Another look at DFA "Work in Progress Live" (Moonjune)

DFA (Duty Free Area) was formed in 1991 but took until 1997 to release their first CD 'Lavori in Corso' (recommended by 'Keyboard' magazine) This was followed in 1999 by the highly acclaimed 'Duty Free Area' (released on Mellow Records). Even so it was obviously a pleasant surprise for prog fans at NEARfest 2000 to hear this 4 piece band from Verona, Italy.
"I don't know what to say. I'm surprised" one of the band members remarks after the response to the jazz inflected 'Pantera' near the end of DFA's set. Obviously overwhelmed by the audience reaction DFA shouldn't be as they play breathtaking progressive rock fusion of the highest calibre.
Complex yet highly melodic might describe DFA with shifting themes and moods and every musician giving 100% commitment and ability as they carry you along on a musical tide that cannot go on long enough. So the hour long set passes very quickly indeed!
The band has an original and inventive approach to music only occasionally touching base with progressive giants of the past
Perhaps Gentle Giant on 'Ragno' and 'Trip on Metro' (the time signatures!), National Health on 'Caleidoscopio' and 'Ragno' and of mid period King Crimson in the rhythmic structures of 'Escher'.
By the way the material is written by drummer Alberto De Grandis and keyboard player Alberto Bonomi who also handle the occasional vocals (on the atmospheric 'Caleidoscopio' with its haunting synth lines and guitar and the beautiful 'La Via')
The line-up is completed by a wonderfully fluent and expressive guitarist, Silvio Minella (who brings to mind Allan Holdsworth) and a brilliant bass player, Luca Baldassari. Indeed 'brilliant' is an appropriate description of all the DFA musicians. Versatile also as they cope admirably with a range of emotions and styles.
Even the DFA web site is great with musical scores of their numbers!
Congratulations to Leonardo Pavkovic and Moon June Records for an excellent, well packaged release. DFA's 'Work in Progress' is as fine an example of prog fusion as I've heard played by 4 wonderfully talented musicians and is without doubt one of 2001's best releases. My highest recommendation
Contact: www.moonjune.com
DFA web site: http://digilander.iol.it/dfa/
(MUR 003) Review by Phil Jackson, musician and reviewer

RICK RAY - "Existing Passages" (Neurosis Records)

It's been a busy year already for Rick with his 'Live From Cleveland Show' broadcast on WRUW 91.1 FM on 3rd January. In that set including material from Rick's band Riot Act, solo stuff as well as covers of 'Fanfare For The Common Man' and 'Too Rolling Stoned' you can hear the musical and lyrical message loud and clear despite technical difficulties that necessitated 'fixing things on the fly' as Rick put it. Rick shouldn't worry too much about the rough edges. I heard plenty of them live before further back than I care to remember. (Not quite as far back as Ed Sullivan though, Rick!) and the way the band carry on and improvise adds to the excitement of a live gig to me.
Anyway, 'Existing Passages' is a collection of out-takes or unfinished pieces from recording sessions during 1999 and 2000 and 'Bubblehead' with Rick Schultz on reeds is a fine opener, classic acerbic Rick Ray lyric, a catchy tune and a nice Beatles feel. 'Missing you' is a fine instrumental. As one reviewer put it so eloquently, "Rick Ray's strength lies in his ability to play something akin to a love song and have the listener not see the guitar's burned rubber on the road till the end of the song."
'Can't Take the Plastic' is one of the unfinished pieces, another great track with a memorable guitar/ bass progression fitting perfectly with the serious subject of plastic surgery.
'You Say, You Mean' is like Lennon reincarnate, a gorgeous slow ballad about deception. Already it's hard to believe this an out-takes album.
A whole gamut of emotions and issues are covered as we've come to expect from Rick. And the sheer level of invention never ceases to amaze- listen to what the two Ricks do with a 12 bar on 'Moldy Rope Non-Filter'!
'The Glasses' is an interesting take on human perception that reminded me thematically of 'The Glass Man' on 'Insanity Flies'.
Rick's 'fluid fingers' get going again on 'Dominion' and 'Headed Towards Nothing' while 'Door To Nowhere' features some nice acoustic guitar.
The album really doesn't sound like your 'run of the mill' 'extras' album and only on tracks like 'The Oblivious' does it become obvious that the tape/ time ran out- a pity because of course there is not the usual expansion. (One certainly wants 'Can't Take the Plastic' to last much longer!)
'They Found a Fool' is one of the longer of the 19 pieces and is a close cousin of 'They Created A Monster' from 'Insanity Flies'.
'Change' refers to the threat of nuclear weapons with the telling line 'Everything changed on that day' (Hiroshima) and 'Etched In My Mind' (A gem with the two Ricks in full flow) are presumably out-takes from 1999 and 2000 when Rick was producing excellent socio musical commentaries like 'The Bottomless Pit' and 'Mind Control Inc.'

On a more personal note I can't believe I'm the only one who acknowledged Rick's outstanding musical ability in the Annual Green Dolphin Poll. Get listening, people!
http://communities.msn.com/GuitaristRickRay

Review by Phil Jackson, musician and reviewer

Rick Ray - Existing Passages - review 2

Well I am as much a fan of Rick Ray as the next man, which in this case happens to be Phil Jackson, but have to take a slightly different view of this release.

In the normal course of events, collections of outtakes are welcome, especially when an artiste has a limited repertoire available. In the case of Rick, this is patently not so. Outtakes and unfinished pieces can form an important part of understanding the inner workings of a musicians mind, hence the popularity of bootlegs such as "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway Sessions" by Genesis.

However, Rick is a prolific musician with an extensive array of CDs, and this is not really essential or necessary. There are moments of blinding magic, such as "Love Blinds Hate", which just flies over a monstrous groove and riff, and "You Say, You Mean" makes a liar of me, preferring as I do Ricks up temp output.

By anyone else this would be getting gushed over, and it is an admirable release with some exemplary musicianship from the two Ricks, Ray and Schultz. But if you're looking for an entry into the world of Rick Ray, this isn't it. Buy "Insanity Flies" instead. For people like me, this will get played again and again, as the sad muso in me tries to place themes and songs into existing releases. For completists, but still, the boy done good.

http://communities.msn.com/GuitaristRickRay

Just in case you've forgotten (as if you could), Aesma Daeva is the Parsee demon of lust and anger.

Which is odd, as both are lacking, from what is a powerful, stunning and, at times, beautiful recording. Evolving from what were 162 and Odark:30, Aesma Daeva emerged when guitarist/composer John Prassas and producer Nick Copernicus disbanded their original projects and brought in classically trained vocalist Rebecca Cords.

The CD is split into 2 suites. The first, "A Quiet Chamber Kept For Thee" is in 4 parts and sets out their stall in impressive fashion. An amalgamation of electronica and rock guitars, "O Death (Rock Me Asleep)" is absolutely breathtaking. Suite 2, "Here Lies One Whose Name Was Written In Water", is atmospheric and ethereal where Suite 1 rocks, and shows their darkwave and classical influences.

After the feast, there also a couple of bonus tracks. Two versions of "Darkness", which are positively discolicious, demonstrating that Aesma Daeva aren't afraid of tacking any genre. Goth, metal, ethereal, electronica, even dance.

http://www.pmcmgmt.com/aesmadaeva/
The cd is available through Root Of All Evil http://www.rootofallevil.com