Ground-breaking instrumental jazz-funk-fusion with a dose of ambient and incredible synth work sometimes reminiscent of Hendrix style guitar.

8 MP3 Songs
JAZZ: Jazz Fusion, ELECTRONIC: Soundscapes



Details:
âAll music is crossoverâ, says Neil Alexander, a self-styled âJazz Synthesistâ and composer from Newburgh, NY. He knows what heâs talking about having played thousands of gigs in about every style in 30+ years of making music. Heâs had ample opportunity to see where different styles intersect and how music crosses over. Well known from his ten years with The Machine (the Pink Floyd Tribute and Jam band), Neil is breaking new sonic ground with a remarkable trio featuring Charlie Kniceley (Rashid Ali, Jack Dejohnette) on Bass and Nadav Zelnicker (Dekel Bor) on drums.
âTugging at the Infiniteâ reflects Neilâs many influences while showcasing the bandâs versatility. The CD starts with âEarlier Stillâ, a blistering high energy jam and then suddenly changes gear with the ballad âStarlight casts no Shadowâ, at times reminiscent of Mark Knopfler â with a serious funk jam included. The most memorable track is undoubtedly âEverymanâ, a transcendent jazz pop masterpiece. The CD moves easily between funk, ambient, rock, and more traditional styles and includes two live tracks (one of them solo), all driven by Neilâs extraordinary synthesizer work.
Itâs hard to categorize what he does, but Neil ties it all together through jazz, the original melting pot of music. âJazz borrows from everything it co-exists with, and spawns new styles constantly.â When asked âwhy the synthesizer?â Neil states, âI fell in love with the sound â the sound of electricity. The synthesizer is a living, breathing instrument to me. Add the fact that pianos are hard to come by at some clubs, and digital pianos are âfakesâ. Youâre already using electronics with digital pianos - why pretend? Why not go the other way, and really use what the instruments can do?â
With his experience, which includes playing rock, jazz, blues, funk, electronica, ambient, classical, composing for Modern Dance and Avant Garde Theater as well as teaching Master Classes in music technology, Neil has built a formidable musical vocabulary. Neil Alexander & NAIL is a tight versatile unit, easily shifting and combining the aforementioned styles with fierce musicianship. At the core is an emphasis on improvisation and a solid foundation in Jazz. True lovers of jazz, improvisation and an exhilarating sensory experience seek them out, knowing they will shatter boundaries and test limits.