Search - Dom Minasi :: Goin Out Again

You won't believe your ears

Jan P. Dennis | Monument, CO USA | 04/21/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"With cover art and typography reminiscent of Dave "Fuze" Fiuczynsky's great disc, Jazz Punk, you get a vague feel of the general direction of this altogether astounding recording. Indeed, the Fuze might be the closest analog to Dom Minasi (with echoes of Nguyen Le, Tisziji Muñez, Shawn Lane, John McLaughlan, and Jim Hall [!]), but there's really no one much like him, at least that I've ever heard. He's got the fleetness of McLaughlan in his prime, the delicacy and cool fluidity of Jim Hall, the monster technique of Shawn Lane and Tisziji Muñez, the wild conceptual power of Nguyen Le, and the totally gonzo approach of the Fuze. Add the adventurous rhythm team of Ken Filliano (acoustic bass, and one of the most talented arco players alive) and Jackson Krall (drums, a hugely under-regarded player) and you've got maybe the most incredible jazz guitar trio discs ever recorded. Talk about deconstruction! Some of the most famous and most recorded jazz standards ("Autumn Leaves," "All Blues," "On Green Dolphin Street," and "Well You Needn't") come out sounding like something from Jupiter. Something from Jupiter you'd actually like to hear. But nothing like you've ever heard before. Somehow, no matter how far out he goes--and let me tell you, sometimes it's a question as to whether or not he's even in the same solar system or maybe even the same universe--it all makes a weird kind of sense. The strange thing is he achieves this all with an entirely classic solid-body guitar jazz tone. No strange distortions, effects, or pedals; just jaw-dropping technique. True, he plays an awful lot of notes. But I'm not sure I'd want any of them eliminated. The truth of the matter is that Dom Minasi plays more guitar than anyone in the history of the instrument. And, amazingly, despite his extreme virtuosity, there's always so much sheer musicality present, so much pure creativity, that he and his almost equally incredible bandmates never lapse into mere cleverness or virtuosity for its own sake.Essential for all who love jazz guitar and for anyone interested in checking out a player with out of this world chops."

What The Press Has To Say !

Jan P. Dennis | 02/09/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Goin Out Again" Reviews"A guitarist who weaves musical strings in a variety of styles from Avant-garde to Free jazz, with a hard rock mentality; Minasi and trio are truly expressive and free...Only adventurous and open minded individuals need apply."
Mark F. Turner - all about Jazz"Dom Minasi for years out of circulation, is back out on the scene. Jazz and jazz guitar are better for it." Ted Kane - jazzreview.com"...Dom Minasi has returned with a vengeance... `attitude' is the operative word here, as the three musicians project a high level of energy, suggestive at times of the intensity of rock rather than jazz, that continues unabated throughout the CD....Minasi extends the harmonic implication of some of jazz's most original performers...he reassures his fast-growing base of enthusiasts that this is a guitar trio like no other recording today." Don Williamson - jazzreview.com"Midway between abstract experimentation and standards recreation, Minasi is using his plectrum like a shovel to carve out his own niche. This session should appeal to audiences who appreciate either of those genres."
Ken Waxman - Jazz Weekly"Dom Minasi carries the aura of a rock star. (In metaphor only; no rock here.) For a guitarist steeped in the tradition as well as the avant garde, this feature makes him special." Nils Jacobson - allaboutJazz"...another set of adventurous trio music..." David R. Adler - All Music guide"I'm reminded of the tradition of jazz musicians who went against the grain, who kept playing the way they played because that's what they heard, just as Van Gogh painted things the way he saw them." Marshall Bowden Jazzitude"Minasi shines through with a fresh and personal style that touches on the past, yet delivers compelling notions for the future\" Jay Collins - Cadence"