Smoke Shadows by J.d. And The Sons Of Rhythm

The opening cut seems to let you in the door to a party already in progress. Soon, you are involved, following as more threads are added to the conversation. There are times when someone leads, and times when textures demand the focus.

As the conversation builds in intensity, so does the music.

If you follow the threads, they will lead you to the end of the first disc, and into the second. That is where the band kicks into a higher gear, spinning Ornette Coleman-like textures and Miles Davis-like jams.

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You will hear the influences of Art Blakey, Elvin Jones, Jack DeJohnette and Billy Cobham echoed in the percussion section, with drummer Rickie Hopkins being just as at home in the funk pockets of Hip Hop as he is with jazz. Excellent and distinctive bass playing powers J.D. and the Sons of Rhythm, with Dave Holland student Tony Stefanelli's fretless electric Alembic, to the Pastorius-like lines of Kenny Cornelius.

Guitarists Frank Singer and Mike Ohm share a common heritage in John Mclaughlin, while Ohm and Sheldon Peterson connect in their original jazz group Potato Battery. Yet each guitarist will also introduce you to their unique influences, with hints of Wes Montgomery, Joe Satriani, McCoy Tyner, Eddie Van Halen, John Abercrombie, Larry Carlton, and Robert Fripp bringing you a guitar style review amidst originality.

By the end of disc 2, you are transformed.

"We become more connected each time we persue a new project with J.D. and the Sons of Rhythm. The level we achieved here was cathartic. Once a group of musicians goes through this, they reach a point where everyone moves beyond previous limits. All of us have played free before, and each of us have drawn from our experiences. This time we went beyond them."

Go beyond your limits. See moments captured, SMOKE SHADOWS frozen in time.

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Smoke Shadows is the fifth available double CD from J.D. and the Sons of Rhythm. With this much material available, the unique aspects of each album stand out more. Collectively improvised by a group of musicians familiar with each other and this format, this music evolves, dialogues, breathes, transforms, and expresses in a number of ways.

Smoke Shadows comes at a time when there is a core group of musicians that know each other well as players. In addition to their work here, many play together in other groups, or have a history of jamming and performing. Mike Ohm and Sheldon Peterson play together in Potato Battery, a jazz-fusion group with its first album just released. Frank and Tony play in the original jazz group Cat's A Bear, and Rickie and Joel play in Mambo.

This is also an athletic group of musicians. J.D. and the Sons of Rhythm come to play. This music is all about listening, but when the thread is captured, being able to follow through on the ideas is critical. Working with players who can take you in any direction at a moments notice demands skill combined with trained reflexes, yet the fun, spontaneity and joy that comes from making music can never be forgotten. It is a balancing act that the band executes flawlessly.

The musicians chosen and collected to play this music are also chosen for reasons. They are creative, aggressive, and challenging individuals who are used to expressing themselves. This comes through in Smoke Shadows in great depth. The turbulence and intensity of the time in which these recordings was made is reflected in the way the music evolved and the frenetic nature of some of its development. The desire for peace and the friendship and joy of making music also tone the sound, giving Smoke Shadows moments of simple beauty, yet the intensity is never totally released.

Finally, this is a group of conscious people, trying to evolve at a time when society seems to be de-evolving, turning back on itself with renewed hatred. J.D. and the Sons answers only with love, and a sense of fun and adventure that overcome the greatest uncertainties.

Lots of bands have made the claim, but this music is truly unique, one-of-a-kind, and unharnessed. If you want a taste of what musicians freed from the constraints of commercialism will do, check out Smoke Shadows. You might find yourself humming a guitar solo or two.

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the players

Frank Singer

Mike Ohm

Tony Stefanelli

J.D. Hopkins

Jayson Hopkins

Rickie Hopkins

Joe Popp

Joel Polacci

Kenny Cornelius

Sheldon Peterson

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credits

production.....

J.D. Hopkins & Randy Hetherington

engineering, mix, mastering.....

Randy Hetherington

cover photo.....Sue Buck

cover design.....Mark Saunders

recorded at Midtown Recording

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During the time that SMOKE SHADOWS was being created, each band member was experiencing difficult personal growth - challenged with health problems, financial difficulties, personal change, and for all of us, global turmoil. The music that resulted is a conversation about these tumultuous times.

We always tune into each other when we play, but this time, we did so more intensely, more deeply, and discovered we understand ourselves and each other better because of it.

We played through the smoke and shadows, and we made music.

Frank Singer

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JD AND THE SONS OF RHYTHM:

cdbaby.com/jdsons - QUANTUM EVENTS

cdbaby.com/jatsor - MUSIC FROM ANOTHER PLANET

cdbaby.com/jatsor2 - PRIMATE GESTURES

cdbaby.com/jatsor3 - FAMILY VALUES

THAT DOG IN EGYPT (J.D., Jayson, Rickie)

cdbaby.com/doge99 - THAT DOG IN EGYPT '99

cdbaby.com/doge97 - THAT DOG IN EGYPT '97

MAMBO (Rickie, Joel, Ralph)

cdbaby.com/mamboband - MAMBO

SKUDD (Jayson)

cdbaby.com/skudd - SKUDD

CAT'S A BEAR: (Frank, Tony)

cdbaby.com/catsabear - TITO IN WONDERLAND

cdbaby.com/catsabear2 - TITO: IN SEARCH OF A REVOLUTION

cdbaby.com/catsabear3 - EYE OF THE PYRAMID

ONE WORLD TRIBE: (Frank, Mike Chin)

cdbaby.com/oneworldtribe

POTATO BATTERY: (Mike Ohm, Sheldon Peterson, David Blaetz)

cdbaby.com/potatobattery

FRANK SINGER

cdbaby.com/franksinger - OFF THE TOP: STANDARDS 1

cdbaby.com/franksinger2 - GENERATIONS STRING QUARTET

MIKE OHM

cdbaby.com/mikeohm1 - THINGS ARE NOT WHAT THEY SEEM

cdbaby.com/mikeohm2 - ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER

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www.jdhopkins.com

www.catsabear.com

www.franksinger.com

www.standards-1.com

www.oneworldtribe.com

www.firstartrecords.com

www.midtownrecording.com

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