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Reviews about "Chromatosphere"
From All About Jazz.Com
By John Patten
Jake Hertzog's Chromatosphere (That's Out Records, 2008) presents the brilliant young guitar picker at his best in a talented combo of New York sidemen.
At 22, Hertzog is just beginning his career, and the release—his first—is clearly intended to draw attention and establish his name, with strong compositional statements and clever covers of classic tunes.
Hertzog leans towards modern harmonies. It's not clear if he can play a dominant chord without something getting diminished or augmented, but he uses his chords well.
Backed by bassist Harvie S., drummer Victor Jones and pianist Michael Wolff, Hertzog weaves an often-compelling, enjoyable modern jazz sound. He eschews obvious stylistic references, although there's some Mike Stern and John Scofield in there; his use of off-kilter and angular runs on his version of "Almost Like Being in Love" recalls the late Danny Gatton.
It's one of three covers on the release, which also includes "In Your Own Sweet Way." That tune has Hertzog exploring close harmonies as Harvie S. combines steady walking lines with some delightful reworking of the harmony. The combination is powerful enough that the original melody and starting progressions are nearly forgotten.
Hertzog also covers "Falling in Love with Love," using a more standard, solo fingerstyle approach. He reworks the chords and lines with crystalline tones on his Artinger guitar through two choruses.
But it's Hertzog's own compositions which will draw him fans; compositions that range from a pair of sweet ballads—"Oberon" and the fine "Melody for a Dreamer"—to compositions immersed in creative dissonance, played at break-neck speed. The opening track, "California Hills," opens like a prog rocker from perhaps Eric Johnson, but Hertzog moves the composition forward into fusion à la Al Di Meola.
For the faint of heart, Hertzog's "Bonding," "Monkey Stuff" and "Nectarine" may present the most challenging listens. "Bonding" is built on a dissonant seven-chord motif that really allows him to delve into an original sound.
"Monkey Stuff" is highlighted by an excellent bass solo, while Hertzog's chromatic runs on "Nectarine" help connect angular motifs and runs.
Hertzog's Chromatosphere isn't free jazz, but he freely explores uncommon harmonies with verve and intelligence. At times, his solos seem to have little room for growth, but overall, he handles his compositions well. He's already being hailed as the next big thing for jazz guitar—he received the grand prize in the jazz guitar competition at the 2006 Montreux Jazz Festival. His compositions here show a young and gifted writer finding his voice, but not fully establishing it. That's likely to change in his next efforts.
From JazzPolice.com
by Richard Lemke
Jazz guitarist Jake Hertzog has recently released an adventurous new jazz fusion album titled Chromatosphere (That’s Out Records), which was recorded and produced by Grammy-winner Joshua Paul Thompson. Originally a guitarist performing in rock bands, Jake turned his interests to jazz and began studying with Chip McNeill in high school, later performing with the University of Illinois jazz ensembles. Soon he was off to the Berkley College of Music on scholarship, graduating in 2007. Of the numerous awards Jake has won for his playing, most notable was at the 2006 Montreux Jazz Guitar Competition.
The album starts with “California Hills,” which is the most thrilling track on the album but also the farthest removed from the collective sound and vibe of the rest of the songs. It seems to work very well, though, as a lead into the album, because it delivers some of the abrasive energy of rock music to vitalize the listener, coupled with the delicate intricacies of a refined jazz player.
Aside from the obvious playing skills, the album also showcases Jake’s ability to reinvent old standards. A highlight is his arrangement of “Almost Like Being In Love,” which is a creative but almost risky endeavor. Jake’s more dissonant style of soloing might disappoint some fans of the traditional, upbeat swing styling of Frank Sinatra or the Dorsey Brothers, but Jake is truly striving to appeal to the contemporary listener, who will definitely be intrigued to listen on. Shining brightly on this song is bassist Harvie S, who offers a more traditional but nonetheless impressive solo.
It seems that all of Jake’s virtuosity is on display. He’s letting everyone know he’s got exceptional skills and versatility. At points, however, it becomes a double-edged sword. Some of the solos become a bit excessive and end up being more ego-driven than really thoughtful and relevant to the song.
Pictured on the album is Jake playing a Fender Telecaster, but he is actually using an Artinger Custom. Strangely enough, though, it ends up having similar tone qualities to that of a Telecaster. The sound is often presented with a bright and cutting tone. While, overall, it adds a unique sound to the album, it often ends up being a little thin when it’s holding the rhythm duty.
Of particular interest to us is Jake’s treatment of the Dave Brubeck standard, “In Your Own Sweet Way.” Including such a song is a bold undertaking since Brubeck uses those big block chords, which can’t be duplicated on guitar. A pleasant surprise is in store for lovers of the guitar, for Jakes treatment is cool and interesting. The support by bass player Harvie S is nothing short of excellent! Again the guitar comes across a bit thin in tonal quality on some of the passages.
Jake is supported by great musicianship: Harvie S is the glue that holds the arrangements together; Michael Wolff on piano has the right stuff, plays great underneath comps and wonderful solos. “Nectarine” speaks for itself, showing his artistry. The drummer Victor Jones rounds out the sound with a solid traditional style!
Chromatosphere presents the jazz world with a bright young player who will quite possibly end up being one of the leaders in modern jazz guitar playing. Jake’s highly developed skill and propensity to take some risks will do wonders for his career and keep him on the modern edge of music.
In a nut shell: A must-have for contemporary jazz listeners, to be appreciated by not just critics but a wide range of music enthusiasts!
From JazzWeekly.com
by George W. Harris
Ah! The guitar power trio! Guitarist Jake Hertzog, along with Harvie S/b and Victor Jones/dr (with a few cameos of Michael Wolff/p) veers in the netherworld of guitarists: more cerebral than rock guitarists, yet more catholic in taste than a jazz purist. His chiming ring tone mixes jazz and rock fluently on a number of tunes like “California Hills” and the gentle boogied “Nectarine.” His is Metheny-funky with Wolff on “Bonding” and holds his own on the attractive and acappella “Falling In Love With Love.” Most of the tunes, like “Oberon” spotlight Hertzog’s clean, sophisticated and pensive fingerwork-assertive, but never overbearing. Lots of enjoyable moments for fans of the frets.
From JazzReviews.com
Fusion guitarist Jake Hertzog has his own style of playing, his own way of harmonizing and, I dare to say, showboating. By showboating, I mean he knows how to make waves and surging projectiles so he does them. He holds back nothing and delivers everything that he has. He has a way of making his guitar sing with a voluminous radiance and the dazzling frills relatable to opera singer Renee Fleming. Not to infer that his music in any way, shape or form sounds like an opera, but he certainly displays the disciplined instincts and melodic sensibilities of an opera singer. From the winded psychedelic furls of “California Hills” to the soft, lush escapes of “Lullaby For A Dreamer,” Hertzog takes a trip around a wide spectrum of fusion-imbued melodies on his latest release Chromatosphere from That’s Out Records.
Produced by Joshua Paul Thompson and featuring Michael Wolfe on piano, Harvie S on electric and acoustic bass and Victor Jones on drums, Chromatosphere is a flowing stream that continuously goes up the chromatic scale, holding the listener on an elevated plane of contentment. Hertzog exchanges with bassist Harvie S on “In Your Own Sweet Way” are creative and liberally splayed projecting an animated dialogue between the two that appeals to the listener’s higher senses.
The music has a cerebral-bent like it was designed to entertain and enlighten the mind. The dazzling squiggles and ascents along “Monkey Stuff” are mind-blowing and the rapturous swirls and neon-glowing hues of “Almost Like Being In Love” are intricately woven demonstrating the dexterity and complexity of Hertzog’s movements. “Nectarine” takes the album into more conventional fusion designs akin to Joe Pass and Wes Montgomery.
Many of Hertzog’s guitar lines seem like they came to him from the top of his head while he immerses himself in the moment of harmonizing with the other musicians. His compositions seem spawned from visions in his imagination, but not of picturesque vistas, more like neon-lit helixes and complex molecular structures continually shape-shifting. If there is such a genre as trippy jazz, Hertzog would be its forerunner because that is what he makes. His concoctions relate to an otherworldly plane that infests and stimulates the nerve endings of the mind. There is nothing else like it.
Chromatosphere shows Jake Hertzog to be a risk-taker and a mind-blowing guitarist. He is a guitarist’s guitarist. A graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston and a recipient of the 2006 Montreux Jazz Festival’s Grand Prize in the Jazz Guitar Competition, Hertzog is off to an impressive start. Hertzog has a steady gig as a member of The Naked Brothers Band, who have performed on a number of television shows including ABC’s Good Morning America, NBC’s Today and Nickelodeon’s Kids Choice Awards.
It’s evident that in a relatively short amount of time, Hertzog has moved deeper into his solo profession and carved out his own path. Chromatosphere allows him to make a name for himself, deserving the recognition and respectability that other prominent fusion guitarists enjoy. It seems like this is Jake Hertzog’s destiny, like the choice has already been made by a higher being who won’t take “No” for an answer.
--By Susan Frances
From JazzTimes
Accomplished guitarist Jake Hertzog shows the influence of Mike Stern and Wayne Krantz while establishing his own thing on this impressive trio outing with bassist Harvie S and drummer Victor Jones. They rock on “California Hills” and “Bonding” then swing out in old school fashion on “Almost Like Being in Love.” Hertzog’s advanced voicing’s and moving harmonies, particularly on an elegant “In Your Own Sweet Way” and his own quirky “Monkey Stuff,” suggest a Ted Greene-Lenny Breau connection.
-Bill Malkowski (JazzTimes)
From Something Else Reviews.com
Jake Hertzog Chromatosphere
Here's a guitarist who is a 2007 graduate of Berklee, won the Montreaux Jazz Guitar Competition the prior year, came back to the festival the following year and performed with his band there (see video below), performs with the Naked Brothers Band, has worked with Joe Lovano, Terri Lyne Carrington and Dave Samuels, and just this month, releases a new album with luminaries Harvie S (bass), Victor Jones (drums) and Michael Wolff (piano).
Jake Hertzog is his name, and he's done all of these things by twenty-two years of age. But only by listening to that new record, Chromatosphere, can you really understand how far his experiences and sheer talent has already taken him. The record begins with the heady, discerning rock fusion of "California Hills" and goes all the way to the appealing, waltzing ballad of "Lullaby For A Dreamer" and my personal favorite, the Thelonius Monk-infused rocker, "Bonding."
It's not just his harmonically advanced originals that are a draw, though. There's also some really imaginative treatments of jazz standards like the hard bopping "Almost Like Being In Love," the solo guitar in "Falling In Love With Love" and "In Your Own Sweet Way," which contains some engaging axe work.
Chromatosphere reveals an accomplished guitarist capable of so many styles in both in terms of acumen and composing; the sky is the limit for Hertzog. Hop on, his career could prove to be a very interesting ride.
-Victor Aaron
From Midwest Record
JAKE HERTZOG/Chromatosphere: 22 year old jazz guitar whiz that has spent a lot more time listening to Jimi Hendrix and John McLaughlin than Charlie Christian and Wes Montgomery shows how to kick it out with a bunch of originals, some pro pals and lots of chops and desire. A tasty set that shows a limitless future rising on the horizon, Hertzog is sure to blow your ears wide open and create a new generation of jazz fans. Hot stuff.
-CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
©2009 Midwest Record
From Jazz.Com
JAKE HERTZOG: IN YOUR OWN SWEET WAY
TRACK
In Your Own Sweet Way
ARTIST
Jake Hertzog (guitar)
CD
Chromatosphere (That's Out Records TOR 001)
Buy Track
Musicians: Jake Hertzog (guitar), Harvie S (bass), Victor Jones (drums). Composed by Dave Brubeck.
Recorded: West Orange, NJ, October 2008
RATING: 93/100 (learn more)
Jake Hertzog can perhaps best be described as a hybrid guitar player. In this case, Hertzog blurs the lines between jazz and blues/rock in a way that I haven't heard before. His guitar sound is distinctively, almost annoyingly, heavily treble in tone. He seems to favor playing a solid-bodied Fender Telecaster through an old Fender tube amplifier. The combination gives little depth or timbre to his sound. Despite the limits set by his choice of tone, Hertzog is the real deal on many levels. His musings are not of a pyrotechnic nature; instead he relies on harmonically challenging expansions. You can never be sure where he's heading, as he fearlessly blazes his own trail and ultimately pulls it all together, creating interesting and original music along the way.
Hertzog is joined by the versatile bassist Harvie S, who seems to enjoy the guitarist's path and can equally explore the harmonic boundaries when his intuition prods him. Onetime Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Getz drummer Victor Jones is listed as a longtime friend, and his symbiotic playing within Hertzog's at-times-disjointed melody lines is apparent.
On Dave Brubeck's classic "In Your Own Sweet Way," Hertzog effectively deconstructs the classic melody and rebuilds it in his own sweet way. Giving the song a whole new feel, he deploys numerous single-lined note progressions that are fresh and unpredictable. He occasionally lapses into tasty blues-oriented riffs for good measure, and finishes his solo with a crescendo-building chordal progression that follows a sinewy but clear path to its tension-building peak. When Harvie S solos at about 5 minutes into the song, obviously inspired by the young guitarist's unorthodox projections, he creates an equally counterintuitive bass statement from his own imagination. Jones wisely plays in an understated, complementary way. Hertzog ends the tune with a rock-like repetitive chord progression to a fadeout. Among the innumerable versions of this song performed by countless artists, Hertzog's is one of the most original I have heard. Simply a marvelous cover.
Reviewer: Ralph A. Miriello
JAKE HERTZOG: OBERON
TRACK
Oberon
ARTIST
Jake Hertzog (guitar)
CD
Chromatosphere (That's Out Records TOR 001)
Buy Track
Musicians: Jake Hertzog (guitar), Harvie S (bass), Victor Jones (drums). Composed by Jake Hertzog.
Recorded: West Orange, NJ, October 2008
RATING: 89/100 (learn more)
Opening with an electronically enhanced repetitive guitar line that infectiously provides the song's rhythmic underpinnings, Jake Hertzog weaves a hypnotic melody with an almost medieval sensibility that could easily be mistaken for part of Jethro Tull's repertoire.
Oberon was king of the fairies and a character in Shakespeare's A Midsummer's Night Dream. In this self-penned composition, Hertzog creates a sound impressionistically consistent with its title, while simultaneously blurring the lines between genres. His guitar riffs are apparently overdubbed atop his own rhythm guitar playing, the electric bass of Harvie S and the snappy drums and crashing cymbals of Victor Jones.
"Oberon" has a whimsical, singsong beauty that provides a wonderful vehicle for Hertzog's deftly alternating picked solo lines, done in time with Harvie's bass, and seamlessly integrated chord-based runs. Within this deceptively simple context, Hertzog demonstrates a lithe, lyrical technique, rendering this unusual format accessible. You can almost see fairies leaping through the forest to the rhythm of his guitar.
Jones is accorded a brief, somewhat heavy-handed solo where he trades hard-hitting tom shots with alternating snare rolls, finishing with crashing cymbals before the song returns to the repeating melody and a crisp finale.
Reviewer: Ralph A. Miriello
----JAZZ.COM
"Bonding"
RATING: 90/100 (learn more)
“Bonding” employs a conventional guitar-acoustic bass-drums trio and even begins with a Thelonious Monk inspired passage, but it’s anything but a conventional bop song. As Hertzog’s intricate composition unfolds, it moves quickly from the Monk impressions to mysterious, ascending chords to out-and-out rock, and back again. Somehow, it all fits together well.??Amply supported by a muscular and flexible rhythm section, Hertzog’s licks show the harmonic sophistication of a jazzman while staying rooted in the blues, the same deadly combination that makes guitar god Eric Johnson stand out. Too often you see rock-jazz fusion attempted by musicians who only understand one half of the equation. Jake Hertzog knows it from both ends, and puts his well-rounded know-how to good use in “Bonding.”
Reviewer: S. Victor Aaron
From "This Is Books' Music.COM"
These days in the music business, you go to where the money is, even if it means doing things that your core audience will think is foolish, even if it means “a check”. Case in point: Jake Hertzog. He is the music director for The Naked Brothers, the TV group featuring Nat and Alex Wolff, the sons of musician Michael Wolff (the one-time band director for The Arsenio Hall Show, and who plays piano on three of the ten tracks here). If you gave kids, nephews, nieces, or have a think for Nickelodeon, you probably know who The Naked Brothers are. A smart person also knows that The Naked Brothers make better music than The Jonas Brothers, but that’s another topic, another time. So sure, it’s what gives Hertzog the checks, but for a chance to hear how he truly plays, pick up his new album, Chromatosphere (That’s Out).
Hertzog plays some nice decent jazz with a bit of a rock edge, so if you’re a fan of Allan Holdsworth, Steve Lukather, or Al DiMeola, you’ll enjoy the world Hertzog plays here. “California Hills” sounds like the kind of jazz fusion one might have heard on the first three Journey albums, or some of the more progressive moments of a lot of rock/pop bands of the mid to late 70’s. “Almost Like Being In Love” is straightforward jazz with a slight nod to bebop, and in “Bonding” he goes out of his way to not play by the rules. “Back” is on the soulful tip, and one could easily imagine Michael McDonald, George Benson, or Al Jarreau doing their thing to it. “Lullaby For A Dreamer” is mellow enough to gain some smooth jazz radio airplay, but he surpasses the limits of mainstream radio in the 9 minute “In Your Own Sweet Way”, which I’m sure is further explored in a live setting.
After hearing this, you’ll realize Hertzog is a musician’s musician, and it makes sense that he apply his talents to a group like The Naked Brothers, because he knows how to play any and all genres without hesitation, even though he keeps himself within the boundaries of jazz and soul. Chromatosphere is maybe not the full vision of his musical capabilities, but it is sure a nice glance into the world that he will hopefully continue to dive in to in the years to come. The man is only 22, so as long as he keeps healthy and stays on a good path, we have at least 40 years of music to look forward to.
From Kultur.cmichaelbaily.com
About) 100 Words on... Jake Hertzog's "Chromatosphere"
Chromatosphere
Jake Hertzog
That's Out Records, 2009
Jake Herzog has scads of schooling in how to play the jazz guitar having graduated from Berklee. He is fortunate enough to attracts support talent like bassist Harvie S, pianist Michael Wolff, and drummer Victor Lewis. Forget all of the original compositions here, save for the very fine and rocking "Bonding" which indeed makes Herzog "...a jazz guitarist of and for the 21st Century." Herzog's full-bore treatment of "Almost like Being in Love" breaks tonal ground in the standards department, his lines clean and sharp as razors. His "In Your Own Sweet Way" is truly a marvel, perhaps one for the ages, as is "Falling in Love With Love." Hertzog needs a standards recording.
-Posted by liberationtheology at 2/6/2009 1:50 PM and is filed under Music Reviews
Barely out of his teens, NYC guitarist Jake Hertzog spans generations of guitar sounds and styles on his 2009 CD Chromatosphere. A Berklee grad and winner of the 2006 Montreux Jazz grand prize in the jazz guitar competition, Hertzog comes up with ten solid reasons why guitar lovers should give him a listen with Chromatosphere. The ten cut CD features modern digi-pak design with in depth liner notes that detail Hertzog’s guitar progressions. Modern jazz guitar influences from Metheny to Stern abound, yet Hertzog also delineates a rock fusion edge here that will appeal to fans of Hendrix and Beck as well. Chromatosphere features Hertzog in the company of esteemed virtuoso players such as Harvie S (bass), Victor Jones (drums) and Michael Wolff (piano). The rhythm section speaks jazz, but Hertzog speaks the language of guitar—successfully merging just about every instrumental jazz-related style and sound from Django to Jimi. www.JakeHertzog.com
-- Music Web Express
Read the whole interview here:
http://www.mwe3.com/
From Ken Franckling's Jazz Notes
CD Review: http://kenfrancklingjazznotes.blogspot.com/
Sunday, March 29, 2009
CDs of Note
Jake Hertzog, Chromatosphere (That’s Out Records)
The younger the musician, more generations - and genres - of musicians may have influenced him or her. That’s how the theory goes, and 23-year-old Jake Hertzog is helping prove it. While his guitar elders may have developed under the spell of, say, Charlie Christian, Tal Farlow, Wes Montgomery or Jim Hall, Hertzog’s primaries have included Pat Metheny, Mike Stern and Jimi Hendrix. The Berklee grad works in drummer Victor Lewis’s Group Cultureversy and is musical director for The Naked Brothers Band, the Nickelodeon phenomenon starring pianist Michael Wolff’s sons, Nate and Alex.
This quartet project teams Hertzog with Wolff, Lewis and bassist Harvie S. Highlights include Hertzog originals “California Hills” and “Lullabye for a Dreamer,” (the latter is a great new song). Wolff uncorks a very strong solo on “Nectarine.” Hertzog offers a beautiful solo version of the Rodgers-Hart standard “Falling in Love with Love.” There is much here to enjoy.
Ken Franckling
jazz journalist and photographer
From D. Oscar Groomes
CD Review: Jake Hertzog - Chromatosphere 3/3
O's Notes: Guitarist Jake Hertzog teams up with Harvie S (b), Victor Kones (d) and Michael Wolff (p) for ten new jazz tunes including a few covers. Jake's sound is modern fusion with influences from Scofield, Metheny and rock guitarists. He has impressive techniques and puts them to good use on "Almost Like Being In Love". We liked the mellow flow of "Back" and "Oberon" best. It is a new day in fusion and since Hertzog is only 22, we've got a lot more coming!
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D. Oscar Groomes
O's Place Jazz Newsletter
http://www.OsPlaceJazz.com
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