Evolution of Jazzraptor
 

Here's a new review of my album:

http://www.progressor.net/review/jack_foster_2003.html

I've suspended sales from my site, but Musea Records will re-design and re-release the album for world-wide distribution in March or April!

People can e-mail me at jack@jazzraptor.com, if they're interested.

regards all,

Jack

Thanks, Jack.

I've heard good things about your work, through the grapevine.

Congrats on the re-release....must be very exciting.

m

Hi Mossy!

Are you counting me as "the grapevine"? I'm the only one who seems to be talking about it! LOL!

Thank you for the very kind words. Yes, Musea picking up the album is definitely a bit of validation that feels quite good! There's so much great music out there, (and even MORE mediocre music!) that it's tough for a new artist to even get anybody to take notice. The fact that Musea gave it a spin makes me feel greatful to them right off the bat.

I'm also looking forward to see how the album is redesigned. They're talking about bringing a really superb artist into the mix. (I won't mention his name, just in case that doesn't happen.)

Thanks again!

Hi all:

I don't want to be an obnoxious tooter of my own horn, but . . . hey, I yam what I yam!

:D

EoJ has received its first airplay. It's in rotation now at progrock.com, and it's listed under "j" for jack foster, iii. (That's me!) Ironically, I haven't figured out how to listen there yet! I've got a Mac, and they're streaming oog vorbis on winamp. But that's ok. I've got several hundred copies of the CD lying around the house anyway!

Likewise, Radio Krakow 102.4 FM's Arthur Chachlowski had me featured last night (well . . . tonight actually, but the show's over already, and it's been tomorrow there for a long time!) on his weekly radio show. There's also a review of the album (in polish, so I have NO idea how I did!) and a low-fi mp3 of the entire 2 hour show up on the station's site!:

http://www.mlwz.prv.pl/

click "audio" then 2/4 on the callendar. (It's funny for me to listen to! Announcer: blah, blah, blah, blah, Jack Foster, blah, blah . . .)

Here's what others are saying:

Don't bother going to my site. Nothing much there now. I've suspended sales because I've assigned rights. The re-designed album will be available from Musea Records come April. Mattias Noren will do the artwork. Check out progart.com for samples of his work!

Incidentally . . . I'm not posting this stuff all over the web! This is my 'net hangout of first choice these days. I really like the people here, and I LOVE the music! No wait. I LOVE the people and LIKE the music! Yeah, that's what I meant.

:D

I'll try not to be TOO obnoxious about all of this. Hey, I'm excited! Avian . . . tell me if I go over the line.

regards to all AMers,

Jack

Great album. Can't believe how well done this album is from recording to writing to production. A great addition to anyone's collection. Now just added to the aural moon playlist. Enjoy.

A wonderful addition to our playlist. It combines jazz and progressive rock with a good pop sensability.

Great job jazzraptor!

How do I get my hands on a copy????
 

Wow!!

What a find AND it's by one of the AM crowd.

I must have this in my collection.

WOW!!
 

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

When I heard a track this morning I thought "Wow!! This is the most interesting/exciting sound that I have heard in a long time!" I'll be picking the CD up soon.

Hi Chris, Avian, Keithie, and zvinki!

Thank you all for the kind words. And thank you Avian and Jim for adding the album to the Aural Moon playlist! I'll promise right now that I won't request it myself; I don't think that would be right.

I've just recently seen the new Musea cover, and it's really cool! I've got a jpeg here of course, but I can't show it, because it's not on-line anywhere!

The album should be available from Musea in April.

regards,

Jack

an amateur's review
 

Jack,

Thank you for the copy of your release. I've heard each song three times - and fortunately I had a long drive today so I could concentrate. I had a friend burn me 40 CD's, so I'm pleased I got yours in under the wire!

I'll get the (few nitpicking) negatives out of the way. It is very difficult to constuct an entire CD as a "solo" effort". In other words, bands that work together all of the time are able to mold a unique sound. A songwriter rercord sometimes loses a perspective that other band members can give. That's evident by your liner notes praising the reworking of your original ideas.

Some of the songs are bit repetitive at the end of the tracks. Again that's a minor thing.

Now to the fun part. I was really impressed by your song structures, they are very interesting. The Shy Ones is a beautiful song, just really well put-together. Great contrast with the song prior (Sting) and the song following (Tiger Bone Wine). I'm going to wake up tonight singing "hey kitty" and quite probably get into trouble.

The production and the vocals are really top-notch. You have some serious talent.

I especially like the stuff you do that evokes (for me) Paul Weller, like the midsection of "Feel It When I Sting". A lot of soul in that cut.

Thanks again Jack, and continued success!

Hi Rick:

Thanks for your comments. I think you're right that there's a huge difference between a band album and a solo album, but I think there's actually less pressure placed on the artist of the solo album. A band tries to develop some kind of band sound or identity. In my opinion, I didn't have that sort of requirement, because my vocals provided a natural unifying element for the album. But I can see how people might disagree; there is a lot of range on the album for ONE album! Personally I like a broad variety of music, so I didn't balk at that sort of inclusion.

Part of what I've enjoyed about the feedback is that there is no one or two favorites on the album; different people prefer different songs. I think that's true BECAUSE of the range! The kids like "Tiger Bone Wine". A more sophisticated ear prefers "Nirvana In The Notes". People who like roots stuff like "Cats' Got Nine". There's really something on the album for everybody I think, but certainly that "feature" doesn't sit well with some people.

Thanks for the review, for your praise, and for your insightful comments! See you 'round AM.

should have asked you to sign the CD:cool:
 

you know i fell in love with the cd...nirvana did it...even if i wasn't familiar with you through AM i would want that cd. i like dream with you also, lucifer's rat, sting, smile, cat's, bohemian and i even went and downloaded your original nirvana...

altogether and excellent musical piece...vocals thrill me...instumentally sound!

waiting for more.

Geez poda! Thanks for the kind words! Yours is the sort of reaction that makes it all worthwhile for me, . . . whether what I'm doing is "successful" or not! I truly appreciate it.

Yes, there will be at least one more jazzraptor album. Trent, Robert and I plan to spend a little bit of time every week. We've got drafts of four songs now (out of ten), and we've scheduled time for the next month or so.

regards,

Jack


P.S. -- the new EoJ cover can be seen at www.progart.com. Go to "covers" and then Jack Foster, iii.

it's icing on the cake
 

jazz, when you can actually do what you love...not all of us can...i get a smathering from time to time...inner artist that i am.

keep pluggin at it...i'm still listening.

Jazzraptor, what is the official release date of your new cd. Maybe we could have a release party on Aural Moon.

Thanks for the suggestion, Chris!

I don't know if the date has been scheduled or not. I know that they're being manufactured right now, and Musea has always said, "sometime in April". I'll ask!

I listen to Artur's show and can know what it is written there :D

Hi Wojtek:

Well . . . here goes nothing!:

Nazwisko Jacka Fostera z pewno_ci_ nic nie mówi nawet tej grupie czytelników MH., którzy interesuj_ si_ nowo_ciami z kr_gu prog rocka. Bo chyba taka etykietk_ nale_a_oby przyklei_ albumowi „Evolution Of Jazzraptor”, który z ko_cem ubieg_ego roku ukaza_ si_ na ameryka_skim rynku muzycznym. Jack to gitarzysta i bardzo utalentowany kompozytor, który niniejszym debiutem odwa_nym krokiem wchodzi w nieliczny kr_g bezkompromisowych i poszukuj_cych artystów, dla których liczy si_ przede wszystkim pi_kno granej przez siebie muzyki, a ewentualna s_awa w postaci wielkiego sukcesu komercyjnego nie stanowi warto_ci samej w sobie. Najwy_szy szacunek budzi lista muzyków, którymi Jack otoczy_ si_ przy nagrywaniu swojej, b_d_ co b_d_, pierwszej p_yty. A wi_c s_yszymy na niej braci Trenta i Wayne’a Gardnerów (Magellan). I nie ma co ukrywa_, te magellanowskie klimaty co rusz pobrzmiewaj_ w muzyce Fostera. Jest jeszcze jeden wa_ny zaproszony go__: Robert Berry – cz_owiek znany z tak udanych przedsi_wzi__, jak trio 3 (do spó_ki z Keithem Emersonem i Carlem Palmerem , a pod nieobecno__ Grega Lake’a nagrali w 1986r. niezapomniany album „To The Power Of Three”), czy The December People. Ci trzej muzycy wspomagaj_ Fostera w niemal ka_dym utworze, tak wi_c ich udzia_ nie ogranicza si_ jedynie do pojedynczego sola, czy okazjonalnej sekwencji d_wi_ków. Wyra_nie odcisn_li oni swoje pi_tno na kompozycjach Fostera. Dlatego wydaje mi si_, _e jego muzyczne propozycje przypadn_ do gustu przede wszystkim sympatykom towarzysz_cych mu muzyków A _e fanów Magellana i Berry’ego jest w_ród progrockowych fanów sporo, polecam zatem ich uwadze t_ w_a_nie p_yt_. Nie b_d_ zawiedzeni. Szczególnie mog_ spodoba_ im si_ przeurocze ballady „Every Time You Smile” i „DreamWith You” z _adnymi, _atwo wpadaj_cymi w ucho melodiami. Na specjalne wyró_nienie zas_uguje te_ otwieraj_cy p_yt_ utwór „Bohemian Soul” z fenomenaln_ parti_ saksofonu (Ken Stout). Przyznam szczerze, _e ostrzy_em sobie z_by na najd_u_sz_ na ca_ej p_ycie kompozycj_ „Nirvana In The Notes”. 14 minut?... Czu_em przez skór_, _e musi by_ dobrze, bo takie rozmiary budz_ najwi_ksze zainteresowanie w_ród sympatyków art rocka. Niestety, zawiod_em si_. I wynudzi_em. Dlatego zamiast najwy_szej noty album „Evolution Of Jazzraptor” otrzymuje „tylko” 4.

Sorry for my English - it's not on a very high level ;)

"Jack Foster is surely unknown also for those MH readers, who are interested in progressive rock news. He is a guitarist, very talented composer and, with Evolution of Jazzraptor, enters the ring of sparse, uncompromising and searching artists, for whom matters mainly the beauty of played music, not possible fame and commercial success. I have a big respect for all musicians, who Jack surrounded with. (here comes a report on the players - so it's unnecessary to translate). Their presence left their stamps on Foster's music. That's why I think that his compositions will be taken a liking to especially by fans of Jack's accompanying musicians. So fans of Magellan and Berry surely won't be disappointed. They won't especially because of extremely charming ballads 'Every Time You Smile' and 'Dream With You', both with beautiful and catchy melodies. Also the first track on the album 'Bohemian Soul' deserves special mention (it has superb Ken Stout's performance on sax).
To be honest I set my sights on the longest composition, 'Nirvana In The Notes'. And I got bored. That's why I'll not give Evolution of Jazzraptor the highest note, but "only" 4."

Without a doubt it is a positive review Jazz. MH has a scale consisting of 5 or 6 degrees - I don't remember exactly. So you got 4/5 or 4/6 - in both cases a high note. Well, after this review I'm waiting for your album premiere in Europe.

Nirvana in the Notes is one of my two favorite songs on the album, what is he talking about. Great review tho. Thanks for the translation Wojtek.

Jazzraptor's Debut
 

I would be honored to be able to debut it, personally. And judging by the review that Woj just translated, it sounds like it's going to be a VERY nice album. Congrats!

Hi Woj! Thank you so much for the translation! I had hints of course that it was good. Hey, 4 out of 5 can't be that bad, right? I realize that it had to take some time to translate, and I appreciate it.

"Nirvana" is the controversial song on the album. It appears to be the favorite here on the moon, but several reviewers have commented negatively. One guy called the length a "knee-clenching" fourteen minutes! LOL! Even Progressor, who has given the best review that the album has received called the track over-extended. I polled people in the white room one day, and people here seem to like it just the way it is.

I would be honored Roger, if you would be the first to debut it after its official release! Thank you very much. All they've told me so far is "April", but I'll post here when I know.

regards,

Here is another review of the album I just found and wanted to share with all.
http://www.silverdb.com/MUSIC_DBCDInfo.asp

what the Frell do they know Jazz
 

i know what I like. and with any luck listeners will listen more due to any "controversy" and make up their own minds.

Poo! That url gives an error. I shant go TOO far out of my way mentioning that it's a MICROSOFT SQLSERVER ERROR

Roger "Real OSs 'R' Us" Dot Lee

ps: I'm thinking of making that my real middle name.

That's because it tries to access the page without the javascript code it gets from the previous page. In other words, you can't go directly to the review. You need to go to http://www.silverdb.com/Main.asp and click on the review (scroll down a little) from there. That way it knows which review to pull from the SQL Server.

As much as I love Micro$oft bashing, in this case it's really not their fault.

a first
 

This might be the first intelligent review I have read!

I like the review not because it likes the record, but because it actually explains in a coherent manner why, not using hackneyed "reviwer speak".

I'm going to check out the site down the line to see if there are further reviews of interest.

Back from the slopes!
 

There are actually two reviews at proggnosis (Thanks, teer!): Nuno's and MJBrady's. I think both of them are thoughtful reviews.

One of the best reviews in terms of accurate description can be found over at the Dutch Progressive Rock Page (www.dprp.net). The most creative is Progressor's of course. And my favorite bad review can be found at Sea of Tranquility:

“Like a college student who bounces around from subject to subject without picking a major, Jack Foster goes through a myriad of styles on this disc without ever settling into one. Since many of these students leave school to get jobs where they wear name tags and repeat lines like: "You want fries with that?" all day long, I would suggest to Mr Foster that he pick a style and develop it fully.”

:D

"Want fries with that?" That cracked me up!

Jack...
 

yes the first review is the good one. The second starts falling into the "reviewerspeak" trap.

I do like the "fries" comment, but what gets me is the "pick a style". For what? For that person's convenience? While there were some parts of the record that I did not like as much, I explained why. That gobbledygook about not settling into a style is just a smokescreen for "I really didn't listen to the entire song". And the use of humor, albeit very funny, also tries to mask that fact.

I'll have to read the Dutch one too I see. Oh well, it's only tax season......:rolleyes:

OK, OK, I'll give it another shot.
 

OK, after I get some decent sleep, I'll give it another rip.

Oh, and for the record: It's ALWAYS Microsoft's fault. I'll be that with a little investigation, we could probably blame the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake on him!

( :D for the humor impaired. :) )

Anyway, I'll give it a look.

Who Framed Roger Rabid? :D

LOL, Rick! Hey thanks for the support.

Incidentally, I notice that the album has been released! There are several sites that are selling it on-line now, including musearecords.com.

I guess I'll have to buy one!

(Just kidding. I've got several hundred! But I do hope they send me a copy of the new version. Maybe they already have! Damn Atlantic Ocean.)

one more review, not a lot of substance but very favorable:
http://www.artist-shop.com/musea/index.htm

they are proclaiming it "a serious contender for best album of 2004"

this site's reviews are generally positive, but that's the best one I've seen there - congrats!

:D

They've pulled that blurb directly from the musea records site! That's marketing, Jim; not a review!

But I probably should just shut up . . .

Here are a few more REAL reviews:

Prognaut
http://www.geocities.com/prognaut/re...ck-foster.html
“. . . given a chance, Jack Foster could be a name in progressive music in years to come.”

Dutch Progressive Rock Page
http://www.dprp.net/reviews/200405.html
“Overall, then, this is a quality album where the standard of song-writing and musicianship rarely dip. Apart from Nirvana In The Notes, which non-jazz fans may find a little hard-going in places, it’s an accessible release which should have a wide appeal – although perhaps its very diversity may act against it, especially given the way that music is so compartmentalised so much these days. As to whether it’s an album that will appeal to the average prog fan, that’s again open to debate; I’ve perhaps erred on the side of caution with my rating, but I’d say that those with an open mind and who like some diversity in their music should certainly investigate further.”

The Hairless Heart Herald
http://www.camelesk.demon.co.uk/hair...art-herald.htm
“Evolution Of JazzRaptor, to use the English middle-class sensitive variation of the American vernacular, kicks bottom. Jack draws on jazz, funk, rock, metal along with a large dose of progressive rock hitting on riffs and melodies that one would assume are influenced to some extent by both Trent and Robert.”

rockreport.be
http://www.rockreport.be/review.asp?id=599
“. . . an album that could well impress a lot of people, provided you can appreciate a mix of progressive rock with classical music, blues rock and even some jazz and country. I know this sounds a bit strange, but listen to the result and you’ll agree that it works one way or another. Admitted, it took me a couple of spins before I fully appreciated this album, but isn’t that a sign of true art? It wouldn’t surprise me if we’ll here more about this Foster III in years to come. Let’s wait and see…”

Progressive Ears
http://www.progressiveears.com/asp/r...p?albumID=2696
“Evolution Of Jazzraptor is a very challenging mix of different styles, and will take a broad mind to accept the uncomfortable juxtaposition of almost incompatible genres. You’ll find adult pop, jazz, blues, and even a smidgen of progressive rock here – often mixed together in a single song. . . . (The funny thing is – once you get used to that gaudy mosaic of disparate styles, it becomes rather easy on the ears!)”

[quote]Originally posted by jazzraptor
[b]:D

It wouldn’t surprise me if we’ll here more about this Foster III in years to come. Let’s wait and see…”

Hey who is this Foster III cat? Is he a Dutch composer, like Thijs van Leer? (Jack this Foster III) - or a Jack III in the Green (actually selling a prog record there's no green). Sounds like a third-generation beer or a jazz robot.

I can see them sitting around saying "Yeah this Foster III's got potential)!

See what I mean about little cutesy-review word play?

Well it wouldn't surprise me either, since he's here now!
Or is it "hear" - see the misuse of the word above
:)

look what I started. Hee Hee.

Hi all:

Two news items. 1: Evolution Of Jazzraptor has finally secured U.S. Distribution. It'll be in stores in just over three months. The focus will be markets that have some version of progressive music radio; that's only about 20 stations nationally.

2: I've mentioned to some people that the new album has been written. I won't record vocals 'til the end of the year, and the album won't be ready until 2005. But I do have one song where all the recording is finished, and it's at rough mix stage. The MP3 is about 6 Megs. If the Moon wants to preview it sometime, I could e-mail to Jim or Avian or DotLee. It's called "Heaven On Earth", and it's really a beautiful ballad, IMHO. Up to you, guys. (It shouldn't be made available for request until it reaches it's final mixed and mastered version.)

regards,

Jack

If Jim or Avian don't want it (and I find that possibility to be extremely remote at worst and nonexistent at best), I'll definitely take it. If worse comes to worst, I'll point in a different direction, shout OOH! IT'S ELVIS! and sneak it in behind their backs. :D

Seriously, go ahead and send it to me. rlee@halibut.com (I haven't pestered Avian for an auralmoon.com account yet. I probably should). Just make sure you put the tune name and a mention of Aural Moon in the subject header. That way it'll get past my spam filters.

Roger -Dot- Lee

Heaven On Earth
 

Hi Roger:

Thanks for the heads up! I'll send the mp3 right now. Hope you like it!

regards,

Jack

JR,

I'd love to hear a copy of the mp3 too....

me three.