In the true spirit of global camaraderie, the new CD by Denver area musician and studio whiz John Herdt emphatically proves that music transcends boundaries and speaks an international language. While Herdt has more than five solo releases under his belt to date, his latest effort Across The Border finds him teaming up fulltime with Canadian drummer and vocalist Wally Zielonka (here performing under the abbreviated moniker “Wally Z”), who had contributed to three tracks on John Herdt’s solid 2004 release titled Gather. What’s interesting is how these new, dense, progressive yet jazzy rock recordings were made, since the musicians did not physically go “across the border”. Still with his soft-spoken demeanor, Herdt’s voice percolated with passion when I asked him about the recording process. “I’d record a rhythm guitar part to a click track, so that it would stay in time. I try to write arrangements that make sense, so a musician will hear them a couple times, (and) he’ll understand how it works instead of just kind of jamming. In Wally’s case I posted the rhythm parts with click tracks on the internet, and he downloads them, and he plays drums up in Canada. Then (Wally) sends me a CD with a high resolution file that I put into ProTools, and I add the bass, vocals, and lead guitars. I think it comes down to a matter of experience though. The drummer and myself have had enough experience that we seem to be able to get by. I have to admit myself, they do sound as if they’ve been played in much closer proximity than they were.” Across The Border boasts a much more organic sound than some of Herdt’s past releases which featured programmed electronic drumming. While all of his CDs showcase mucho multi layered guitar tracks (and Across the Border is no exception), the swinging yet punchy powerhouse drumming of Wally Z help these songs escape from the common studio trap of feeling over produced. Often, this music almost has the airy feel of a live in-concert recording. As is typical of Herdt’s style, the songs run the gamut from instrumentals to vocal numbers, and toss any attempt at genre categorization out the window with shredding hard rock, transcendental jazz and blues, scorching slide (‘The Touch’), sultry Latino rhythms, and heady structured prog riffs all thrown into a red-hot musical crucible. One particularly sharp creation to be forged during these sessions is ‘Less I Know’ which features emotive vocalization by Wally Z, and words provided by his wife Arlene “Lee” Zielonka. Lee contributes lyrics to three of Across The Border’s compositions, which embellish the sweet sounds with a complimentary poetic intrigue. It could be easy to take the attitude that this release might only appeal to musicians, if it were not for the fact that the compositions continually defy definition, keeping the listener’s interest level secured, but also, the flow of the song order has an inspired quality of engaging the listener in the album’s journey via infectious beats and melodies that tend to get stuck in one’s head. And Herdt understands that the key to making a good CD isn’t just what can be accomplished in a studio with the right effects and recording equipment, as he candidly admits, “When you get involved with technology it can start to become kind of seductive, but the bottom line is going to come down to the playing and the feeling.”

an absolute must....that is if you love "rock"...and who doesn't...i have purchased about 4 of these cd's when they first came out, and have since bought a few more because people that have heard john herdt, and wally z,s, new cd, " across the border" just wanted them for themself's, you will love this cd...if you don't have it, you trully don't know what your missing, so get it while you can...it "rocks"..........andrea bateman

I really do appreciate a couple of guys, who know and understand the "feel" of late 60's Acid Rock.... Good Work !!

John this is truly an amazing piece of work! Being a musician for many years, I can appreciate the intricacies and creativity in the various songs. You are an inspiration to many of us who grew up on Tommy Bolin and Jeff Beck and you magically have pulled these timless talents together on your Across the Border CD. I thank my sister Andrea Troiano for this teriffic gift. Keep on rockin!! Paul (PBate50@aol.com) :>)