Fats Navarro Nostalgia CD - Import

'A fine guitarist whose playing is reminiscent of Pat Metheny in its ringing melodies and pastoral harmonies. James is also an interesting linear improviser in straight-ahead contexts. His albums on Rogue Records tread between jazz and internationalist 'new age' music idioms.

' San Francisco Bay Guardianbiography:Gregory James' compositions are rooted in Jazz, branching into an unscripted mix of fresh sounds and spontaneity. His skill as a guitar player developed in the heady atmosphere of the San Francisco 60s, where he was influenced by both bebop jazz and the rock music of the time. He found inspiration in classical ethnic music of Northern India and in the music of Afro-Cuba, as well as the spirituality of Persian poetry. For more than 20 years, James' explorations of contemporary jazz have interacted with this cultural melange to reinvent what is fresh...now...today. James was interested in music at an early age and upon turning eleven he began studying guitar under David Le Roy Smith, continuing for seven years. By the age of 15, he was already playing professionally with some of the best acts in San Francisco...everything from bossa nova with Amandio Cabral to gigs with Brazilian guitarist Bola Sete and pianist Vince Guaraldi. James' music evolved quickly, beginning to blur boundaries between rock and jazz. By 1978, he was playing with Chico Hamilton in New York. His versatility has remained without compromise, performing with a wide variety of musicians from Ray Charles and Van Morrison to Jean Luc Ponty, Bishop Norman Williams and Eddie Duran among others. Bola Sete, one of his teachers, started James on his long search developing his musical language, allowing him to explore a looser, more sensual style.

James' first album, ALICIA (Inner City 1050) was released in 1978 with great acclaim, leading to both an east and west coast tour. He then returned to start the rock band Video Rouge, performing nationally for a year. In the mid 80s James put aside the electric guitar for acoustic, and began to explore the synthesis of jazz and world roots, producing three albums under his label Rogue Records: MADAGASCAR, TIBET, and ALPHABET TOWN. In 1996, furthering his improvisational and instrumental exploration, he released ANANDA (Tokuma/Moo), followed by THE SEARCH, TRAVELLER, REINCARNATION, and recently COME TO ME (all by Rogue Records).

' Bardfeld is talking about stories for a reason. His new CD, Periodic Trespasses [The Saul Cycle] on the FreshSound/NewTalent label is a modern jazz record with seven brief spoken interludes (with underscoring by post-production guru Danny Blume/Good & Evil) that tell the story of a fictional protagonist named Saul. 'I was sitting on a batch of tunes, literally sitting on the beach thinking about what each was about and what connected them and the character of Saul kind of invented himself.

' As the violinist in the Jazz Passengers and the new Roy Nathanson quintet, Bardfeld is no stranger to the idea that jazz can be simultaneously whimsical and conceptual. His varied sideman life also includes current work with Bruce Springsteen (with the Boss' "Pete Seeger Project" jazz pianist D.D. Jackson and the Cuban/klezmer/downtown Septeto Roberto Rodriguez. Past gigs include work with John Zorn, Ray Anderson, Mark Ribot, James Spaulding, Anthony Braxton, John Cale, Mark Dresser, Johnny Pacheco, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Steve Bernstein, Nancy Sinatra, The String Trio of NY, Drew Gress, Butch Morris, PhilipJohnston.