Jeremy Green has enjoyed an almost lifelong career as a guitarist, beginning in small clubs across southern Canada at the age of 15 years old. He has since become a fixture in the Toronto music scene. Standing Eight is Green’s full-length debut album.
Green is heavily influenced by Jazz-Funk Fusion and he owns it. His blog at jeremygreenguitar.com/blog is an excellent foray into guitar theory. It’s worth the visit.
Standing Eight is an eight-song recording of Green’s originals. To really make things pop, he brings along the likes of Victor Wooten, Jimmy Haslip, Robben Ford, Mike Stern, and so many more. Each contributor adds their unique voices to the well-crafted and exciting songs written by Green.
The album opens with the tightly grooving Jackets Required. The song features Mike Stern on guitar, the inimitable Jimmy Haslip on bass, and Keith Carlock on drums. This is the way to open an album. The guitar chops are relentless and Haslip, as always, creates beautiful bass lines and solos marvelously.
Ain’t No Chevy sees Robben Ford on guitar, Will Lee on bass, Keith Carlock on drums, and Mark Levron on some blistering trumpet work. Lee and Carlock create that Funk-groove that can curdle fresh milk. Lively and fiery. Green himself repeatedly shows why Toronto loves him. The man can play. The mighty Victor Wooten’s bass joins for Michael & Me with Chris Baird on saxophone. Green has written as eloquently and powerfully for the bass as for the lead guitar. And Baird’s sax gets great lines in his features. Carlock has brilliant drum passages. So well written and so well executed. As my grandmother used to say, “This mother smokes!”
The Land of Oz features Oz Noy on guitar and Rich Brown on bass. This is the funk heard ‘round the world. The rhythm section anchors the piece so well and Noy works well with Green on guitar. Green has a master’s touch, to be sure, and he uses it flawlessly. The trio of Green, Tim Lefebvre on bass, and Carlock, then tear into Big Shoes with its grinding introduction. The sound has a cool hook before Green’s cool lead. The Carlock drums are as tight and flashing as ever and sets up some monster distortion work from Green. Lefebvre holds down the groove while the song ascends and transcends. Good God, ya’ll. Another trio of Green, Billy Sheehan on bass, and Carlock then grooves into Mr. Beast. The title describes everything you need to know.
You have to love the title Close with the Jab in reference to the album’s title. Michel Cusson joins on guitar with Moto Fukishima’s bass and the ever-present Carlock on drums. A cool groove opens the song before the intricate Funk and crunchy guitar. Fukishima’s beautiful tonal bass is a great feature, worthy of close attention.
The album closes with Car Rock. What a great descriptor for the song that makes you want to put the top down and drive down any coastal highway, like I drove down Florida’s A1A when I was a teenager. Oz Noy is back on guitar with Ian DaSouza on bass, and—you guessed it—Carlock on drums. And let just say that it is clear why Carlock in on each and every song. He pairs so well with every bassist and offers the propulsion that serves the groove so well. Green knows how to write and he definitely knows how to play.
Jeremy Green’s Standing Eight is aptly named because the listener is definitely staggered. The grooves are hard and the guitars are blistering. Please, sir, may we have some more?
~Travis Rogers, Jr. is The Jazz Owl
Green is heavily influenced by Jazz-Funk Fusion and he owns it. His blog at jeremygreenguitar.com/blog is an excellent foray into guitar theory. It’s worth the visit.
Standing Eight is an eight-song recording of Green’s originals. To really make things pop, he brings along the likes of Victor Wooten, Jimmy Haslip, Robben Ford, Mike Stern, and so many more. Each contributor adds their unique voices to the well-crafted and exciting songs written by Green.
The album opens with the tightly grooving Jackets Required. The song features Mike Stern on guitar, the inimitable Jimmy Haslip on bass, and Keith Carlock on drums. This is the way to open an album. The guitar chops are relentless and Haslip, as always, creates beautiful bass lines and solos marvelously.
Ain’t No Chevy sees Robben Ford on guitar, Will Lee on bass, Keith Carlock on drums, and Mark Levron on some blistering trumpet work. Lee and Carlock create that Funk-groove that can curdle fresh milk. Lively and fiery. Green himself repeatedly shows why Toronto loves him. The man can play. The mighty Victor Wooten’s bass joins for Michael & Me with Chris Baird on saxophone. Green has written as eloquently and powerfully for the bass as for the lead guitar. And Baird’s sax gets great lines in his features. Carlock has brilliant drum passages. So well written and so well executed. As my grandmother used to say, “This mother smokes!”
The Land of Oz features Oz Noy on guitar and Rich Brown on bass. This is the funk heard ‘round the world. The rhythm section anchors the piece so well and Noy works well with Green on guitar. Green has a master’s touch, to be sure, and he uses it flawlessly. The trio of Green, Tim Lefebvre on bass, and Carlock, then tear into Big Shoes with its grinding introduction. The sound has a cool hook before Green’s cool lead. The Carlock drums are as tight and flashing as ever and sets up some monster distortion work from Green. Lefebvre holds down the groove while the song ascends and transcends. Good God, ya’ll. Another trio of Green, Billy Sheehan on bass, and Carlock then grooves into Mr. Beast. The title describes everything you need to know.
You have to love the title Close with the Jab in reference to the album’s title. Michel Cusson joins on guitar with Moto Fukishima’s bass and the ever-present Carlock on drums. A cool groove opens the song before the intricate Funk and crunchy guitar. Fukishima’s beautiful tonal bass is a great feature, worthy of close attention.
The album closes with Car Rock. What a great descriptor for the song that makes you want to put the top down and drive down any coastal highway, like I drove down Florida’s A1A when I was a teenager. Oz Noy is back on guitar with Ian DaSouza on bass, and—you guessed it—Carlock on drums. And let just say that it is clear why Carlock in on each and every song. He pairs so well with every bassist and offers the propulsion that serves the groove so well. Green knows how to write and he definitely knows how to play.
Jeremy Green’s Standing Eight is aptly named because the listener is definitely staggered. The grooves are hard and the guitars are blistering. Please, sir, may we have some more?
~Travis Rogers, Jr. is The Jazz Owl
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