AL GARCIA: Make It So

Al Garcia

Make It So

© 2002 Alfred Garcia (656613801826)

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A Progressive Jazz/Rock Fusion tour de force featuring the bass from a master multi-instrumentalist.

tracks

1 Make It So
2 On Cloud Ten
3 The Unexpected Answer
4 The Heart of the Matter
5 Menuet
6 Communique
7 Harmonic Sketch #1
8 Driving Through Krystal Town
9 Natural Knowledge
10 Journey to the Center of the Earth
11 A Bird in the Hand/mosaic
12 Once Upon a Dream

notes

"What great music! I love your tone and touch and the ideas are wonderful -- beautiful, creative stuff -- and on both guitar and bass! Wow!"

-- Michael Manring


"Ladies and Gentlemen, I am stunned. I cannot say enough good things about this CD. Buy it. Now!"

--Bassically.net (Scott Hubbell)

"Al's playing is absolutely joyous. The positive energy he creates seems boundless. I recommend this album to all music lovers, from the hardcore jazzer to the hardcore rocker. It may sound sappy, but I don't care: this album will make you feel good... The album is of such even high quality that it's difficult to pick favorites. There are no stinkers on this album; you get great music from start to finish... The compositions communicate a joy, a love of music. ..Uplifting. Positive. Good, in the best sense of the word."

--Prog4you.com (Jeffrey Ryan Smoots)


"Rarely have I heard a musician that can double on the bass and guitar with the proficiency that I am hearing from Al Garcia... If you are a lover of the bass, jazzfusion, and Holdsworthian guitar, Al Garcia has a cd for you to check out..."

--Prognosis (MJ Brady)


"I strongly believe in the bass guitar as a solo and melodic instrument," says Al Garcia. On his first CD, "Make It So," Al's belief is apparent as he takes the listener on a subsonic musical odyssey guided by his uniquely melodic approach. Fingerstyle, legato phrasing (ala Holdsworth), 16th note funk, chordal passages, finger picked arpeggios, harmonics, and raga inspired glissandos are all to be encountered on this journey.

Born in Newark, NJ, Al began playing the bass guitar at the age of 13. His early influences include Jack Bruce and Felix Papalardi, two bass visionaries who helped expand the role of the bass guitar in rock music. After his family moved to Los Angeles, Al played in a number of funk and Latin bands. Later, his musical horizons were broadened to include Jazz, Classical, and Indian music. Seeing an Allan Holdsworth concert inspired Al to take up the electric guitar as a means of expressing another side of his musical persona. Other influences on his playing include the music of J.S. Bach, Charlie Parker, Bela Bartok, Eric Johnson, Jaco Pastorious, Jeff Berlin, and pianist Bill Evans.

Al has performed and recorded many types of music. These include Jazz, Rock, Afro-Cuban, Fusion, Blues, Country, and Reggae. He believes this varied experience is responsible for his desire to create music that transcends musical boundaries yet remains respectful of tradition. This eclectic background is evident on "Communique" from "Make It So" which begins with a lyrical fretless bass solo inspired by the music of India and later morphs into a Latin Jazz piece.

Al plays 4, 5, and 6 string fretted and fretless basses and various 6 string electric and acoustic guitars. He uses digital technology to record, compose, and perform music and plays a guitar synthesizer to gain access to sounds usually unavailable to string players. He uses this varied sonic palette to create a wide variety of moods and textures.

Al is currently performing with the world music chamber ensemble Quarteto Nuevo.

reviews

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  • Great bass music!
    author: The Funkfather

    I just got hold of this cd. I had never heard of the artist before and was pleasantly surprised! All tracks are hot! I dig! The cat can play and has a terrific tone! Thanks for the music!

  • One of the best
    author: Amir Broomand

    If you are even remotely interested of jazz fusion you've got to have this CD.

  • Great music and great musicianship!
    author: Keith

    A great CD for bassists as well as guitarists. Great compositions, chops and recording. Jazz Fusion is alive and well!!

  • Compelling instumental jazz fusion.
    author: Mark Yates

    Very interesting listen from stellar multi instrumentalist Al Garcia.Outstanding chops on both guitar and bass lead to some interesting melodic tunes reminiscent of Holdsworth and indeed Jeff Berlin.Recommended.

  • Al’s playing is absolutely joyous
    author: Jeffrey Ryan Smoots

    Make It So is one of those rare jazz albums with universal appeal. Al’s playing is absolutely joyous. The positive energy he creates seems boundless. I recommend this album to all music lovers, from the hardcore jazzer to the hardcore rocker. It may sound sappy, but I don’t care: this album will make you feel good... The album is of such even high quality that it’s difficult to pick favorites. There are no stinkers on this album; you get great music from start to finish... The compositions communicate a joy, a love of music. The mood they convey is akin to that of Eric Johnson, Allan Holdsworth, and Jeff Berlin. Uplifting. Positive. Good, in the best sense of the word. 9.5 out of 10 Keyboards.

  • A lesson in the untapped riches of the bass.
    author: Justin Kownacki

    "A Bird in the Hand/Mosaic" bridges the gap between traditional jazz and modern jazz/progressive rock quite admirably, and the Latin flavor of "The Unexpected Answer" highlights the high-end and solo capabilities of the bass, to which few people ever give much thought. ...it's a solid lesson in the untapped riches of the bass.

  • Sophisticated Tonality
    author: Christopher Ruel

    Al Garcia has put together a very enjoyable collection of delectable fusion tracks rooted in savvy stylisms. ... the depth and sophisticated tonality of the compositions will surely appeal to a wide audience of jazz and fusion fans.

  • Tasteful Tendrils of Fusion Heat
    author: Todd Jenkins

    ... he weaves tasteful tendrils of fusion heat without kissing the sneakers of Jaco and Stanley. An excellent offering from an artist to watch.

  • One of the best CD's we have yet encountered
    author: Warren Murchie (Bass Inside Magazine)

    Once in a long while something will cross our desks here that really captures the imagination as to what could be thought of as the perfect balance of a 'bass album' and a 'songwriter's album'. Al Garcia strikes pretty close to that ideal with his newest release, entitled Make it So. Now, this guy has got to be one of the best-kept secrets in the bass world. Killer chops and with a flawless sense of understatement ... it is a simple fact that his album Make it So is, due to its many strengths, one of the best CD's we have yet encountered in this magazine's life to date. Highly recommended!

  • Plays great Guitar and Bass
    author: MJ Brady (Prognosis web site)

    Rarely have I heard a musician that can double on the bass and guitar with the proficiency that I am hearing from Al Garcia. If you are a lover of the bass, jazzfusion, and Holdsworthian guitar, Al Garcia has a cd for you to check out.

  • Al Garcia is a master of the bass guitar
    author: Lee Prosser

    Al Garcia is a master of the bass guitar, and he uses it to great advantage on this original collection of songs he composed. The music has wide appeal and will be enjoyable by all jazz groups. His technique for playing is flawless, and he makes every note soar with beauty. If you want something new in contemporary jazz sounds, take several listens to Al Garcia's performances in the collection MAKE IT SO. Top performances by one of the fine young guitars now performing. Likeable. Unique.

  • Impressive CD
    author: Scott Yanow

    The music overall could be called fusion, but it is pretty wide-ranging as far as moods and grooves go. The leader's colorful playing, the wide textures that he creates, and the very professional feel of the privately produced CD is quite impressive. Well worth searching for."

  • Sounds like Allan Holdsworth and Jeff Berlin
    author: Guitar Player Magazine

    Alfred's unique composing style incorporates classical elements with fusion chops, the end result sounding like a cross between Beethoven and Allan Holdsworth's I.O.U. His bass playing should appeal to fans of Jeff Berlin ... his guitar style might attract fans of Holdsworth

  • The best CD I have heard in quite a while
    author: Scott Hubbell

    Impeccable bass, soaring guitar, lush synth tones, ethnic percussion, and tasty drumming can all be found on Al Garcia's solo release Make It So. Al Garcia is a master bassist, and this is the best CD I have heard in quite a while... Ladies and Gentlemen, I am stunned. I cannot say enough good things about this CD. Buy it. Now!

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