pastedGraphic
pastedGraphic
12/27/10    Albums    By Wilbert Sostre
CD Review: John L. Holmes y los amigos - The Holmes Stretch


Year: 2010
Record Label: Independent
Style: Various Jazz Styles
Musicians: John L. Holmes (guitar, synthesizer), Glenn Ayers (drums, percussion), Steve Kim (bass), Dave Glenn (trombone), Mike Agidius (sax, trumpet), Mike Friedman (keyboards), Ken Wilson (flute)
Review: An electric guitar is not the first instrument that comes to mind when someone thinks about latin music. But the idea is not new, Carlos Santana did it in the 70's fusing Rock with his latin heritage. The difference is that John fuses Jazz and Latin music playing the electric guitar.
A native of Walla Walla, Washington, John is an experienced guitar player. It was his experience in the 70's teaching english in Latin America that influenced his music to this day. And you may hear that influence all over his new CD, John L. Holmes y los amigos.
The first track "La vida loquita" feels like a Mambo, and one can even sense the clave, a rhythm figure essential in Afro Cuban music. In contrast "Momentito" is a slow piece with kind of an ethereal feeling with the brass harmonizing with the electric guitar.
"Back Burner" groove kind of remind me of the classic Afro Blue by Mongo Santamaria. But in "Beyond Blue" they are back to the latin rhythms, reminiscent of a son cubano and when the trombone enters, the improvisations sounds like the salsa trombone players of the Fania era.
"It's all about you" and "There Will Come a Day" are more in a Jazz Fusion tradition, the last one with a little funk. John shows his diverse influences in "And Then… No Problema" a reggae/funk. "It's my Guitar" has influences of South America music, especially the region of Peru and Ecuador. And there is also some Miles Davis in "Quit That Some More".
Tracks: La Vida Loquita, Momentito, Back Burner, Beyond Blue, There Will Come a Day, It's All About You, And Then… no problema, It's My Guitar and I'll play it the way I want, Where We Goin, Quit That Some more, Two for the show

To see more reviews go to: http://www.karionpresskits.com/johnlholmes/johnlholmes.html