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Rating: Musical tastes, much like political alignment or football fandom, are something that sticks to you in your early years, without you realizing what's happening... And in an instant, you're already in the stands shouting "Long live this" and "Down with that." Then you grow up, and you try to give some rational justification to our passions, but in truth, it was all decided randomly or even trivially, on an afternoon when it was better to go and kick a ball rather than watch a movie, and because of that strange chain of events, we carry a banner, a sign, a t-shirt, perhaps for life. And the existential question arises: just as we are, could we only have those passions and loves, or were those very passions and loves the ones that shaped us into the form we have now?
I don’t know about you, but a musician who embarks on a journey like the one taken by Alex Skolnick is incredibly likeable to me. The acclaimed hero of the thrash metal group Testament, at the peak of his career, with great humility, courage, and a desire to challenge himself, hangs up his "Star body guitar," picks up a Gibson Les Paul, and returns "to school," studying and delving into the great jazz guitarists Wes Montgomery and Jim Hall.
Imagine inviting your jazz expert friend over, with Skolnick on the player, and asking him: "What do you think of this guitarist?" There's a risk your friend might launch into a discourse on harmonics and tones, bringing up Jim Hall and Joe Pass, until you show him the CD, pointing out the author of the track: Ozzy Osbourne! Yes, because besides a couple of original tracks, the album consists of a jazz reimagining of some timeless hard rock/heavy metal classics, tastefully arranged, played, and improvised with noteworthy technique and musicality.
There’s something for everyone, none of the leader's great masters are forgotten. The tracklist is as follows:
- Detroit Rock City (Kiss)
- Dream On (Aerosmith)
- No One Like You (Scorpions)
- Goodbye To Romance (Ozzy Osbourne)
- Still Loving You (Scorpions)
- Skol Blues (A. Skolnick)
- Pinball Wizard (The Who)
- Ofri (A. Skolnick)
- War Pigs (Black Sabbath)
It's fascinating to discover how these pieces reveal an unexpected blues vibe, once stripped of all the spectacular aggressiveness with which they are usually performed. The impression is that Skolnick deliberately applies himself, like a knowledgeable miner, to extract the blues, the common root of all the music of our time. And he brings everyone to agreement: in his hands, these songs truly become "new standards."
On first listen, one might be tempted to categorize his style within a proven mainstream jazz, with the evident influence of the aforementioned guitarists. But Skolnick often adds his touch, pairing a "hefty" electric guitar, with hard tones, alongside the semi-acoustic, as in "Goodbye To Romance", "Skol Blues", "War Pigs". A beautiful reinterpretation of "No One Like You", which almost sounds like a bossa nova. Here and there, influences from more recent guitarists emerge, like John Scofield, for instance in "Pinball Wizard", which features a refined dialogue between the leader and John Davis's double bass, played with the bow.
A special mention goes to the final track "War Pigs", almost a compendium of all the guitar techniques mastered by our protagonist, where two jazz solos of very modern origin are first overdubbed, followed by a savory electric guitar solo, where Skolnick shows off all the deadly technique acquired during years of metal practice.
Support players at the level: bassist John Davis demonstrates the ability to transition from swing to rock with a certain ease. Drummer Matt Zebroski is punctual and attentive to accommodate the leader, especially in the faster tracks.
He might not be at the level of other jazz guitarists, but Skolnick proves great versatility, creating a curious and entertaining record, very heterogeneous but always enjoyable: a lovely lesson in open-mindedness in a musical world already too afflicted by sectarianism, feuds, and mutual deceit.
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