is captured by using a mix of vintage and custom instruments like a 1935 Gibson L-00. However don't underestimate the other musicians. In particular Peck's work on The Polish Goodbye and Infinite Hotel is of a very high level. As for the musical highlight there are a lot of songs to mention. Infinite Hotel is a great up lifting tune. Or take Armando's Mood which sounds like a mix between Chick Corea (Armando's Rhumba) and Steve Howe (Mood For A Day). Or the very relaxing Asking For A Friend. With excellent acoustic kind of guitar parts. Or what about Breakdown. A hypnotic, jazz-inflected cover of the Tom Petty classic that uses multiple time signatures to make it a completely different track compared to the original. Or Parallel Universe with a strong up tempo beat. Guiding Ethos, the closing track is also a great tune with an uplifting melody and symmetrical interplay between the guitar and drums. So all in all Prove You Are Not A Robot is a rather entertaining instrumental album. Most of all if you occasionally like some jazzy musical parts in your daily music. But for those who are into Mellotrons, bass pedals and long synthesizer and guitar solos. Just skip this album! *** Henri Strik (edited by Tracy van Os van den Abeelen) Where to buy? |
