***JAZZ TIMES CD REVIEW***
"Do not be fooled by the restraining title of Jonathan Scales' debut release, or lulled into stereotyped visions of happy-time island music by his instrument (the steel pan drums). Jonathan Scales has a lot to say, and he says it eloquently. Although the disc opens with some relatively pat light-funk numbers, the remainder of this all-original set grows exponentially, encompassing modern jazz, two gorgeous solo pieces and even bluegrass-fusion, all riding high on Scales' joyously inventive drumming"
FORREST DYLAN BRYANT (JAZZ TIMES, JUNE 2007)
*****************
Steel pan virtuoso Jonathan Scales has been astounding music lovers with his unique blending of steel drums with jazz, funk, blues, reggae, and other World genres. A North Carolina native, Jonathan has spent many years sharing his compositional and improvisational gifts with listeners at live performances along the east coast and is constantly attracting local and international ears with his distinctive writing. Recently, Scales has been a featured artist with the Jazz Composers Forum, the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, and the Steely Pan Steel Band ®. Jonathan’s debut album, "One-Track Mind", has been grabbing the attention of fans from every genre, and features twenty-three world-class musicians from around the country including Joseph Wooten, Mike Holstein, Tim Collins, and Andy Page.
"Jonathan is a gifted musician and a very talented songwriter. The sky is the limit with him."
-Joseph Wooten
"Sounds like...a steel drum player influenced by banjo virtuosos, Chinese acrobats, French soccer heros, controversial rappers, John Cage, pop superstars, Tim Burton films, and Russian jugglers, and who has extensively studied musical composition from Bach to Bone Thugs -n- Harmony, Mozart to Mahavishnu Orchestra, Stravinsky to Sean Paul ....basically."
Read more...