Techy celestial synth, radio transmissions, and a touch of classical piano (and that’s just in the 2 ½ min. intro) actually coming in as “part 1” of the title and first track of this debut offering Danger from new Greek artists Technical Info. Then, we get into some really hard-edged, rock-laced jazz fusion stuff that will definitely make you take notice. The heavy rock chording and runs in the Zeppelin/Rush mold was quickly placed into perspective as I read that leader and keyboardist Stratos Diamantis has roots in rock. Boy, does it ever show.
The group, based in Athens, Greece, generally plays jazz clubs there, playing jazz standards and covers with an electric jazz fusion influence. This particular album features the renowned drummer Dave Weckl, who offers his services on three of the album’s tracks. The mixed bag of selections offers a commentary on diversity in jazz fusion, and it generally works, at least for me. It took a minute for the true definition and identity of the group to sink in, but once it did, it did. The intensity of the distortion in places might be a bit much for some not expecting such a spurt, but that’s actually always the case with electric jazz fusion. Still, it’s all actually presented in a refined, structured fashion so as to not take away from the aura that is obviously intended.
There are plenty of examples of how well-grounded this group really is in fusion. Tunes like “Groove Machine,” a cut heavy on synth and presence, “Wired,” “Childhood” and “On The Edge” bring home what DiMeola, Corea, Stern, and others have easily branded as the standard-bearer style. In a nutshell, if you’re into some diverse fusion in motion with an occasional outburst of the 70s rock model sound, you’ll like what Diamantis has done with this project.
Tracks: Technical Info Part 1, Well Organ-ized Crime, Journey, Groove Machine, Ritual, Wired, Childhood, On the Edge, Technical Info Part 2
JazzReview.com
