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Steps Ahead - Yin-Yang
Title: Yin-Yang
Leader Artist:Mike Mainieri
Genre: Jazz Instrument
Styles: Fusion Post-Bop
Audio CD (February 14, 1992)
Original Release Date: September 17, 1992
Number of Discs: 1
Label: NYC (New York City)
File: single Track, [email protected]
Size Torrent: 141Mb
Cover Included
Track listing
1. Sidewalk Maneuvers
2. Praise
3. Nite Owl
4. Taxi
5. Tamarin Lion
6. Gory Details
7. Agitate the Gravel
8. Okapi
9. Orion
10. Steppish
11. Sara's Touch
Personnel
Steve Smith - drums
Mike Mainieri - vibraphone, synthesizer, percussion
Rachel Z - piano, synthesizer
Bendik - saxophone
Jeff Andrews - acoustic & electric basses
Also:
Chuck Loeb,
Victor Bailey,
Steve Khan,
Dean Brown,
Miles Bould,
Rick Margitza,
Wayne Krantz,
George Whitty,
Spencer Cozens,
Alan Thompson,
Bruce Martin,
Jimi Tunnell
Listen to sample
http://www.amazon.com/gp/recsradio/radio/B000006MCD/ref=pd_krex_dp_a
bio
Steps Ahead (originally known as Steps) is a jazz fusion group and the brainchild of vibraphonist Mike Mainieri. According to the liner notes of the group's 1983 debut album (for worldwide release), entitled Steps Ahead, "Steps began as a part-time venture in 1979 at Seventh Avenue South, a New York City nightclub." The group began releasing recordings in Japan as far back as 1980.
The line-up for the Steps Ahead album consisted of Mainieri, the late Michael Brecker (tenor sax), Eliane Elias (piano), Peter Erskine (drums), and Eddie Gomez (bass).
The group's distinguished alumni also include Dennis Chambers, Steve Gadd, Warren Bernhardt, Rachel Z, Chuck Loeb, Victor Bailey, Tony Levin, Darryl Jones, Mike Stern, Richard Bona, and many others.
Brecker and Mainieri are featured on the Dire Straits album Brothers in Arms. For rock listeners, the albums Steps Ahead and Modern Times (1984, with Bernhardt replacing Elias in the main line-up, and other guest musicians appearing in limited roles) are a great bridge into a kind of jazz that is energetic and powerful. Reflecting the cooperative, ensemble nature of the band, the Modern Times album included compositions by Mainieri, Brecker, Erskine, and Bernhardt.
According to the website NYC Records, which include's Mainieri's biographical sketch and touring schedule with Steps Ahead, the 2007 instantiation of Steps Ahead includes: Mainieri (vibes), Bill Evans (sax; not to be confused with the late jazz pianist also named Bill Evans), Bryan Baker (guitar), Anthony Jackson (bass), and Steve Smith (drums), a former member of the rock group Journey. On some stops of the tour, Etienne Mbappe is listed as filling in for Jackson.
review
This CD from the part-time fusion band Steps Ahead is probably most notable for introducing the fine keyboardist Rachel Z. Also in the group at the time were leader Mike Mainieri on MIDI vibraharp and synclavier, saxophonist Bendik, bassist Jeff Andrews and drummer Steve Smith. Put out by Mainieri's NYC label, this mostly high-powered performance consists of group originals, generally by Mainieri and Bendik. Unlike other Steps Ahead records, there are quite a few guests on various tracks including guitarists Steve Khan, Wayne Krantz, Jimi Tunnell and Chuck Loeb, electric bassist Victor Bailey and tenorman Rick Margitza. The music has spirit and drive, although nothing all that memorable occurs; the band lacked a lead voice on the same level as their alumnus Michael Brecker.
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