Guitarist Grant Geissman’s name may not be as familiar as say, George Benson, but his playing should be since he was a member of Chuck Mangione’s quintet that recorded the album Feels So Good (A&M, 1977) containing the hit single title track on which he laid down a stunningly good solo.
His grandfather bought him his first guitar when he was 12 years old. Later he took formal lessons with legendary guitarist Jerry Hahn and these sessions opened his ears to jazz. In the early 1970s he studied music at various colleges in his native state of California before joining Mangione in 1976 for several recording dates.
Since then, Geissman has collaborated with a veritable galaxy of stars from rock musicians such as Ringo Starr, Elvis Costello, Brian Wilson and Robbie Williams to big band leaders Quincy Jones, Gerald Wilson and Louis Bellson. He’s recorded over 15 albums under his own name and contributed to countless others.
Unsurprisingly, Blooz is a collection of blues-based numbers but with some unusual stylistic variations. Geissman is assisted on the record by famous names including Randy Brecker, Russell Ferrante and Tom Scott plus fellow shredders Robben Ford and Joe Bonamassa.
The opener, Preach, with echoes of Jimmy Smith and Grant Green, sees Brecker deliver a crystalline yet soulful solo. Carlos En Siete is decidedly off-kilter due to its tricky 7/4 time signature but works incredibly well, embellished by Geissman’s fluid soloing. Time Enough At Last is a complete turnaround, a slowish, mellow number, Geissman’s sinewy guitar lines dominating, crucially abetted by Ferrante on piano. The aptly named Rage Cage is a no-holds-barred blues rocker, Geissman’s guitar gymnastics wreathed in stinging attack mode. On the freewheeling rockabilly Whitewalls And Big Fins Geissman is ably assisted by virtuoso guitarist John Jorgenson.
Discography
Preach; Side Hustle; Carlos En Siete; Time Enough At Last; Fat Back; Rage Cage; Robben’s Hood; One G And Two J’s; Stranger Danger; Whitewalls And Big Fins; This And That; Sorry Not Sorry (61.26)
Geissman, Robben Ford, Joe Bonamassa, Josh Smith, John Jorgenson (elg); Randy Brecker (t); Tom Scott (ts); Jim Cox (p, org); Russell Ferrante (p, elp); David Garfield (p); Trey Henry (b, elb); Kevin Axt (b); Ray Brinker, Bernie Dresel (d); Tiki Pasillas, Kevin Winard (pc). Location and date unknown.
Futurism & Mesa/Bluemoon MB 2765
