Album Notes

BeebleBrox is a quintet primarily guided by pianist Herzig and guitarist Kienle. It is a band of high energy in the ‘90s tradition, combining acoustical and electric instruments into a full and large-sounding ensemble. Most tunes were written by either Herzig or Kienle. All of them seem to have an upbeat and uplifting feel to them. The compositions are tightly written but do not seem to get in the way of self expression. The liner notes give no clue as to the derivation of the group’s name.

Herzig opts for the keyboards on six of the ten tunes, and switches to grand piano on the others. As a result the pieces have distinct characters. At times, four of the five musicians are using the electric version of their instrument which gives these songs a definite bent toward foot stomping and head bobbing. It would not be fair to compare this music to the fusion brand given its improvised vitality, but the use of electronics causes you to think initially in that direction. Loose Ends comes the closest to being rock-oriented, but there is enough diversity on the disk to dispel that characterization.

Herzig’s grand piano style is melodic and sensitive, She has a fine feel for the ballad, of which she wrote two on this disk. On Sonic Journey, a guitar duet with Kienle, she exhibits a commanding and appealing style. I liked her acoustical playing on the ballad Sherrie's Song as well. The opening Broxology also displays her fine acoustical touch and leadership ability with a driving up tempo tune that gives Clark a real chance to stretch out on the tenor. My favorite tune on the album is Timeless, featuring Clark on soprano and the acoustical bass of Sturm.

Kienle also has a keen writing style. His compositions can be melodic and tend to feature the piano rather than his guitar. His playing style is fairly free and quite supportive of the group effort.

BeebleBrox is a young and energetic group that has a lot of writing and playing talent. Given more exposure, they should do quite nicely in their selected music market.

Frank Rubolino, Cadence Magazine, October 97