Album Notes

The New Guitar Summit featuring jazz guitarist Gerry Beaudoin, blues icon Duke Robillard and rock guitar legend Jay Geils from the J.Geils Band have been performing their special blend of jazz,blues and swing guitar across the United States and Canada since 1997.Sold out shows and rave reviews have become the norm for this guitar super group. The Washington Post observed"..Seminal jazz sounds with out sounding the least bit dated." and the Boston Globe called the trio"..Swing guitar masters." The strong bond of friendship and a love of all things jazz guitar related is evident in this recording. The first three tracks feature the New Guitar Summit performing a Count Basie classic, a Charlie Christian signature tune and an original Duke Robillard blues. Mynah For McDounough is an acoustic duet between Gerry and Duke dedicated to guitar pioneer, Dick Mcdounough. The rest of the recording is tracks from each of the three guitarists individual recording careers. These tracks feature many great musicians from the jazz and blues world including Scott Hamilton, Bucky Pizzarelli, David Grisman and Magic Dick from the J.Geils Band. The title, Retrospective, can be taken three ways. One is a look back at the multi styles of jazz guitar as well as a look at what these three fine guitarists have done in their careers as well a look at what they intend to do together and in the future. Their use of three guitar harmonies in the big band style and the stacking of chords in the rhythm parts set them apart from other guitar groups. The addition of Gerry Beaudoin playing 7-string guitar gives them a whole different tonal palette to work with. Experience the New Guitar Summit's trip through the traditon of jazz, blues and swing guitar. PRESS QOUTES ABOUT THE NEW GUITAR SUMMIT " Seminal jazz sounds with out sounding the least bit dated." Washington Post 1999 A Blistering Guitar Summit Saturday, March 15, 2003; Page C04 Washington Post Review Three accomplished guitarists, three different styles of playing, one tremendous display of digital dexterity. Jay Geils, Duke Robillard and Gerry Beaudoin -- collectively known as the New Guitar Summit -- played Thursday night at the Barns at Wolf Trap, and what emerged through the blistering mix of jazz and blues chords was a sense of enlightened enjoyment, for the artists as well as the audience. Dressed in spiffy suits and ties, and superbly accompanied by John Turner on double bass and Gordon Grottenthaler on drums, the trio sat on chairs with their electric guitars in their laps and proceeded to play the living daylights out of them. When one player soloed, the other two strummed different, yet complementary, guitar rhythms on compositions popularized by, among others, the Benny Goodman Sextet ("Seven Come Eleven," "Flying Home"), Billie Holiday ("Ain't Nobody's Business") and themselves. Blues icon Robillard provided the dynamic center for the action, flanked by jazz and swing aficionado Beaudoin and former rock star Geils. Each player continued to set -- and exceed -- standards with each turn at bat. And so it went for two hours, with the wrenching, arching solos crossing the stage. The showcase was not lost on the audience; there were more interruptions by applause than during a State of the Union speech. Late in the set someone jokingly requested "Love Stinks," a pop anthem that was a hit for Geils' 1970s rock ensemble, the J. Geils Band. "It sure does," was his droll reply, signaling that nothing as elemental as that ditty was going to find its way into this performance. -- Buzz McClain © 2003 The Washington Post Company " A summit of the gods." The Hartford Advocate " A live wire celerbration of the distortion free vocabulary of jazz guitar. " Boston Pheonix " Swing guitar masters. " Boston Globe " The New Guitar Summit featuring Gerry Beaudoin, Duke Robillard and Jay Geils is a jazz-blues supergroup for the new millenium." Boston Blues Spectrum " Retrospective is the New Guitar Summits debut as one of the most exciting jazz-blues groups on the planet." - Vintage Guitar Magazine " From Charlie Christian to B.B. King the New Guitar Summit swings." Jim Fisch, 20th Century Guitar