Album Review: BLOOZ from Grant Geissman

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Album:  BLOOZ
Artist:  Grant Geissman
Label: Futurism and Mesa/Bluemoon Recordings
Website:  www.grantgeissman.com

BLOOZ, a slang term for blues is the title of guitarist/composer Grant Geissman's sunshine-soaked release.  With all compositions written by Geissman, he explores a panoply of bluesy shades from the Caribbean/rhumba-infused grooves of "Side Hustle" to the club rock fusion of "Carlos En Siete," highlighting the jangly ringlets of David Garfield's piano keys and the percussive beats of Tiki Pasillas on congas, timbales, and shakere.  The integrating motifs create a festive street fair/Mardi Gras-like atmosphere.

The breezy ripples of Geissman's guitar chords ruminating across "Time Enough at Last" offer a lolling escape for listeners as Garfield's sprinting keys accelerate the rhythmic pulse.  Spicing up the melodic trimmings with a funky R&B thrust propelled by Tom Scott's glaring saxophone spurts along "Fat Back" proliferate the sunshine-soaked theme.  Changing course along "Rage Cage" to a jumping blues hop, the pivoting throbs of Trey Henry's upright bass shingles the track a funky gilding while Jim Cox's Hammond B3 bellows with a flaming peal.

Integrating the blues-driven melody of "Robben's Hood" with expressive improvisations on the guitar strings, each played by Robben Ford and Geissman, brews a sumptuous mixture.  The hot jazz vibrations of the guitar licks performed by Geissman, Josh Smith and Joe Bonamassa threads across "One G and Two J's" fostering a Southern rock swagger, as Russell Ferrante's keys kindle a smooth jazz sonorous along "Stranger Danger."  The boogie woogie metric traveling along "Whitewalls and Big Fins" resonates a '50s rockabilly-charged stomp closing with a big splash.

BLOOZ is Grant Geissman's 16th release overall and his 4th solo offering on his label Futurism.  Audiences are unknowingly familiar with Geissman's music as he has co-composed numerous film and television scores including the music for the CBS sitcom Two and A Half Men for all 12 seasons, and all six seasons of Mike & Molly as well as for the first season of B Positive, both sitcoms aired on CBS.  He has also contributed specialty music for such shows as The Big Bang Theory and Mom.  The music on BLOOZ might not have been intended for film or TV scores but displays the traditional idioms of the blues palette across numerous generations. A microcosm of blues history. BLOOZ is a model recording.

Musicians:
Grant Geissman - guitar
Randy Brecker - trumpet
Jim Cox - Hammond B-3, piano, and Wurlitzer
David Garfield - piano
Russell Ferrante - piano and electric piano
Tom Scott - saxophone
Josh Smith - guitar
Joe Bonamassa - guitar
Robben Ford - guitar
John Jorgenson - guitar
Trey Henry - upright bass and electric bass
Kevin Axt - upright bass
Ray Brinker - drums
Bernie Dresel - drums
Tiki Pasillas - congas, timbales, and shakere
Kevin Winard - congas and bongos

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