Mainstream-fusion jazz guitar shred session from 1996
J. Levinson | Media, PA USA | 11/13/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Mike Gallaher plays mainstream jazz tunes with a fusion edge, using a clean tone with a hint of overdrive and making occasional effective use of the tremolo arm to end a solo. Co-produced and distributed by Leon Russell, Gallaher recorded this entire set of tunes in Nashville in September 1996, and his accomplices included Dennis Chambers on drums, the late Bob Berg on tenor sax, Victor Wooten and Oteil Burbridge on basses, plus other talented Nashville session players on pianos, horns, drums and bass. The varying personnel probably accounts for some of the tunes being approached in an acoustic-based mainstream jazz style, while several others use more electricity to indulge in hard-driving fusion. They rip through Freddie Hubbard's "Little Sunflower", Hammerstein-Romberg's "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", Pat Martino's "Portrait Of Diana", Karl Ratzer's "20 Over Dixie", and three of Gallaher's originals. In addition to Mike's impressive soloing, there are equally impressive keyboard and sax solos, layered over a powerhouse rhythm section. If you like jazz that grooves with modern attitude, check out this fine session."