Steven Lee Group - From The Ground Up
SLG
currently appears at the world famous Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas
where they entertain audiences from around the world. SLG has also
shared the stage with Fattburger, Kansas, Richard Elliot, Kirk Whalum,
Peter White, Everett Harp and The Rippingtons. The band is now
together for more than three years and "From The Ground Up"
is their debut album. The album is available over their website. The
album is primarily instrumental but vocals are to find at the album
too. "There is something for the heart and something for the
mind", comments Steven Lee. Very interesting and spectacular are
the videos about live performances of the group during a
SAWstudio seminar.
The Steven Lee Group are: Steven
Lee - lead guitar, vocals, trumpet - Brenda Leonard Cowart - keyboards,
vocals - Joe Bergeron - percussion - Adam
Shendal - drums - Keith Nelson - bass
- Rocco Barbato - saxophone.
The album starts with Double
Play. This album is typical smooth jazz with acoustic guitar
and sax in a dynamic mixed. Well arranged and perfectly played in, SLG
will be acclaimed and climb up the smooth jazz charts.
Real Time
approves the first impression. The song reminds at Fourplay, George
Duke, The Rippingtons and the band's performance is tight. Personally
I like the richness of details, the sophisticated arrangement, the
clear structure with solo parts and variations garnished with much
percussion.
That the Steven Lee Group can also
play straight ahead is been proved by From The
Ground. The melody is wandering between the group members based
on a rocking rhythm.
Brenda's Theme is
a slow romantic piece with preferred acoustic instrumentation and
a strings background.
Deeper into jazz
goes Birdie's
Bound. It sounds
like a reminiscence to Donald Byrd, one of the finest hard bop
trumpeters of the post-Clifford Brown era. Instead to hard bop one can
listen to modern cjazz. Steven Lee lets his guitar sings and Rocco
Barbato's sax strikes the air.
Thanks Joe
Bergeron for the brilliant percussion intro to Jave.
A very dynamic piece showcasing anew Rocco
Barbato's talent and Steven Lee's howling guitar.
Northern
Lights is a slow infectious and radio friendly ballad with Rocco
Barbato's sax and Steven Lee's guitar playing a punchy melody.
King Street
sounds familiar. These upbeat notes resound a little like Bruce
Springsteen. Am I wrong?
A reggae-styled intro to Still
In Love jumps to an energetic cjazz piece. This fresh song is
the right answer to the worn-out pop/urban contemporary/jazz
formula.
This album has much more
spontaneity than many other albums nowadays. High professionalism
combined with brilliant song ideas is the pavement of the walk of
fame.
