I first heard Jazz guitarist Grant Geissman when he was with Chuck Mangione’s band in the 1970s. I went to see Mangione in concert but found myself more taken with Grant Geissman’s playing. Now guitarist and composer Geissman releases his 16th album, BLOOZ.
“The album is called BLOOZ because it’s my take on the blues. It’s a fairly wide interpretation, and not always traditional,” says Geissman. “It’s the album I always wanted to make.” And thank God for that. This is the album we always wanted to hear, as well.
Geissman has also brought along a veritable who’s who of the hot West Coast Jazz scene and beyond. The album features huge names like Randy Brecker (the Brecker Brothers), Joe Bonamassa, Russell Ferrante (Yellowjackets), John Jorgenson, David Garfield (Larry Carlton, Steve Lukather, Smokey Robinson), Robben Ford (LA Express, Yellowjackets), and the mighty Tom Scott (LA Express, Blues Brothers). He also brings along Jim Cox on the B3 and piano, Trey Henry on the upright bass, Ray Brinker on drums, Tiki Pasillas on percussion, Emilio Palame on piano, Kevin Axt on upright bass, Kevin Winard on percussion, and Bernie Dresel on drums. This a band that can howl.
Geissman composed and arranged all 12 songs on the album. He was also the sole producer.
The album opens with Preach and features Randy Brecker on trumpet. While it carries great Gospel motifs, the Geissman Blues-Jazz licks are unmistakable and Cox’s B3 adds the church feel. Brecker is…Brecker and that’s all you need. Makes me want to shout and say Amen.
Side Hustle is Geissman with the Cox-Henry-Brinker trio. And the slow groove is cool as you could ever hope to have. This is followed by the Latin taste of Carlos En Siete (Carlos in Seven), inspired by the great Carlos Santana. The hallmark of Santana is his clean playing and Geissman plays as clean as anyone. As the tiltle would indicate, it is played in 7/4. David Garfield’s piano makes it easy to see why he is in such demand. As inspired as the performance artistry is, it is Geissman’s compositions and arrangements that leave you shaking your head in amazement. He knows how to craft good music.
Time Enough at Last features Russell Ferrante on piano and the pairing of Geissman and Ferrante is brilliant. Beautiful guitar work with indelible piano as Henry and Brinker anchor the rhythm section. Geissman and Ferrante will team up again for Sorry Not Sorry, the bluesy and melancholic tune that is slow and satisfying. Those bent notes with that touching piano is so, so fine. Stranger Danger has Ferrante as part of the piano, bass, and drums trio with Geissman. Call it Jazz noir or a whatever you like, this is a visual-invoking piece that is as cool as the dangerous and mysterious stranger who stalks. Ferrante is a master.
Fat Back features Tom Scott on tenor saxophone with Cox on the Wurlitzer. The slow groove is delicious and leaves you craving more. Scott gets the first nod before Geissman and Cox pair the guitar and Wurlitzer in a cool duet. Scott returns with that low wail of the tenor saxophone. Tom Scott and Grant Geissman are like Doc Holiday and Wyatt Earp—gunslingers. Scott sticks around for This and That, a fine blues shuffle with Cox’s cool B3 and Geissman turning in some of his coolest work.
Rage Cage is Geissman with the Cox-Henry-Brinker trio again and Brinker starts it off with the light shuffle beat before Geissman kicks in with his excellent blues-rock passages. That is followed by Robben’s Hood with Robben Ford taking the second guitar solo. This is an excellent back and forth funky number that begs for an encore.
One G and Two Js features Josh Smith and Joe Bonamassa sounds like Bo Diddley teamed up with Chuck Berry. Each of the three guitarists get their own solos. Geissman’s Gibson Les Paul then Smith’s Ibanez Josh Smith FlatVI then Bonamassa’s Fender telecaster. Emilio Palame, Kevin Akt, and Dresel nail down the rhythm section as they let the three titans tear the world asunder.
The tracked titled Whitewalls and Big Fins, featuring John Jorgenson, sounds like the rockabilly tune it is. Palame, Akt, and Dresel stick around for this one, as well. But it is the 1950s-style guitar licks that are so terrific and great fun to blast through the headphones. I want this as a soundtrack for a top-down drive along Route 66.
BLOOZ is the fourth album from Geissman’s Futurism label. Says Geissman, “My decision to start the Futurism label and writing and recording in a more traditional jazz vein, came after several years of soul searching to figure out what I wanted to do and what kind of music would mean something to me. One of the reasons I created the label was so that I could explore anything I wanted—which to me is what an artist is supposed to do. On BLOOZ, with the help of great friends and incredible musicians, I had some of the most fun and made some of the best music of my career.”
I thought I knew about Grant Geissman’s approach to playing and composing. BLOOZ reveals that he has only just begun to express himself. He has much more to say—and it’s good.
~Travis Rogers, Jr. is The Jazz Owl
“The album is called BLOOZ because it’s my take on the blues. It’s a fairly wide interpretation, and not always traditional,” says Geissman. “It’s the album I always wanted to make.” And thank God for that. This is the album we always wanted to hear, as well.
Geissman has also brought along a veritable who’s who of the hot West Coast Jazz scene and beyond. The album features huge names like Randy Brecker (the Brecker Brothers), Joe Bonamassa, Russell Ferrante (Yellowjackets), John Jorgenson, David Garfield (Larry Carlton, Steve Lukather, Smokey Robinson), Robben Ford (LA Express, Yellowjackets), and the mighty Tom Scott (LA Express, Blues Brothers). He also brings along Jim Cox on the B3 and piano, Trey Henry on the upright bass, Ray Brinker on drums, Tiki Pasillas on percussion, Emilio Palame on piano, Kevin Axt on upright bass, Kevin Winard on percussion, and Bernie Dresel on drums. This a band that can howl.
Geissman composed and arranged all 12 songs on the album. He was also the sole producer.
The album opens with Preach and features Randy Brecker on trumpet. While it carries great Gospel motifs, the Geissman Blues-Jazz licks are unmistakable and Cox’s B3 adds the church feel. Brecker is…Brecker and that’s all you need. Makes me want to shout and say Amen.
Side Hustle is Geissman with the Cox-Henry-Brinker trio. And the slow groove is cool as you could ever hope to have. This is followed by the Latin taste of Carlos En Siete (Carlos in Seven), inspired by the great Carlos Santana. The hallmark of Santana is his clean playing and Geissman plays as clean as anyone. As the tiltle would indicate, it is played in 7/4. David Garfield’s piano makes it easy to see why he is in such demand. As inspired as the performance artistry is, it is Geissman’s compositions and arrangements that leave you shaking your head in amazement. He knows how to craft good music.
Time Enough at Last features Russell Ferrante on piano and the pairing of Geissman and Ferrante is brilliant. Beautiful guitar work with indelible piano as Henry and Brinker anchor the rhythm section. Geissman and Ferrante will team up again for Sorry Not Sorry, the bluesy and melancholic tune that is slow and satisfying. Those bent notes with that touching piano is so, so fine. Stranger Danger has Ferrante as part of the piano, bass, and drums trio with Geissman. Call it Jazz noir or a whatever you like, this is a visual-invoking piece that is as cool as the dangerous and mysterious stranger who stalks. Ferrante is a master.
Fat Back features Tom Scott on tenor saxophone with Cox on the Wurlitzer. The slow groove is delicious and leaves you craving more. Scott gets the first nod before Geissman and Cox pair the guitar and Wurlitzer in a cool duet. Scott returns with that low wail of the tenor saxophone. Tom Scott and Grant Geissman are like Doc Holiday and Wyatt Earp—gunslingers. Scott sticks around for This and That, a fine blues shuffle with Cox’s cool B3 and Geissman turning in some of his coolest work.
Rage Cage is Geissman with the Cox-Henry-Brinker trio again and Brinker starts it off with the light shuffle beat before Geissman kicks in with his excellent blues-rock passages. That is followed by Robben’s Hood with Robben Ford taking the second guitar solo. This is an excellent back and forth funky number that begs for an encore.
One G and Two Js features Josh Smith and Joe Bonamassa sounds like Bo Diddley teamed up with Chuck Berry. Each of the three guitarists get their own solos. Geissman’s Gibson Les Paul then Smith’s Ibanez Josh Smith FlatVI then Bonamassa’s Fender telecaster. Emilio Palame, Kevin Akt, and Dresel nail down the rhythm section as they let the three titans tear the world asunder.
The tracked titled Whitewalls and Big Fins, featuring John Jorgenson, sounds like the rockabilly tune it is. Palame, Akt, and Dresel stick around for this one, as well. But it is the 1950s-style guitar licks that are so terrific and great fun to blast through the headphones. I want this as a soundtrack for a top-down drive along Route 66.
BLOOZ is the fourth album from Geissman’s Futurism label. Says Geissman, “My decision to start the Futurism label and writing and recording in a more traditional jazz vein, came after several years of soul searching to figure out what I wanted to do and what kind of music would mean something to me. One of the reasons I created the label was so that I could explore anything I wanted—which to me is what an artist is supposed to do. On BLOOZ, with the help of great friends and incredible musicians, I had some of the most fun and made some of the best music of my career.”
I thought I knew about Grant Geissman’s approach to playing and composing. BLOOZ reveals that he has only just begun to express himself. He has much more to say—and it’s good.
~Travis Rogers, Jr. is The Jazz Owl
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