“Where’s jazz going? I don’t know. Maybe it’s going to hell.
You can’t make anything go anywhere.
It just happens.”
THELONIOUS MONK
You can’t make anything go anywhere.
It just happens.”
THELONIOUS MONK
REVIEWS
CONTINUUM "The smartest West Coast fusion legend around, CONTINUUM bounces back................." METALJAZZ.COM " this ensemble fuses the best from several approaches to creative music. Their written material gives them a substantial and interesting base for ensemble and solo development. For their time together, they also have both the confidence and sharply honed intuitive faculties needed to allow them to open the music to varied inspirations. Most of the material originates with group members, and it rates highly against virtually any criteria you want to apply - melodic and harmonic content, rhythmic diversity and flow, maturity of form and conception, use of dynamics, and space for interplay and individuality. For all the right reasons, this music should stimulate a multi-faceted crossover audience." JAZZ NEWS "CONTINUUM showed that it is still quite possible to be creative in playing fusion, displaying a humorous side of dynamics, a willingness to take chances in their solos and a lot of variety in their music while still turning up the volume when they felt like it!" JAZZTIMES "A rich mixture of percussion, synthesizer keyboards and various saxophones makes for some intriguing and lively contemporary jazz on this release…..It's a heady mixture but an appealing one given the originality of the playing and the compositions. Elements of fusion are present but the emphasis is on inventive new jazz with plenty of group and individual inprovisation on offer. As such it is unreservedly recommended to all jazz enthusiasts with open ears and minds." JAZZ JOURNAL "EAST Los Angeles, California-based jazz-rockers "Continuum" display maturity, enviable chops and cohesive interplay on PASSAGES .... this band injects the finer elements of fusion with traditional jazz etiquette and methodologies along with a sharp, rugged edge! Continuum" pursues contemporary musings with conviction and power while also integrating the occasional display of pyrotechnics, which is most notably evident on their scorching rendition of John McLaughlin's "Celestial Terrestrial Commuters". The musicians implement brisk, cutting edge jazz lines and compact phraseology amid swinging yet at times odd-metered rhythms….the band exhibits resounding effectiveness at integrating groove orientated vibes while also maintaining salient and memorably melodic motifs. Overall, the musicians impress with a strong and thoroughly unified sense of direction intermingled with noteworthy compositions and sterling ensemble work. If you found yourself getting a bit bored with the existing contempo-fusion scene, then you might want to give Passages an audition as this band elevates applied concepts to lofty heights while providing a few thrills along the way. Nice job gentlemen! " * * * * (out of * * * * *) ALL ABOUT JAZZ "Once again I am astonished to hear something so unlike the same old, tired, post-progressive fusak. Elements of Frank Zappa abound in this electric quartet of sax, synth, bass and drums……...the grinding synth solo on "5x5x5" reminds me that the soul is ever present here. BEYOND COLTRANE "Where old school fusion drowned in self-indulgent displays of technical mastery, the four members of the Los Angeles based CONTINUUM play it cool. There are chops aplenty here (Christopher Garcia's clean and forceful drumming stand out), but they never get in the way of the ensemble.....This is a writer's record and the writing on the uptempo burners is very good indeed….as fusion(?)records go this one is quite nice and wonderfully recorded to boot." SIGNAL TO NOISE "CONTINUUM offers a mix of truly creative music. On the high-art end they take a 20th century contemporary piece like John Bergamo's 5x5x5 and make it their own. A five note minimalist ostinato is repeated in Steve Reich-like fashion with swirling synths and industrial to funky percussion, as an insistent sax and a probing bass cement a ton of melody..... An East Indian hand-drummed percussion counterpoint beats along with Carman's urgent sax and a settled bass solo, supply the fust for "Even Picasso couldn't Find Her," stop-start melodic lines, and a tail like the intro. .... A take on the Mahavishnu Orchestra's heavy-watermark "Celestial Terrestrial Communters" has sax and synth assimilating guitar and violin, an intriguing adaptation on this powerhouse track. Straight contempo-skunk funk and a little reggae with time shifting techniques defines "Seventh Hour," while "P.M." uses snippets of melody floating on a rock beat and a small swing section, with the bridge fairly wailing in moonraker fashion. Four other selections fall more into an instrumental, power-ballad mode: the soprano sax and synth-laden led "Voices," the spacey, tenor-informed "Devotion," and the languid "Ephemeral Piece." The fourth, "Stupendous Journey," goes into Richard Teitlebaum-like electronics and a "Giant Steps"-flavored bopping coda.....truly well-wrought, inventive music ...... ALL MUSIC GUIDE TO JAZZ "Fusion lives! ...one of the most stimulating fusion recordings of the past couple of years. It is easily recommended.." LA JAZZ SCENE "CONTINUUM might well epitomize the art of current jazz/rock fusion. The album is a beautifully produced, a rich, warm, glowing feel. The playing from all four members is immaculate, and if synthesizers have a place in jazz then this is definitely the home for them......the sax solos float over and weave in and out of the rhythm rather than force themselves on you, and drums are always there..." VANISHING POINT "This is contemporary jazz, mainly electric and very accessible, when you think the music will fall into redundant smooth Kenny G stuff it turns a corner or explodes, as in the delightful "Waltz For Igor"....The darting cross rhythmic tight head of "Nick Of Time" is joyous and fun....intervals of driving inventive sax, bass angles and keyboard delights make the recording worthwhile." VICTORY REVIEW "Heavily lauded bent jazz types who take soi-disant 'Fusion' into the 21st century, where it's respected....Far from the same old fusion CONTINUUM brings an artistic edge to this disparaged form of crowd pleasing jazz." L.A. WEEKLY "The four-man collective, which uses jazz tradition as a springboard, rather than a jail cell can play tight compositions or loosely structured vehicles for blowing, and many points in between." L.A.'s NEW TIMES "CONTINUUM - The ten tracks move from fusion to New Age to jazz (sometimes within the same cut) with ease. The tracks composed by Ochikubo bring to mind the work of Oregon and the compositions of Ralph Towner. But he also goes through mood shifts -through the use of dynamics on these songs. Bassist Billman has a rich tone and he is not afraid to move beyond the standard bass riffs. He rumbles all around "Nick of Time" with Garcia's sparkling cymbal work coloring the background...Garcia, an excellent percussionist really pushes the group, especially in the solo sections." CADENCE JAZZ MAGAZINE "CONTINUUM, from funk to progressive rock-jazz, electric fusion, Artistic and Wicked, Foreign objects indeed." WAX WORKS "CONTINUUM - This is the premiere recording for this L.A. based group…..All the compositions are the band's own, and the studio production is very good. Both sound-wise and compositionally, Continuum bears a strong resemblance to Weather Report. (?) Cool synth sounds and textures abound, and there are a multitude of snappy grooves: funk, straight ahead, and waltzes alike It's nice to see a group with this approach to fusion compositions." JAZZSCENE MAGAZINE "Melody rich originals are heard on the electric bands debut recording YOU TELL ME..., This unit is known for its offbeat approach to Contemporary Jazz...." LOS ANGELES TIMES "CONTINUUM takes care of the listener from head to toe. For the head the band lays out a clever mix of styles, from Jazz to Funk to Progressive-Rock, which holds the listeners attention: For the toes (and for that matter, the hips) upbeat grooves and tightly rendered meter changes. From top to bottom, this is a swinging band." KEYBOARD MAGAZINE "As a longtime member of the band CONTINUUM, Ochikubo has developed a sharp, expansive approach to electric jazz. His solos are outstanding for their subtle twists on traditional notions and conventions, and his ensemble performance is well-crafted and unfailingly energetic." KEYBOARD Magazine AL GARCIA REVIEWS "...this is a great record, featuring beautiful guitar tones and often-breathtaking playing from beginning to end." GUITAR PLAYER MAGAZINE "What great music! I love your tone and touch and the ideas are wonderful -- beautiful, creative stuff -- and on both guitar and bass! Wow!" MICHAEL MANRING(Bassist Extraordinaire) "...features breathtaking solos on guitar and bass. ...this is an excellent CD that will bear many, many listens." BASS MUSICIAN MAGAZINE "Everytime I hear a new cd by Al I can only smile knowing he must get as much pleasure in creating his music, as I do in listening to it. So there you go, not one, not two, but three solid can't miss fusion cds by this multi-faceted artist" PROGNOSIS WEBSITE "A brilliant composer and guitar player, Al Garcia released what we can call an excelent example of jazz rock oriented fusion although the material on the CD goes beyond narrow classifications. Unexpected and stimulating, the music on "Alternate Realities" is a journey through the universe of jazz rock and progressive fusion blended by a master musician. From monumental compositions, lighting guitar solos, latin percussion interventions to sophisticated ethereal textures, this album has everything to delight fusion fans. " JAZZ WORLD QUEST "Each and every track is well written, constructed and performed and there are no filler tracks to be found on All Things Must Converge. What else can I say, well another thing I like about Al's music is that it remains accessible throughout. Now it would be all too easy with the man's obvious talent to end up with an album that would appeal mainly to guitar and bass players, however I don't believe this is the case. And although the music is complex and intricate it is also melodic and structured. There is also a airy, lightness to the pieces that not only allow the music to breathe, but as an aside gives a clarity to the pieces". THE DUTCH PROGRESSIVE ROCK "There is something special about the way Al Garcia plays his guitar, something original and vibrant in his techniques for performance that linger in the jazz listener's mind long, long after the song is finished. Each time the listener returns to the songs, different feelings are evoked and encountered. Al Garcia is an original." JAZZ REVIEW "Once in a long while something will cross our desks here that really captures the imagination as to what could be thought of as the perfect balance of a 'bass album' and a 'songwriter's album'. Al Garcia strikes pretty close to that ideal with his newest release, entitled Make it So. Now, this guy has got to be one of the best-kept secrets in the bass world. Killer chops and with a flawless sense of understatement ... it is a simple fact that his album Make it So is, due to its many strengths, one of the best CD's we have yet encountered in this magazine's life to date. Highly recommended! " BASS INSIDE MAGAZINE "Impeccable bass, soaring guitar, lush synth tones, ethnic percussion, and tasty drumming can all be found on Al Garcia's solo release Make It So. Al Garcia is a master bassist, and this is the best CD I have heard in quite a while... Ladies and Gentlemen, I am stunned. I cannot say enough good things about this CD. Buy it. Now!" BASSICALLY.NET "If alternate realites are anything like this release from Al Garica, they are all smooth flowing with precision craftsmanship of articulate and beautiful musicianship." -Bass Frontiers Magazine (www.bassfrontiersmag.com) Full Review "If finely crafted, melodic fusion instrumentals are your bag, then I can recommend this album (Alternate Realities) to you unreservedly. Top drawer stuff!" THE DUTCH PROGRESSIVE ROCK PAGE "...Garcia brilliantly paces the (almost) all-instrumental Alternate Realities — allowing the music to become more animated and adventurous as the disc’s 57 minutes unwind. ..one dexterous man who appears to be equally skilled on any instrument he touches. " PROGRESSIVEEARS.COM CHRISTOPHER GARCIA REVIEWS "Christopher Garcia, an artist known equally for his accomplishments as both adept player of North and South Indian instruments such as tabla and driving American drum set player) with the likes of the Frank Zappa alumni band, The Grand Mothers of Invention and the Bobby Bradford Mo’tet), and CONTINUUM, the group reflects Garcia’s ongoing interest in honoring, exploring, and blending different musical cultures and their unique instruments….With Garcia always successful in his role as multicultural musical ambassador as well as sensitive and tasteful manifestor of thoroughly enjoyable musical experiences, the music is sure to fascinate and satisfy." OPEN GATE THEATE "His work in fusion music with CONTINUUM puts Garcia in a league with Billy Cobham." RANDOM LENGTHS " percussionist Garcia just kicked my ears down Broadway. He sat cross-legged, almost hidden behind his unique drum kit, coaxing complex rhythms from hand drums and adding subtle colors on shakers, cymbals, cowbell and jam blocks. During his "Curanderos y Brujos Garcia's mbwata, a Nigerian clay drum broke apart. Talk about an explosive solo." SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS "Behind the drums, the beefy cragster with the bushy ponytail turns out to be none other than Christopher Garcia, who has jacked up the expressions of Quarteto Nuevo, Continuum, Alex Cline, Vinny Golia, the Grand Mothers, Dottie Grossman and your uncle the bartender. (And he credits Sab tubsman Bill Ward as an influence.)" METALJAZZ.COM- GREGG BURKE "Starting off with a drum solo/scat singing composition by Garcia, the band plunged into a succession of Zappa tunes, with force and enthusiasm.....The massively accomplished drummer is the bands powerful engine." ARCATA EYE "Besides his own trademark, Garcia mastered many styles from former Zappa drummers like Aynsley Dunbar and Chester Thompson and is inspired by many drummers, hand percussion and mallet influences. As an unexpected and very curious and innovative way Christopher Garcia played a marvellous drum solo as introduction to ‘T’Mershi Duween. Garcia, as humble as he is, showed an unknown, at least for me, part of his genuine musicianship. Playing drum parts while singing Tabla based structures, synchronous and asynchronous. This was really amazing.”. THE BLUES ALONE.NL "Garcia's drum-solo rendition of "Uncle Meat" caused jaws to drop" SIGNAL TO NOISE "A drum solo by Garcia is deployed, (the man understands the art of drumming) tight, flawless and full of passion, he goes on in his solo and then seamlessly continues. Very very good." DUTCH PUBLIC BROADCASTING "Christopher Garcia was masterful on his impressively large and complex drum set, providing the reliable backbone for each song with steadily building beats." CONNECTICUT INDEPENDENT "Christopher Garcia, was buried behind his massive drum kit the entire night, providing a fantastic rhythm background, and foreground. Garcia, also had a voice that owned such a versatility that ZAPPA would have snagged him up if they had met." THE EXAMINER CRAIG OCHIKUBO REVIEWS "CONTINUUM/YOU TELL ME; Okay I'll tell you - this is some of the best jazz fusion I've heard, bar none. The bass and synths particularly kill...." MUSIC TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE "As a longtime member of the band CONTINUUM, Ochikubo has developed a sharp, expansive approach to electric jazz. His solos are outstanding for their subtle twists on traditional notions and conventions, and his ensemble performance is well-crafted and unfailingly energetic." KEYBOARD PLAYER MAGAZINE PABLO CALOGERO REVIEWS "Pablo Calogero, our first meeting as well yet his postulation of vibratory sounds through the medium of that clandestine wooden piccolo, that monumental yet unimposing bass flute, and the bass clarinet a seemingly rare yet integral part of the repertoire of sound, flowed with such elegance and grace, while from time to time awakening me to a heretofore unheard articulation, that let me know that there’s much more that I have yet to hear...." KUCI “Calogero can groove, solo and lift the band with any of his multiple horns and flutes, each showing a very different side of his musical personality but each with their own organically developed sound within the hands of a musician who has played with Tito Puente, Jaki Byard, Anthony Braxton and Carla Bley and many many more…” PERFORMING ARTS LIVE CONTINUUM FAN SPEAK "Hey man, The Continuum Cd's are AWESOME!! We dig them and we think you are the coolest "groove-meisters" on the planet!!!!! Let me know when there are more discs available" Passages "What a great band! You guys play your asses off." "Listen, I just want to thank you for the Continuum CD... It's the best! There's one track on there towards the end that makes me wish I could find a woman who makes me feel like that tune makes me feel. If you could, please pass that along to the guys in the band or at least the leader." Who the hell are you guys????? Wow! It was fantastic!! That was probably the best time I have ever had at a concert, Saturday's performance was totally fun, magical and sensational. At the end of two hours, I didn't feel like leaving............... The music was just too special and awesome. The sound was so much better than last time I heard you at the Festival, must be the hall effect... I know the people sitting behind me were so thrilled and impressed that they kept whistling for more. I know everyone in the audience thoroughly enjoyed the show from head to toe.......... I loved the drums and the way he interpreted the music through those different kind of instruments , very sensual sometimes. Congratulations to Continuum again! See you at the next gig......Passages |