J.A.M. - s/t (2004)Liquid Note Records

The main figures of this project are Joel Rivard, Alessandro Benvenuti and Milan Polak. The project's name derives just from their first names and makes us think of jamming or jam session. Joel is an American guitarist, playing mainly in his own The Joel Rivard Jazz Group. Alessandro is an Italian guitarist whose solo CD - "Sonic Design" was reviewed in this DoV's issue. I won't write at length about Milan, because you can find a few words on his artistic activity in this DoV's number as well.

There are nine tracks on the album, and every instrumentalist is a composer of three ones. The idea of J.A.M. consists in that each of them plays first fiddle in all tracks of their authorship, but also they play guest solo in their colleagues' compositions. Let's start from Milan Polak who offers us a dose of fusion with emphasis on swinging fragments in the opening track. There are not shortage of guitar and keys melodies. The latter ones are owed to a Swedish keyboardist - Lale Larson. "Back on the Track" is something different - with an aftertaste of groove and blues-rock feeling. Personally, I most liked a romantic "Perfect Angel". Alessandro Benvenuti begins with "2 Sides of the Same Trouble", that is a composition based on two contrasting parts. I must admit that I have always liked similar ideas. Alessandro goes in another direction in "Hot Room", performing it in fusion style and thanking Allan Holdsworth for the inspiration. Undoubtedly, "S.L.O.W." is one of most distinctive tracks for the sake of a slow tempo and participation of a female singer - Marzia Palisi. However, Joel Rivard's "Lydian Field", "Transcendence" and "General Relativity Jam" can be regarded as a complementary whole. Joel ia a musician who specilaizes in combining rock music with jazz and fusion. As far as kinds of jazz are concerned, we can most often come across flashes of so-called bluegrass (a kind of country music performed at a rapid tempo on banjos and guitars) in Rivard's compositions, althought there are funk and Rhythm'n'Blues influences in "General Relativity Jam" as well. In other words, I recommend his music to the fans of Eric Johnson and Shawn Lane.

In spite of not large stylistic differences between J.A.M. guitar heroes, they have the same attitude towards melody. It is a structural basis of every composition, and musicians add personal flavours and ideas around it. I am convinced that if trio went on well-organised and well-promoted tour, they would accomplish comparable success to G3 project for sure. This CD is best proof of my thesis. In any case, it isn't only my personal opinion, because a Canadian website "Guitar Mania" gave it "album of the month".