Search - Duke Robillard, Jay Geils, Gerry Beaudoin :: New Guitar Summit

It was a real honor to make this recording.

J. Beaudoin | Waltham, MA USA | 12/19/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"My name is Gerry Beaudoin and I am a member of the New Guitar Summit. This is not a review of our recording ( I will leave that to others) but an inside look at what is like to make a recording with two great guitarists. I have been playing with Duke since 1986 and Jay since 1992. Many gigs later I am still in awe of how great they play and how easy it is to play with them. Highlights for me from this recording are many but a few really stick out in my mind. I love the way Jay and Duke make my four original songs sparkle with great solos and greater but subtle backing behind the solist. This is a lost art in jazz and hard to do but they pull it off with ease. Playing a melody is an art and Jay is at the top of his game on Lady B Good. I spent some years playing with blues shouter and alto saxophonist Eddie " Cleanhead " Vinson. Duke excels on slow blues and does a superlative job on Eddies Back Door Blues on vocals as well as guitar. Duke and I both have fond memories of playng with Cleanhead and this was a fitting nod of our hat to a great bluesman we both loved. Jay arranged Perdido and Bennies Bugle and I must say our signature three guitar harmony on these tunes really grabbed me. The best part of playing with two great guitarists like Jay and Duke is they drive you to play well and try to exceed what you have done in the past. This is a great ,swinging record and I am really proud to have been a part of it. Last but not least , listen to our smooth rhythm section of John " The Burner" Turner on acoustic bass and Gordon Grottenthaler ( try to say his last name five times real fast) on drums. We couldn't have done it with out them.

Please enjoy the music as much as we enjoyed making it."

Be prepared to be blown away by the New Guitar Summit

John Lang | Philadelphia, PA | 01/01/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The New Guitar Summit is a brilliant masterpiece for any lover of jazz, and great guitar music. It features 3 New England guitarists in a non pretentious setting, that will take the listener to the next level of consciousness, with infectious licks and many, many solos. None of these gentlemen step on each other, nor try to outshine the other, yet while boasting a powerhouse trio of soloing and tremendous rhythm playing as well. The Guitar Summit consists of Gerry Beaudoin, a natural, brilliant, and trained jazz guitarist. I've seen this band, and I am a guitarist myself. Let me just say this about Gerry, He plays chords I never knew existed, nor ever knew the human hand can stretch to such positions on the neck, yet provide such clarity in his strum and pick. Playing alongside Gerry, stage center, is Duke Robillard. Duke is known from his Roomful of Blues Days, Fabulous Thundebirds, and his own Duke Robillard Band. Duke is also a recipient of many WC Handy awards. His style is dazzling to the ears, and he is truly a master. Finishing the trio of guitarists is Jay Geils. He, of course, is known to many as the guitarist for the J. Geils Band. Unfortunately, most folks only know him from the Geils Band, yet they don't realize just what a talented individual Jay is. Jay is actually playing the best guitar of his life now. He proves just how fantastic his playing is, from being able to go from Rock to Blues(with Magic Dick and Bluestime) to Jazz, with a sound and style that would make Charlie Christian proud. The band is rounded out by the best rhythm section New England can ever provide. John Turner The Midnight Burner on the upright acoustic bass, and Gordon Grottenthaler on the drums. To see this band live is something else. The cd takes me back to the day of hearing my father's 78s, listening to the likes of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, etc....



Listening to this cd makes me feel like I am in a big ballroom in the 1930s and 40s. I was instantly hooked from the first lick of "Bennie's Bugle". These guys really do this great Charlie Christian number justice, with it's upbeat swing that guarantees You shaking in Your seat, while adding thier own unique twist. "Never Say Never Again Again" features Duke on vocals, and is a really great song, with the guitarists trading off fancy solos over a superb rhythm that flows smoothly. "Swing with Dr. Jake" does exactly what the title suggests, it swings. "Ain't nobody's business" features a great and moody intro by Gerry that sets the tone of this song. It also features vocals by Gerry, which I wish there was more of, as he is a great singer. "Lady B. Good", and "Azzure Mineur" has some real tasty licks between the 3 of these cats, back and forth, taking You for ride in a old 1942 Pontiac to a New York City Ballroom. "Just Among Friends" is a great Gerry original, that was also on "Retrospective", which is another New Guitar Summit cd that is a must have. "Perdido" is a nice mellow tune, that has a great groove for drinking some wine, in a dim lit room, while holding onto Your girl. "Backdoor Blues" is Duke at his finest. The solos are greasy and slick, and Duke's vocal growl drives the point home! "Seven Come Eleven" is a Charlie Christian original that is even better live. Check out the New Guitar Summit dvd at the Stonehenge to truly experience this song. Closing out the cd is "Glide On", which a nice bluesy waltz. Over all I give this cd 5 stars out of 5 stars for the brilliance, clarity, and enjoyment. There are no egos with this band, and together as a whole, they do what they aimed, which is take the listener for a ride of a lifetime. I hope we see many many more cds to come from the New Guitar Summit.



Cheers



John Lang

"

Django Reinhardt meets Modern Jazz

Gary A. Carson | Overland Park, KS | 12/10/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I feel a distinctive taste of a a simpler form of jazz. If Django Reinhardt had gone electric, I believe this is something he might have come out with. "I was blown away!""