Alex Skolnick Trio
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Alex Skolnick Trio

New York City, New York, United States | INDIE

New York City, New York, United States | INDIE
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"LAST DAY IN PARADISE"


http://webmail.atl.earthlink.net/wam/msg.jsp?msgid=21715&folder=INBOX&isSeen=false&x=-296721939

Jazzed up hard-rock gems

March 28, 2007

The story of the Alex Skolnick Trio reads almost like a Hollywood script. After hearing Miles Davis, the young guitarist exits his day job as lead gunslinger for speed metal champs Testament and a part-time gig with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra to study jazz in New York City. He teams up with a pair of rhythm section prodigies and begins to record hard-rock classics as jazz standards. Success follows.
Hard to believe? Yes it is, but the band's latest release on Magnatude Records, 'Last Day in Paradise,' is all the proof one needs to see that Alex Skolnick is a real (and supremely talented) musician and not a figment of Ben Affleck's imagination.
Skolnick brings speed metal energy to a jazz style that's been heavily influenced by names like DiMeola, Reinhart and Metheny. 'Last Day in Paradise' continues the trend set by the Trio's first two releases by mixing original compositions with inspiration from the hard rock songbook.
With 10 instrumentals on the menu, 'Last Day' is a dream come true for the serious players in the audience. Rush's 'Tom Sawyer' is given a healthy twist that bends the melody in a multitude of different directions and until the chorus come around, the song is practically unrecognizable. Dipping back into the Testament catalog, Skolnick puts a Latin salsa bend on their signature tune, 'Practice What You Preach.' This time around it's called 'Quedo Las Casa,' but no one could have guessed this version was in the song's future.

Bassist Nathan Peck and drummer Matt Zebroski also turn in astounding performances, especially on the original numbers like the opener, 'Mercury Retrograde' and the improvisational 'Channel 4.'

While the descriptions may sound a lot more serious, there's a dose of fun underneath the music that comes across on every track. 'Last Day in Paradise' is recommended for jazz enthusiasts and guitar players alike

Copyright © 2007 Wilkes Barre, PA Times Leader, All Rights Reserved.
- WILKES BARRE, PA TIMES LEADER


"Sea of Tranquility"

Skolnick Trio, Alex: Last Day in Paradise
The latest release from the Alex Skolnick Trio, Last Day in Paradise, sees the band take a further step forward in their brand of instrumental rock channeled through a jazz trio format. In the past the band has concentrated on reworking hard rock and metal classics in a jazz style, which had really caught on with fans, and here they throw a few our way but mainly feature some stellar original pieces. Joining guitarist Skolnick (who also handles loop programming and vocals) are Nathan Peck on double bass and vocals, and MattZebroski on drums and vocals.
The opening two pieces are solid originals penned by Skolnick, "Mercury Retrograde", which has a slight hint of The Pat Metheny Group, right down to the melodic, Latin styled backing vocals and silky guitar lines, and "Last Day in Paradise", which features for the first time some electronic effects and loops. The band turns in a nifty version of Rush's "Tom Sawyer", which sees Skolnick's blazing guitar melodies flying around the mix surrounded my acrobatic drum and bass work. "Shades of Grey" is a gorgeous jazz shuffle, and another Skolnick original, showing the subtle approach the band has. This is followed by a fiery take on the Testament staple "Practice What You Preach", complete with a slight Latin flavor (hence the title "Practica Lo Que Practicas"), and "The Lizard" is an excuse for Alex to roam around the fretboard like a young Joe Pass. "Channel 4" might be the strongest tune on the album, with an arrangement not unlike what you would expect from 60's era Miles Davis, featuring a great shuffle from Zebroski and lightning jazz licks from Skolnick. The next piece is the last cover tune on the CD, Ozzy's "Revelation (Mother Earth)", as the band once again take a very laid back approach to this metal classic. If you don't pay attention, you might not even notice that this is a cover tune, but what it is is stellar jazz playing by all three musicians. Crystalline chords and smooth soloing from Skolnick shine through on "Out There Somewhere", and the closer is the lone rock piece in the set, the bluesy romp "Western Sabbath Stomp", which fuses fuzz-toned hard rock and Southern Rock styled slide guitar melodies.
The Alex Skolnick Trio continues to push the boundaries of instrumental jazz-rock, and Last Day in Paradise, their latest on Magna Carta's Magnatude Records is another great example of their pioneering work.

Track Listing
1. Mercury Retrograde
2. Last Day In Paradise
3. Tom Sawyer
4. Shades Of Grey
5. Practica Lo Que Predicas
6. The Lizard
7. Channel Four
8. Revelation Mother Earth
9. Out There Somewhere
10. Western Sabbath Stomp
Added: March 7th 2007
Reviewer: Pete Pardo
Score:
Related Link: http://www.alexskolnick.com
Hits: 94
Language: english - The Web Source for Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal, & Jazz Fusion


"Toca La Guitarra: VIVA EL MARIACHI METAL!"

Alex Skolnick with Rodrigo y Gabriela April 16, 2007 Webster Hall NYC

glide magazineJamBase's recent coverage of Rod y Gab's New York show is here:

LATITUDE, UK LIVE PERFORMANCE

Headliners on the main Obelisk Arena for Saturday are Damon Albarn fronted The Good, the Bad and the Queen, but on a recommendation, I chose to check out Dublin-based Rodrigo Y Gabriela. I'm glad I did, as the fast-fingered pair are two of the most creatively talented and technically accomplished guitarists I've seen in hell knows when. And the crowd inside the Uncut Arena aren't disappointed either: the group's incredible virtuoso guitar playing encouraging the audience into a third musical element of furious handclaps. The metal influences on the band are clearly evident, too: acoustic guitar that is fast-paced, monumental and thundering, every available surface of their instruments utilised to some ingenious musical purpose. And as lead Rodrigo Sanchez finger picks the opening chords to Led Zeppelin classic 'Stairway to Heaven', festival goers couldn't ask for a better end to the evening: Gabriela layering the sound until both break into a breathtaking classical rendition of Jimmy Page's solo. Once the stage is empty, still echoing with their feverish rhythms, the crowd remain and shout for more. But in all honesty, what Rodrigo Y Gabriela deliver isn't made for encores: theirs are songs that amaze and blow the mind, before vanishing with the same flair and imaginative abruptness. In a word, what Rodrigo Y Gabriela do is epic.

Ben Wilkinson


TOCA LA GUITARRA: ¡VIVA EL MARIACHI METAL!

NY Webster Hall ( 16 April 2007 ) review from glidemagazine.com

Like the famed postal creed, neither Nor’easter nor visa restrictions nor Justice Department bureaucrats nor transportation delays could stay two badass musicians from excitedly kicking off their spring tour at New York’s Webster Hall.

It took quite a bit of effort for Mexican guitar duo Rodrigo Y Gabriela to emerge onto the stage last night, braving inter-government shenanigans, mistaken identity, record rainfall in the Northeast and their own version of Planes, Trains and Automobiles. The pair began this epic journey in Mexico, moved through Los Angeles, were diverted to Atlanta, then flew up to — where the fuck?, Rodrigo asks — Baltimore, until finally a train brought them into New York proper. For us.

Hype can be a dangerous concept, and self-imposed hype can be even trickier. I couldn’t have been more excited about my first live glimpse of these characters, and not for one second did they let me down in any regard. Read on for more thoughts and pics and videos from an amazing night with Rodrigo Y Gabriela…

That strange Candy and Martin-esque journey detailed above is not unlike the duo’s broader path to the stage last night. What started as a desire to ”play the real shit” in the Mexican thrash metal scene became a failed experiment that led to playing back-up mood music at a hotel bar. That gig turned into an acoustic ticket to bumming around Europe and situating in Ireland, where these two most likely picked up the obvious proclivity for the word ”fookin’” in their stage banter.

Some serendipidity in original failure came, and eventually the new music took hold, culminating in a record deal and a long tour of these United States. They’ve become a success story in this country now, but their path was surely as bumpy as the headache that brought them here last night.

It’s tough to describe an evening with this band, just as it’s incredibly difficult to describe their sound without butchering it. I’m not sure if the term “Mariachi Metal” has ever been used at all, or if it’s ever been applied to Rodrigo Y Gabriela, but that’s the best descriptor I can imagine for this music. It’s as if a roaming band of mariachis met up with a nomadic pack of Metallica die-hards on the road somewhere, and nine months later, two stars were born. One-part satanic rock, one-part angelic classical; sheer fuck-your-face acoustic awesomeness in totality.

The duo arrived without a setlist. Rodrigo took a minute after the first song finished to address the crowd, letting everyone know how happy they were to finally make it to the postponed gig. And since it was the first show of the tour, they had no planned set to showcase their unique talent. One song in to the night, and already they took requests. Fitting, as the crowd participation surpassed just about any show I’ve been to outside of my nephew’s 1st birthday party.

Rodrigo Y Gabriela’s music itself is worthy of every fluffing adjective I possess. But the duo’s sound and visual engineers deserve a massive amount of credit here as well. It’s simply amazing how well every note and every self-percussive guitar knocks and bangs are amplified. There’s a clear lead line, rhythm line, drums and bass in almost every song, yet only four hands are making the music. It’s the great audio team that makes it possible for the full-band sound to come from these two, and I feel they’re owed a debt of gratitude.

The visual side provided some mesmerizing moments as well, and the video shots of these two live on stage displayed on a big screen behind them (as evidenced above and below) made some for necessary and fantastic over-stimulation.

As usual with a predominantly instrumental band, song titles tend to run together and I can’t pick out what’s what. Also, I’m a total newb. The one original song I can relay that they absolutely tore to fucking shreds is Diablo Rojo (seen here on Letterman), the tune that got me into them in the first place.

Excellently, it followed a “What song is it you wanna hear?” Freebird kind of moment, which made me a happy boy. Throw in some other recognizable originals and a few teases like Seven Nation Army, either Cat Scratch Fever or Smoke on the Water (same song?), and a show finale of Stairway To (flamenco) Heaven, and you’ve got one helluva night.

The pair seemed genuinely excited to introduce a special guest at the end of the evening: Alex Skolnick of the thrash metal band Testament. The three then launched into a cool jam session to end the evening, mostly centering around the theme to Dave Brubeck’s Take Five. At that point my lovely date and headed towards the egress, so unbelievably content in the 90-minute showcase we just received. I honestly wish every band brought their level of enthusiasm and intensity to the first night of a tour.



One note I left out in the covers – there was one moment of singalong hilarity at the show. After a long speech about their love of heavy metal, Rod Y Gab broke into Pink Floyd’s Wish U Were Here, which I’m pretty sure is a non-sequitor. The song was quick and over fast, but I’ve never been a huge fan of an entire crowd singing lyrics (especially the worng lyrics, Guy Behind Me) at the same time, even if we were prompted by the band. Regardless, just for posterity’s sake, I took a little video of the shared lyrical experience:

Rodrigo Y Gabriela just ooze coolness. They throw up the devil-rock horns after every song, they tell funny stories, they collect funny stories, they’re a good-looking pair and they rock the fuck out. What’s not to love?
This really is a must-see band, and when they come to your town, you best get on it.
NY Webster Hall ( 16 April 2007 ) review from glidemagazine.com
.com - Glide Magazine


"UNDERTONES"


Undertones from the September 2007 issue

ALEX SKOLNICK TRIO
Last Day in Paradise (Magnatude)


Considering that guitarist Alex Skolnick made his name in the thrash-metal band Testament, and that his current trio is known primarily for putting jazz arrangements to hard-rock classics, this album is disarmingly subtle. Yes, there are tunes by Rush and Ozzy Osbourne in there, but seven original tunes showcase Skolnick’s own moody but not overly serious musings and a generally friendly sound. Drummer Matt Zebroski provides most of the energy, his aggressive swing perfectly balanced between jazz and rock, while Skolnick rolls with a bright, warm, understated tone.

-Forrest Dylan Bryant - JAZZ TIMES


"ALEX SKOLNICK THRASH TO JAZZ AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN"

Story: Gail Flug
Guitarist Alex Skolnick leads a double life. An apprentice of Joe Satriani, he joined Bay Area thrashers Testament in his late teens. Their albums -- 1987's The Legacy, 1988's The New Order and 1989's Practice What you Preach -- didn't sell millions, but earned the respect of the thrash community, and Skonick's multi-faceted playing certainly helped.

Eventually, though, he felt limited by their direction, and had a jazz epiphany. "I saw Miles Davis on TV in one of his electric bands, and that incorporated funk and world music," Skonick reflects. "I wasn't aware at the time that it was jazz." He was also soon beguiled by the musicality and skill of Al DiMeola, Branford Marsalis, Thelonious Monk, and John Coltrane.

Skolnick recorded two more Testament albums - 1990's Souls of Black and 1992's The Ritual - before leaving the band, diving briefly into Savatage, then exploring other musical styles with side projects. Then he relocated to New York City to study jazz and contemporary music at the New School.

"A lot of legendary jazz musicians teach there," he explains. "It was a place where I could get all my questions answered, by people who could care less that I played Monsters of Rock and did an interview on Headbanger's Ball. There were a few students that didn't talk to me all year, and I thought they had attitudes or were jazz snobs. But by the end of the term, they (admitted) they were afraid of me because they had seen me open for Slayer." The guitarist began playing with fellow student and Testament fan, drummer Matt Zebroski, exploring Skolnick's idea to rearrange rock and metal songs into jazz-fusion. Adding bassist John Davis, the Alex Skolnick Trio was born, and unleashed Goodbye to Romance in 2001.

According to Skolnick, finding song's to jazz up is easier than you'd think. He seeks rock songs with 'similar qualities' of jazz standards, with a singable melody. The timing needs to fit, too. It needs to be made into a groove that can be improvised over it while still recognizable." He notes KISS's "Detroit Rock City" was easy, as the original was "sort of a rock version of a swing beat, and we made it a real swing beat. I always thought that the guitar solo reminded me of a Latin flamenco progresssion, so I used that approach."

After his trio's second album, 2004's Transformation (with new bassist Nathan Peck), the original Testament line-up renewed their friendship and reunited for a 2005 tour, to the delight of thrashers worldwide. "People haven't forgotten Testament; in fact, we seem to have a bigger audience now." observes Skolnick. They have a new studio album in the works for Nuclear Blast for 2008. Meanwhile, his trio released Last Day in Paradise earlier this year, comprised mainly of originals. Not one to sit idle, Skolnick is also a touring member of the classically-influenced Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

"I always wanted my career to reflect my album collection." Skolnick states. "I always wanted to be able to jump on stage with almost anybody in my music collection." - METAL EDGE OCTOBER 2007


"Testament/Alex Skolnick Trio Interview Outtakes"

Testament's Alex Skolnick - Interview Outtakes

By Barry Cleveland | July, 2007

You can read about Alex Skolnick’s current musical involvements and the Alex Skolnick Trio’s new album, Last Day in Paradise , in the August issue of Guitar Player . Here, we present interview outtakes wherein the guitarist discusses his current involvement in the reunited Testament and the band’s upcoming album, wh

You can read about Alex Skolnick’s current musical involvements and the Alex Skolnick Trio’s new album, Last Day in Paradise, in the August issue of Guitar Player. Here, we present interview outtakes wherein the guitarist discusses his current involvement in the reunited Testament and the band’s upcoming album, why he included a jazz cover of a Testament song on Last Day, how his music intersects his political concerns, and his advise to young guitarists.

Are you now a permanent member of Testament?
Yeah, it started out as just a fun reunion—‘let’s just get together for old time’s sake’—but at least for me it was this big awakening. I think it was for the band, too, because suddenly offers started coming in from all over the world—much better offers than usual. The promoters wanted a reunited Testament, and there are all these new fans that were too young to see us the first time around, a lot of whom are guitar players. I had no idea. One of the issues I had with the band the first time around was that I started feeling like the guitar didn’t matter much, especially the lead guitar. It was in everybody’s way, and wasn’t really what the music was about—but now it seems to be really appreciated. And it’s definitely heard more, because technology has gotten better. When Testament first started, we were blowing up a lot of speakers and amplifiers because the equipment wasn’t built for that ultra-overdriven sound. Now, so much of mainstream music has had that sound, manufacturers build equipment differently, and it just sounds much better when we play. So I’m enjoying it more. We just decided not to put any pressure on ourselves, but to keep doing it because we were having fun. It’s not 24/7 like it was. It used to require all everybody could do, but now a couple of the other guys have other careers, and I have the Trio, and we have to work around those things. The only slight pressure that has come up has been from fans that are impatient for a new album, which is understandable. It’s also been a while since the band has done a new record, though when we reunited that wasn’t necessarily part of the plan.

Will the music on the next Testament record be in the tradition of the older stuff, or will you be exploring new approaches?
You can’t plan it too much, though I think it’s going to have some different elements. Some of it will naturally sound like the old stuff, but everybody’s developed since then, so it remains to be seen. Some of the stuff we’ve come up so far reminds me of the old stuff, but its tighter, and everybody plays better. We’re also better songwriters now. Sometimes when we play the old songs, the arrangements make no sense at all, and we’ll laugh at ourselves and wonder what we were thinking, like why would we play the verse four times in a row?

Why did you decide to do a Latin version of “Practice What You Preach” on the latest Trio CD?
People had been suggesting that we do a version of a Testament song for a long time, and I never couldn’t imagine it before—but then I began thinking that we needed a high-energy tune, as each of our previous records has had a piece with really high energy, Latin-influenced playing. The first CD had “Detroit Rock City” by Kiss, and the second one had “Highway Star” by Deep Purple, so why not do a Testament piece? “Practice What You Preach” is considered a signature Testament song, and a lot of fans have told me that hearing the guitar solo on that song was how they discovered that I really had a different voice on guitar, so the song means a lot to me. It was also an opportunity for me to sneak in my Al Di Meola licks [laughs]!

You have said that the music on Last Day in Paradise is in part a response to the current political climate. How so?
When I was in Testament the first time around, I would sometimes write lyrics that dealt with political issues. But because this is instrumental music, its really just about capturing the raw emotion that you’re feeling and letting it come out through your playing and the resulting compositions. It isn’t always an easy process, and the music has to go through a lot of steps—rehearsals, rearrangements, and the studio recording process—before it is packaged in a format such as a CD or a download. But if after all that it still retains the emotion, than it is worth keeping, and you’ve done your job. I‘ve always been more interested in music that expresses emotion over technique. Of course I went through my technique phase when I was much younger, and I’ll still enjoy it once in a while, but I don’t need it, and I find that the majority of the music that I gravitate toward as a listener has to do with emotion.

Do you find that there is a psychological benefit to the process?
It’s my therapy. I can’t imagine not having that vehicle. And I’m sure that there are a lot of artists that feel that way. I almost envy people that can just have a “normal” occupation that’s considered respectable and nurtured by society, such as being an accountant or an insurance salesman. That’s great if you can do it, but it was never an option for me. Honestly, I would probably have gone crazy if I hadn’t listened to myself, and chosen to pursue being a creative person. It’s invaluable for dealing with life, and the fact that others benefit from it just makes it all the more rewarding.

What single bit of advice would you give to young guitarists?
It’s so hard to sum it up. There’s so much to do and absorb. You hear “follow your heart” so often that it sounds stupid to say it, but its really important, and its really easy to get distracted and not do it. You do things that you think you are supposed to do, and listen to who you think you’re supposed to listen to—and you shouldn’t do that. You need to listen to yourself. That’s how you find your own voice. Don’t get caught up in trends. And have a lot of patience, with other people and with yourself. And a healthy lifestyle helps, too. Having pretty much grown up in the rock-n-roll world, I have no moral objection to having a good time—but don’t let that get in the way of the music. Reward yourself at the party after your work is done.

Printed Interview Available in August 2007 issue of GUITAR PLAYER - GUITAR PLAYER


"GUITAR EUPHORIA AT ROSELAND"

http://www.playboy.com/blog/2007/10/guitar-euphoria-at-roseland-
tonight.html 10.19.07 5:00 AM CDT • Music • Jennifer Thiele
Guitar Euphoria At Roseland Tonight

RodGabAST.jpg



Rodrigo y Gabriela are back in New York City. The guitar duo has been making waves this year with their debut instrumental album and tonight’s show at Roseland Ballroom marks their third appearance in The Big Apple. This show is particularly special because it’s one out of only four dates that they will be joined by the Alex Skolnick Trio.

Though you couldn’t tell by listening to their music, (they describe their style as “fusion music” with Latin harmonies and rhythms) Rodrigo y Gabriela are great lovers of thrash and metal. They played together in their own metal band before breaking off into the style that they are now well known for. In a series of spots that aired on MTV in August, the duo discuss how influential Alex Skolnick’s guitar playing has been to them, so they asked him to join them for these very special appearances.



Alex Skolnick is best known as the lead guitarist for the thrash-metal band Testament and is considered by many to be one of the best guitarists in this genre. Among his many musical projects, he fronts The Alex Skolnick Trio, who have made quite a mark in the jazz world by putting jazz arrangements to hard-rock classics. Tonight they’ll be playing songs from their three albums including the latest Last Day in Paradise. - PLAYBOY BLOG OCT. 19, 2007


"MTV TO FEATURE RODRIGO Y GABRIELA W/ALEX SKOLNICK"

MTV To Feature Rodrigo Y Gabriela w/Alex Skolnick

Rodrigo Y Gabriela are featured on MTV the entire week of August 20, 2007. RYG will be the featured artist on MTV as part of the channels "52/52" campaign. Original performances,interviews, and behind the scenes, including Rod, Gab and Alex jamming together in Mexico. All three are interviewed together and discuss their mutual respect and individual guitar techniques RYG segments and b-roll and pictures will be streamed from this site http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/rodrigo_y_gabriela/artist.jhtml
(more)

More on MTV's 52/52 campaign

MTV's 52 / 52 is a brand new way for the channel to give unprecedented exposure to unsigned artists, indie bands, and established acts on major labels in a completely new and innovative way. MTV will handpick 1 band /artist per week for the entire year and will give them the equivalent of roughly 11 hrs of on-air commercial time per week on the channel. This essentially means that Rodand Gab will receive over 1190 :30 second commercials week of August 20 - constituting around 11 hours of on-air time. - 52 Weeks / 52 different Artists.

MTV works closely with each band so the artists can provide creative direction for the spots. Then, the band / artists come in from anywhere between a day to a week to film with MTV and collaborate with them as they or their music appear in each and every one of these spots. MTV lets the artists have the freedom to do whatever they feel comfortable doing in these spots and ranging from performances, skits, interviews, behind the scenes, footage of them just hanging out, the artists doing promos for MTV programming in their own unique way and much more.}

Alex Skolnick Trio To Support Rodrigo Y Gabriela on upcoming tour.

Alex Skolnick Trio will be hitting Arizona and California with Rod and Gab next month! Set times tba. For now visit Rod and Gab's website www.rodgab.com.

There is one AST show at Viper Room on Sep. 9 at 10:30pm.

West Coast dates below.

In addition, AST will play their first European appearance at London's Pizza Express jazz club on Sep 26. October East Coast dates TBA soon.

07 Sept - The Marquee, Tempe, AZ ( supporting Rodrigo Y Gabriela)
08 Sept - Rialto Theatre, Tucson, AZ ( supporting Rodrigo Y Gabriela)
09 Sept- The Viper Room, Hollywood, CA. (AST on at 10:30pm)
12 Sept - Canes, San Diego, CA ( supporting Rodrigo Y Gabriela)
13 Sept - Grove of Anaheim, Anaheim, CA ( supporting Rodrigo Y Gabriela)
26 Sept- UK Pizza Express Dean St., London (AST two sets)
Alex Skolnick Trio Alex Skolnick-guitar Nathan Peck-bass Matt Zebroski-drums

New Album 'Last Day In Paradise' Available Now:
www.alexskolnick.com - MagnaCarta


"EXCERPT FROM RODRIGO Y GABRIELA'S SHOW REVIEW AT ROSELAND!"

The pair seemed genuinely excited to introduce a special guest at the end of the evening: Alex Skolnick
of the thrash metal band Testament. The three then launched into a cool jam session to end the evening,
mostly centering around the theme to Dave Brubeck’s Take Five. At that point my lovely date and
headed towards the egress, so unbelievably content in the 90-minute showcase we just received. I
honestly wish every band brought their level of enthusiasm and intensity to the first night of a tour.
One note I left out in the covers – there was one moment of singalong hilarity at the show. After a long
speech about their love of heavy metal, Rod Y Gab broke into Pink Floyd’s Wish U Were Here, which
I’m pretty sure is a non-sequitor. The song was quick and over fast, but I’ve never been a huge fan of
an entire crowd singing lyrics (especially the worng lyrics, Guy Behind Me) at the same time, even if
we were prompted by the band. Regardless, just for posterity’s sake, I took a little video of the shared
lyrical experience:
Rodrigo Y Gabriela just ooze coolness. They throw up the devil-rock horns after every song, they tell
funny stories, they collect funny stories, they’re a good-looking pair and they rock the fuck out. What’s
not to love?
This really is a must-see band, and when they come to your town, you best get on it.
NY Webster Hall ( 16 April 2007 ) review from glidemagazine.com - GLIDE MAGAZINE


"OTHER REVIEWS IN MAGAZINES!"

CHECK OUR MYSPACE FOR MAGAZINE REVIEWS, UNABLE TO POST HERE ON SONIC BIDS:
METAL EDGE OCTOBER 2007 (TESTAMENT AND THE TRIO FEATURES IN THERE SEPARATE ARTICLES! HIM ON COVER)
JAZZ TIMES SEPTEMBER 2007 (LAST DAY IN PARADISE REVIEW, KUDOS TO MATT ZEBROSKI IN THE REVIEW AND BIG PHOTO FEATURED IN REVIEW SECSTION -- CLINT EASTWOOD ON COVER OF THIS COLLECTOR'S EDITION)
GUITARIST OCTOBER 2007 (NETHERLANDS) INTERVIEW WITH ALEX ABOUT HIS METAL AND JAZZ PROJECTS
GUITAR PLAYER (AUGUST 2007) ALEX SKOLNICK INTERVIEW (JOE SATRIANI ON COVER)
- GUITAR PLAYER, GUITARIST (NETHERLANDS), JAZZ TIMES, METAL EDGE


Discography

Goodbye to Romance: Standards for a New Generation (Skol Productions, 2002)
Transformation (Magnitude , 2004)
Last Day in Paradise (Magnitude, 2007)
"Last Day in Paradise"/"Mercury in Retrograde" (EP)

Discography also includes Alex Skolnick featured in Testament, Attention Deficit, The Trans Siberian Orchestra and as a featured guest on cuts on recent CD's by Lamb of God, Necro and tribute albums including Rush

Photos

Bio

THE ALEX SKOLNICK TRIO

Introducing 'Last Day In Paradise' (Magnatude Records), the third album from the Alex Skolnick Trio. It consists of seven original compositions along with three arrangements of hard rock 'standards,' (a concept upon which the trio has built a strong reputation as an instrumental group that appeals to straight ahead jazz fans and rock fans alike). Feeling the inspiration of European jazz and other influences,the group has now gone beyond the limitations of the traditional guitar trio format on many of the songs, incorporating electronic loops ('Last Day In Paradise'), vocal melodies('Mercury Retrograde') and slide guitar ('Western Sabbath Stomp'). There are special effects, bowed bass tracks and other studio embellishments, resulting in their most original and cutting edge album to date. The new album also includes a Latin version of the Testament song Practice What You Preach (which Alex originally co-wrote) and a live electronica inspired version of Rush' classic 'Tom Sawyer.'

The Alex Skolnick Trio was born in 2001. A heavy metal guitar hero with the San Francisco based group Testament, Alex had decided to leave the Bay Area, move to New York, soak up the jazz scene and go back to school to earn his music degree from New School University. It was here that he met a young drum prodigy named Matt ‘Zebar’ Zebroski who, as it turned out, had been a Testament fan as a youth in Pittsburgh. The two began rehearsing regularly, practicing standards and reviewing homework assignments. Within a few months, they hit upon a magic formula: songs of their youth, re-harmonized and revamped to incorporate high level modern improvisation. A short time later, the trio had versions of Kiss, Aerosmith, Ozzy Osbourne, The Who and more,as well as original compositions and were covering a wide range of musical styles: swing, funk, Latin and moments of John McLaughlin/Jimi Hendrix/Miles Davis inspired intensity.

Their debut recording "Goodbye To Romance: Standards For A New Generation“ (Skol Productions) was released in March 2002. Anticipating a less than enthusiastic response from mainstream jazz media, the group was pleasantly surprised when, less than a month later, an entire column was devoted to the album in Billboard (Jazz Notes; April, 2002). Within a year,Goodbye To Romance had been awarded 4½ stars by Downbeat (March, 2003) , was featured in magazines such as Jazziz (March and April, 2003), The Village Voice (February 26th, 2003) and more, had reached #26 on the JazzWeek radio charts (August, 2002) and was listed as a ‘Top Seller’ on the on-line retail site CDBaby.Alex and the Trio performed at such notable music industry conferences as CMJ (New York, NY, 2002) and at SXSW (Austin, TX, 2003) and toured throughout the country to packed houses in such places as Cleveland, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Texas, New York City and the Rochester International Jazz Festival. They've since appeared live on XM Satellite Radio, Fox Morning News, Brother Wease, and many other radio stations including WNEW (New York), WCPN (Cleveland) and WGMC (Rochester).

The next trio release was in 'Transformation', group's debut for major indy label Magnatude, and the first with new bassist Nathan Peck. 'Transformation' continued the concept of the first album, with arrangements of music byDeep Purple, Judas Priest, Pink Floyd and others, but also placed more emphasis on the groups growing repertoire of original compositions. Great reviews followed, including Jambands.com who said 'By taking charge and writing more originals tunes on this album than the first offering, the group has been able to grow exponentially. AllAboutJazz.com compared Skolnick to jazz/rock pioneer Larry Coryell: 'Like Coryell, Skolnick demonstrates that translating the energy of rock to a jazz context can be a more subtle thing, showing that you can imbue more traditional trappings of swing, modal playing and richer harmony with an edge that doesn't spoil their essential purity. Transformation is a surprising record that succeeds on many levels and proves that it is indeed possible to shift gears mid-career and sound like you've been doing it all your life.

'Last Day In Paradise' begins a whole new chapter for Alex Skolnick trio. Many of the songs reflect a collective feeling of disillusionment with the state of the world: on the liner notes Alex writes: The title 'Last Day In Paradise' represents a philosophical outlook. While every era has had its share of troubling global events, what has happened in the world in the last few years, on both a political level and a social one, has been more disturbing than any period I can recall in my life. Indeed, it's time we learn to live everyday as if it is our Last Day In Paradise.'

Alex Skolnick
Skol Productions

"Yes, here a former metalhead is reborn as a heady jazz guitarist in the Metheny-Scofield mold" Jazziz, April '03

"The long-ha