Featured Artist: Oz Noy

CD Title: Schizophrenic

Year: 2009

Record Label: Magnatude Records

Style: Fusion

Musicians:

Oz Noy (guitar and guitar loops), Keith Carlock, Anton Fig, Dave Weckl (drums), Will Lee (bass, tambourine), Ricky Peterson (organ) Chris Palmaro (Wurlitzer, Rhodes, clavinet), Shai Bachar (Synth tracks), Steve Lukather (guitar)

Review:

This is the fourth release from Israeli-born New Yorker Oz Noy, who began his musical career in his teens and by age 16 had already performed with some of Israel’s most preeminent artists. His rock-funk-blues jazz is charged and hard-hitting, while pleasingly melodic and intricately crafted.

Backed up by some stellar musicians, Noy takes his music to new levels of sophistication and refinement without compromising the allure and excitement of the sound. His playing, though infused with smooth, polished technical merit, is not at all flashy or ostentatious. He has serious skills, but is in no way a showoff. His compositions prove he has both the gumption and chops to meander from soft grooves to high-intensity burners and make it all flow seamlessly, inserting just enough electronic effects to add snap and sizzle rather than overpower the overall outcome.

The hard-rocking, contemporary pop sounds of “Ice Pick” and “120 Heart Beats” are just as well played and well presented as the more laid back and moody grooves of “Seven” and “Twice in A While.” The title track “Schizophrenic” is a masterful display of musical brilliance as all of the elements combine to take the listener on a sometimes frantic, but pleasingly stimulating excursion. “Jelly Blue” is an innovative and infectious groove from beginning to end and “Bug Out“ proves that Noy has the stamina to carry this recording all the way through with punch and pizzazz.

Those who enjoy solid rock-funk-jazz fusion will undoubtedly be appeased by this brilliant work by Oz Noy as he offers enough creative vision and additional sonic surprises to keep the listener engaged, entertained, and intrigued to the end.

Tracks:

Ice Pick, 120 Heart Beats, Seven, Schizophrenic, Elephant Walk, Twice In A While, Jelly Blue, Underwater Romance, Bug Out.

Record Label Website: http://www.magnatuderecords.net

Reviewed by: Veronica Timpanelli

Click here for printer-friendly version of review.

Send this page to a friend.