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Smoothjazz.com Review

Sandy Shore | Monterey, CA | 07/01/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The East Bay group started playing and recording their progressive brand of jazz, rock, funk and Latin some 10 years ago. Think sophisticated melodies and arrangements like Steely Dan w/o vocals, but maybe even deeper. Brothers Ray & Jerry Merrill, along with James Zeigler and Chris Weinress are the creators of ICON. They describe the musical journey experienced on the project as ranging from guttural to pristine. This writer would agree. It's a soaring recording offering the listener something to hang on to. The band's namesake track, "Faldo's Toy" is a cinematic and melodic venture. And many of the songs on ICON are melodic regardless of their nature (whether heavier in theme or lighter). There's a unique California-vibe on ICON... You could easily hear many of these tunes in a surfing film due to the weightiness of the compositions and the craftsmanship on the melodies. "Zeno's Paradox" is a good example of this... Moody, mesmerizing and deep. "Ode to Edith Keeler" is a really pretty piece featuring both acoustic and electric guitar and a nod to the band's ability to diversify. Another favorite for me is an artful track called, "Kyana." This is a soulful tune and you can listen for it on [...] Radio. It takes time and experience to create music like Faldo's Toy has on ICON. This release is a testament to skill and inspiration; a combination that is in full force here. Looking forward to the next release due out later this year. -Sandy Shore"