Dr Dan Solo Project Set For Release
Jambands.com, June 20, 2000
The debut solo release from Dr. Dan Matrazzo is set to appear in stores
next Tuesday. The keyboard player, who may be best known for founding Fiji
Mariners with Colonel Bruce Hampton, also toured for a number of years with
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown (Matrazzo first achieved notoriety as a Japanese
pop music star at the age of 17). Dr. Dan on the Moon was produced by David
Z (Jonny Lang, Big Head Todd and Monsters), and also features a guest
appearance by Warren Haynes. Additional information regarding the release
and Dr Dan's summer tour plans is available via the flash-enabled Terminus
Records web site, www.terminusrecords.com.
Dr Dan - Dan on the Moon
"Dan On The Moon" will launch you into musical orbit. Matrazzo is the
consummate maestro on the ivories, conducting his orchestral maneuvers like
a cat on the prowl. With an obvious affinity for eclecticism, he churns out
epic numbers of funk, jazz, rock, blues, and a little bit of classical to
make it more tasteful. He accomplishes all of this so smoothly, with
compelling results. It's a testament to his resiliency and strength as a
performer. A long time member of Aquarium Rescue Unit, and many other
popular groups, the Dr. has drawn from his melting pot of experience and
thrown it all together to make a delicious musical pot pie.
I am sure all the people that have played with the Dr. over the years
aren't surprised at all with the standard of excellence that this artist
has set. And to achieve such high standards, one must adhere to a
meticulously well thought out process regarding the musical creation,
conceptually and figuratively.
The tracks with the vocals are as sparkling as the instrumental concoctions
that the Dr. stirs up. Every track is like a new adventure, and you are
wondering what delight is coming up next. The excitement and anticipation
preceding each song makes this a special recording. It isn't an every day
occurrence to pop a CD into your stereo that is this good. And it's just as
interesting as it is satisfying.
So, are you ready for the Dr. to make a house call? He's got the magic
elixir that will cure all that ails you.
- Keith Hannaleck
Musikman, June 28, 2000
Dr. Dan Matrazzo has played with everyone from Taj Mahal to Morphine.
Sounds like a wide range of music doesn't it ? His music is in direct
proportion to that diversified portfolio.
Dr Dan - Dan on the Moon (Terminus)
And while he's a technical whiz, it's the feel that really sells these
tunes. The vocals, when they appear, really aren't necessary. And the rest
of the band is just that, generally relegated to the back lines.
But, see, that doesn't really matter all that much. Dr. Dan spins so many
grooves from his fingers that all of the other shortcomings kinda fade
away. These songs are so much fun to hear, the nitty-gritty is an
afterthought.
A simple pleasure, perhaps, even though the playing is anything but. Dr.
Dan lays down the lines, and my ears follow. That is simple, indeed.
Aiding & Abetting, June 2000
Easy-flowing keyboard soul. Dr. Dan's fingers provide most of the action,
and the songs follow from there. Think of mellow fusion with a soul twist,
and you'd be in the right arena.
Dr Dan
The mostly vocal-less album, produced by David Z. of Prince fame, also
showcases the influences of Dan's own lengthy career, which has taken him
from his native Japan's pop scene, to a rock band with Steve Vai, to touring
with blues legend Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown.
"Prowler" kicks things off with eerie synth lines reminiscent of Preston's
mid-'70s hit instrumental "Space Race." Preston's seminal electronic
keyboard work seems to have similarly influenced "Karma Limbo," which is
also driven by a funky bass and Larry Jackson's saxophone. The decade of
disco balls and Watergate is also called forth by "Rollin'," which features
a B.T. Express-influenced, chant-like chorus which repeats the silly phrase
"Rollin' rollin' all night."
Dr. Dan adds a jazzy piano to "Shock Treatment," which sounds at times like
the theme music to the '70s TV crime drama "Starsky and Hutch," primarily
because of Dan's snaky synth. The tune turns darker in its end section
thanks to some funky guitar by Jack Holder and blues rocker Warren Haynes.
The piano takes center stage for "Uncle Hank," a bouncy instrumental on
which someone repeats incessantly what sounds like "Do better, Hank." It's
a pleasant, if disposable, curio.
Electronic noises permeate the high-energy "Snap," which is the closest the
LP comes to straightahead electronica. It's an interesting track, with
Dan's keyboards constantly dueling with co-writer Sam Sims' bass.
"Just like a fine wine gets better with time/ageless body, timeless mind,"
Sims sings on "Timeless," which sounds like a cross between a tune by '70s
pop soulsters the Stylistics and one of Prince's more mellow efforts.
If there's a single to be found on the record, it's the pounding, danceable
"Move On," the most contemporary-sounding track. It also has a complete
vocal by Mica Roberts and a blazing guitar solo by Holder.
The CD's cover depicts Dan in an astronaut suit near a U.S. flag implanted
on earthly terrain. It is sonically realized on Dan on the Moon's final
track, the funereal "Goodbye 20," which features rocket launch sound effects
and a voice saying "one small step for man."
The rest of the album bears no discernible connection to the moon theme.
But if you're into funky fusion music, it's definitely worth a listen.
- Frank Tortorici
PreAmp, July 2000
Former Aquarium Rescue Unit keyboardist Dr. Dan has just issued his first
solo album. Dan on The Moon is ten tracks of Dan, born Dan Matrazzo,
employing his keyboard wizardry to create funky fusion soundscapes that
capture the feel of some of Billy Preston and Stevie Wonder's pioneering
'70s soul style.