Jazz Guitar School

In a period in which the boundaries between musical genres are rapidly dissolving, there still exist major differences between what we still call a “jazz” band and those of other musical classifications.Perhaps the most significant of these is that longevity in a jazz ensemble will nearly always have an entirely positive effect on the music. That’s clearly a huge factor when listening to the high-caliber international quartet put together over a decade ago by the New York-based guitarist-composer Scott DuBois.

U-Nam (aka Emmanuel Abitebol) may be taking this "u" thing a bit far, but his jazz-funk guitar stylings are so pleasing to the ears, that his little eccentricities can be forgiven. Upon first listen, the disc sounds as though George Benson decided to make a funk record. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but U-Nam is an innovator, not an imitator. Unanimity sounds, perhaps, how Benson might have had—after virtually creating the smooth jazz genre singlehandedly—he decided to go to Paris, immerse himself in some old school '60s Motown, Stax and Atlantic soul music, and then record an album with the results. U-Nam isn't just a particularly attentive student of the Benson approach to guitar stylings; he also brings his own ideas to the party. Backed by both horn and string sections, U-Nam likes to get down and get funky, as he demonstrates both an appreciation for a good groove and not taking himself too seriously. "(Hang On) U-Is Comin'" isn't exactly Sam & Dave's "Hold I'm Coming" but it's certainly inspired by it. U-Nam's a pretty good bassist too, as he shows on his cover of George Duke's "Shine On"...

Wolf Marshall is a unique hybrid. He is internationally acclaimed as both a guitarist and educator. Through his many products and publications, Wolf has gained an enormous worldwide following and status usually accorded only to “famed players” in “name bands,” and has been listened to on his recordings by more aspiring fretboard enthusiasts than most so-called guitar heroes. …

Too some, Al di Meola is best known for is shredding guitar work as part of Return to Forever, and also his early solo albums. But di Meola has always had an interest in flamenco styled acoustic playing ("Mediterranean Sundance" off of Elegant Gypsy, anyone?) — which is the six-string style that he fully embraces on his 2007……