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Graham Czach's debut album, 'Lucid,' a personal statement
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Graham Czach's debut album, 'Lucid,' a personal statement
By Andy Downing, special to the Tribune
...Graham Czach's debut album, 'Lucid,' a personal statement
By Andy Downing, special to the Tribune
Even at just 31, Graham Czach is already a music lifer. Born and raised in suburban Palatine, Czach started playing stand-up and electric bass at the tender age of 7, forming his first rock group, the Skalawags, when he was just a freshman at Fremd High School. "We almost got a record deal but were sort of all over the place at the time," says Czach, who started the group with current Umphrey's McGee drummer Kris Myers. "If we had actually made that deal ... I would probably already be dead. I was way too young."
Going on to describe himself as "extreme" and "a bit of a wild man," a wizened Czach adds: "I learned the hard way with a lot of stuff, man. I've got a lot of gray hair already."
Listening to Czach's solo debut, "Lucid," which he'll celebrate with a record release show at Martyrs' this weekend, it's hard to doubt the multi-instrumentalist's words. The album swings between polar extremes, morphing from guitar-heavy, prog-rock jams like "Hurry Up and Wait" into more tender fare like "True Love," a Paul McCartney-esque ballad bathed in lush strings.
It's also a very personal album; Czach estimates that 75 percent of the lyrics are based on his own experiences, while the remainder come from witnessing the struggles of close friends and family. "Lost in Life," for one, grew from his dealings with an ex-girlfriend who was still coping with losing her mother at an early age. "I was so connected to her that I felt her pain," says Czach. "It made me think back to my own experiences, losing my grandfather when I was young. He was the inspiration for picking up the upright bass. It was his favorite instrument." The musical coda closing the song still stands as Czach's favorite moment on the record, guitars and strings combining in a trancelike clamor that echoes the pain and inner turmoil he felt at the time.
Czach makes no apologies for the heavier issues that surface. Other songs tackle a woman's right to choose ("Choice"), the horrors of addiction ("Nightmare") and environmental issues ("Gather Round," with Czach sounding like Captain Planet-via-John Lennon). "A lot of the music nowadays is really materialistic and about sex and money and things — which is great, whatever, that's cool — but I just wanted to address more important issues," he says. "Music is a great platform, and a lot of these songs were about bringing back substance and a universal message."
It helps that many of the tunes, to put it in the simplest terms, rock — not that anything less should be expected from a guy who started out playing heavy metal on a stand-up bass that was twice his size. "My uncle was really into Metallica and he gave (my brother and I) 'Kill 'Em All,'" says Czach. "The first thing I ever played was that solo on '(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth.' Right away I felt that connection."
localheroes@gmail.com
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Graham Czach : Lucid Review
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Graham Czach is a bassist and multi-instrumentalist talented singer/songwriter from Chicago. He has ...Graham Czach is a bassist and multi-instrumentalist talented singer/songwriter from Chicago. He has just released his debut album Lucid that contains 12 tracks.
From the start to finish, Graham takes us in his fascinating musical journey. He is accompanied by the Drummer Kris Myers (Umphrey s McGee), Keyboardist Matt Nelson (Lupe Fiasco, Matthew Santos) And Guitarist Chris Siebold (Howard Levy, Kick The Cat) Plus Brilliant Artwork By Legendary Album Artist Jeff Jordan (The Mars Volta).
It treats themes like planet (‘gather round’), addictions (‘nightmare’), abortion (‘choice’), love (‘true love’), spirituality with reincarnation (‘reincarnate’), etc .
Graham shares his emotions and his thoughts through romantic or stronger songs. His work is impressive and creative. He covered all of the vocals and basses. Lucid is a mixture of ballads and soft rock songs. It is pretty mellow and relaxing. Graham’s voice is as expressive as ever. This is one of the best new voices in music. His vocals are languorous. We appreciate the string arrangements in Gather Round that is also a tribute to John Lennon.
All in all, Lucid is to check out. Graham delivers us an amazing album that deserves a listen.
No friendly radio song stands out but musically, if you like John Lennon, Jeff Buckley, you’re gonna like this record.
Check out his official website -> here
sylvie Lesas – Evigshed Magazine
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Song of the day: Graham Czach - "Windows"
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The lovely Chrissy (Hi, Chrissy!) from Luck Media & Marketing emailed me and wondered if I wanted to...The lovely Chrissy (Hi, Chrissy!) from Luck Media & Marketing emailed me and wondered if I wanted to have a listen to Lucid (2010), an album by a prog rocker called Graham Czach. I'm a sucker for prog, so I said "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" – or words to that effect. I had a listen to the album and duly reported my first impressions to Chrissy.
Here are those first impressions:
1. "Reincarnate"
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This track engendered a few immediate reactions in me:
a) when it began I thought "hippy";
b) then Graham started singing and I thought "Radiohead" (Graham's high tenor voice sounds reminiscent of Radiohead's Thom Yorke);
c) and when the guitars came in, I thought "Muse". (the drop-D tuning on the guitars, the distortion tone, and the liberal use of octaves all say "Hello, Muse!" to me).
Before I forget, I'd like make a point of mentioning the drumming in this track. I thought it was mighty good. (I found out that the drummer on the album is a chap called Kris Myers. Thanks, Kris, for the drumming.)
2. "Hurry Up And Wait"
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This one was much more proggy than the previous track, and subsequently I liked it more. The layered vocals in this one reminded me of Yes. Each time the distorted guitars came in I kept thinking "Ah, prog metal...", but then the guitars would go away and I'd stop thinking "Ah, prog metal". And this song felt nowhere near long enough.
3. "Keep You"
I liked the vocal melodies in this one. By the way, I thought that Graham's double-tracked voice in the choruses sounded a lot like David Gilmour. Which prompts me to say to Graham: "Hey, Graham – any guy who can sound like both Thom Yorke and David Gilmour is one vocally versatile dude."
4. "Will I Ever"
I can hear a lot of Muse and Radiohead in this one. Nice drumming towards the end of the slow build-up (from, say, 2:17 until 2:49).
5. "Abide"
Very Pink Floyd. (To me, that's not a bad thing.) Nice vocal harmonies. Nice drums, too, although I wouldn't have minded them a bit louder in the mix. I liked the piano fills in the last third of the song (starting at about 2:48 – they reminded me of Mike Garson's work on David Bowie's "Lady Grinning Soul").
6. "Windows"
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I was originally going to be facetious and saying something flippant like "Why name your song after an operating system?", but then thought better of it. (You – or Graham – certainly don't want to waste your time reading smart-alec comments from an unhelpful listener.) I liked the chorus. Melodically, that chorus was a real standout on the album.
7. "Gather Round"
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This one felt like it had a definite hippy vibe to it. I must admit that I could have done without the "Across The Universe" reference (pinching the "Jai guru..." melody, the first time at 0:27). I'm afraid that inserting bits of Beatles melodies into songs is close to sacrilege for me. However, the two things I liked most about this track were the string arrangements (very busy, but interesting) and the percussion (which sounded like spoons being struck on the sides of bottles).
8. "True Love"
Very nice string arrangement. It sounds like a string quintet, with a cello and double-bass on the bottom end instead of the usual two cellos. It sounds rich and full. And it sounded even fuller at the end when the singing had finished (I'm guessing the strings were doubled there).
9. "Nightmare"
This one was a bit odd. The little interlude (or whatever it was) starting at 2:10 sounded like a mix of prog and musical theatre. (Now there's a combination you don't hear every day.) I liked the mood of this track (created by the drum beat and the unchanging root note). I also liked the guitars in this track. Oh: the interlude came back (at 3:42). I guess it's a middle eight, not an interlude. Anyway, I liked this track. And I liked the surprise heavy-guitar riffing (from 4:58).
I'm enjoying this album.
10. "Choice"
I suppose the drum beat suited the song's riffs – I guess that's what Graham wanted – but it made me feel as if I was inside a washing machine on an agitation cycle. Apart from that, I was fine with the track. I guess this song would qualify as 'prog metal'. I can't really tell if it is, because I don't listen to prog metal (which, to me, is defined by bands like Tool), but this is what I imagine prog metal would sound like.
11. "Lost In Life"
A very well recorded acoustic guitar. Plus the reverb on the track is very nice. (Can you enjoy a track for its reverb?) For some reason I'm not terribly clear on, the quieter, acoustic-y moments of this song remind me of The Moody Blues. I like the sound of the bass (from 2:13 onwards) until the instrumental section. I like the instrumental section – and that's a refreshingly subtle use of synthesized percussion in that part of the track, too.
12. "Goodnight (Lily)"
Hooray! Solo bass! One thing I listen with unnatural enthusaism to is solo bass (mainly because I'm a bass player). Nerd question for Graham: Was the main bass on that track an Alembic?
Well, that's what I thought on first listen. I've heard it a few more times now, and my views aren't that much different to the ones above. So, rather than bore you even more with a much longer post involving my second, third, fourth, and fifth impressions of the album, I'll leave it as it is.
If you want to hear more songs from the album, you can do that very thing over at Luck Media's Graham Czach page.
Buy Lucid ($9.99)
Graham Czach official website
Graham Czach on Facebook
Graham Czach on MySpace
Graham Czach on Twitter
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Music Review: Graham Czach - Lucid
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“Gather round and hold hands
With the ones thaa chew luv.”
My high school chorus teacher was a...“Gather round and hold hands
With the ones thaa chew luv.”
My high school chorus teacher was a stickler for diction and when I heard the apparently improvised “choir” repeating those lines in track seven, “Gather Round”, it made me cringe. If those lines weren’t the refrain, it wouldn’t be so noticeable, but they’re repeated again and again and again. This composition by Graham Czach is noted as a tribute to John Lennon and includes lyrics the press release says could “open up the world’s social consciousness.” I’m all in favor of that, especially in an election year. I’m afraid that “holding hands with the ones that you love” might not be sufficient action to deal with global warming.
Photo courtesy Luck Media
Lucid is Graham Czach’s solo debut CD and is a bold, wide-reaching project, especially for a self-produced album. The Chicago-based singer-songwriter (who also plays several instruments) sets out to pay homage to his influences such as Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, CSN&Y, Pink Floyd, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. At the same time, he seeks to call attention to social issues like the green movement, abortion, harmful addictions, and spiritual discovery.
Back during the sixties, Tom Smothers gave some advice to George Carlin (both of whom spent a good deal of time in the “Windy City”), “The art’s gotta be out there before you can put the content in. If you’re singing protest songs, you better be a fuckin’ good singer.”
Czach’s voice is a high tenor — very high. One of my concerns for such a high-pitched voice is that often as the singer moves up into the upper registers — and approaches the limits of his range — the depth and strength of the voice often diminishes. The loss of strength weakens the character. In this case, the occasional lapse in strength is compensated for by the compassion for his material. After all, he wrote the lyrics.
His best lyrics are in the ballads and love songs, a quintessentially popular subject for all genres. “Keep You” (my favorite track on the CD), “Windows”, and “True Love” show the writer’s experience with hope, desire, longing, and confidence in a relationship.
From “Windows”:
“Panes of glass keep you from me
As I look inside for what I need.
Free your mind and turn the key
Unlock the future to let it be.”
The music shows he’s listened well to his influences and included sufficient references to them all — including Hendrix’s wah-wah pedal. Several songs include a lush feeling provided by strings and the overall production quality is right up there. It’s a bit early to say that Czach has met the standard described by Tom Smothers, but for his solo debut album, he’s definitely off to a good start!
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“Gather Round” by Graham Czach
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“Gather Round” by Graham Czach
VERSATILE CHICAGO BASED SINGER-SONGWRITER AND MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIS...“Gather Round” by Graham Czach
VERSATILE CHICAGO BASED SINGER-SONGWRITER AND MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST FUSES MODERN AND PROGRESSIVE ROCK SENSIBILITIES WITH OLD SCHOOL SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS, MAKING THE WORLD MORE ‘LUCID’ FOR EVERYONE.
The Chicago Music Award Winner’s Solo Debut Features Drummer Kris Myers (Umphrey’s McGee), Keyboardist Matt Nelson (Lupe Fiasco, Matthew Santos) and Guitarist Chris Siebold (Howard Levy, Kick The Cat)—Plus Brilliant Artwork By Legendary Album Artist Jeff Jordan (The Mars Volta). ~ Album art and artist introduction provided by Chrissy Sutphin of LUCK Media & Marketing, Inc.
After digging a little deeper into Czach’s debut, Lucid, I must give praise to his extensive use of classical instrumentation and his fervent voicing of pain, enlightenment, controversy, and benevolent behavior. His range of style is also worth noting. For example, “True Love” is gentle, orchestral, and wraithlike while “Nightmare” brings hard guitar and percussion into the mix. “Gather Round” pays tribute to John Lennon and adopts the familiar chorus of “Across The Universe.” What I love about this song is the choir that joins him about half way through.
“Gather Round” by Graham Czach
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Big Blend Radio Interview w/ Graham Czach for Take Action Party
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Graham Czach
Chicago Music Award Winner Fuses Modern & Progressive Rock Sensibilities with Old Scho...Graham Czach
Chicago Music Award Winner Fuses Modern & Progressive Rock Sensibilities with Old School Social Consciousness, Making the World More 'Lucid' for Everyone
Remember back when rockers wrote songs that really meant something and music was a tool to communicate sweeping universal messages that could open up the world’s social consciousness?
If not, let Graham Czach make it more Lucid for you. Infused with an expansive ‘60s-‘70s classic/progressive rock sensibility, yet fully grounded in the musical vibe and social realities of the 2010s, the Chicago based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist’s highly anticipated solo debut has a few dreamy romantic songs—most notably, the simple and ethereal, classically influenced “True Love.”
Yet most of the collection’s 12 tracks are truly art for the mind and spirit, tapping into themes like caring for the planet (“Gather Round,” a tribute to John Lennon featuring references to the legendary Beatle’s chorus from “Across the Universe”), the downward spiral of harmful addictions (“Nightmare”), spiritual discovery (“Reincarnate”) and abortion (“Choice”).
Unlike many artists who simply write and sing about the causes that drive their passions, Czach puts his time, energy and money where his songs are, promising to donate a portion of the proceeds from Lucid to the non-profits he supports, including Greenpeace, Planned Parenthood, the American Cancer Society and the Art of Living Foundation. He’s participated in various runs for charity in his hometown, including the 5K AIDS Race, the Walter Payton 5K and the Chicago Half Marathon.
As Lucid sheds light on all these issues and more, Czach draws on a fascinating, diverse musical background—including his Chicago Music Award winning work with Chicago Afrobeat Project—to create musical landscapes as compelling as the lyrics.
Complementing his own bass and guitar parts are high profile guests, including drummer Kris Myers (Umphrey’s McGee), keyboardist Matt Nelson (Lupe Fiasco, Matthew Santos) and guitarist Chris Siebold (Howard Levy, Kick The Cat).
Further illuminating the emotional-social mindset behind the music on Lucid is another key collaborator, legendary album artist Jeff Jordan, who created the provocative album art on the cover and in the CD packaging. Jordan’s work on the 2008 Mars Volta album Bedlam In Goliath was voted the #2 Best Album Cover of the Year on the Rolling Stone Readers’ Rock List; Jordan also painted the Mars Volta covers for Amputechture and Octahedron.
Big Blend Radio - Graham Czach was a featured guest on Champagne Sundays radio on August 1. 2010. To listen to Graham's interview, please click here. To listen to the entire show, please click here.
Graham Czach Record Release Party
Featuring all the original players on the album.
Date: Friday, October 15
Location: Martyrs, Chicago
Time: 9:30pm
Tickets: $12
Learn more at www.GrahamCzach.com
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LISTEN: Graham Czach - "Windows" + "Lost In Life"
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Graham Czach - "Windows"
"Windows" is tight and yet ever so fluid. It starts subtly enough, but...Graham Czach - "Windows"
"Windows" is tight and yet ever so fluid. It starts subtly enough, but eventually kicks into something incredibly powerful and uplifting. Czach cites Jeff Buckley as an influence, and it's certainly evident here -- especially when he hits those insanely high notes vocally. Czach works in tension and release and can deal quite a kick going effortlessly from the soft to the quick and loud. He's an incredibly skilled musician, but is also sensitive to how a gripping melody can be just as effective as an impressive guitar solo. The music is thoughtfully arranged without sacrificing or diminishing the emotion that motivates the notes to pour out of each instrument.
More after the hop.
Graham Czach - "Lost In Life"
"Lost In Life" is equally as moving as "Windows," but illustrates the influence of Soundgarden and Radiohead, two other bands Czach holds near and dear. The song progresses into a bridge that kicks up dust but gradually winds the song down; it's grand in scale with Zeppelin-worthy string arrangements and almost prog-style guitar in the vein of Soundgarden's Kim Thayil. Vocally, Czach sounds a bit like Will Sheff of Okkervil River and shows a bit more grit in his voice.
BUY: "Windows" and "Lost In Life" are from Graham Czach's new album Lucid. Pick it up here. Buy it directly at that link as a portion of the proceeds from the album are being donated to Greenpeace, Planned Parenthood, the American Cancer Society, and the Art of Living Foundation to help change the world for the better.
Lucid features Kris Myers (Umphrey’s McGee) on drums, Matt Nelson (Lupe Fiasco, Matthew Santos) on keys, and Chris Siebold (Howard Levy, Kick the Cat) on guitars.
Chicago's Graham Czach is an accomplished musician, composer, upright/electric bassist, vocalist and guitarist. Throughout his career, he has performed with some of the industry's top musicians, including Grammy Award Winners Paul Wertico and Howard Levy. He also performs and tours with the Aaron Koppel Quartet, Andrew Ripp, the Matt Nelson Trio, and Second Hand Smoke (Sublime Tribute) among others. Czach also recently played double bass on Lupe Fiasco's forthcoming album L.A.S.E.R.S.
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Emerging Pop talent for June with FREE downloads
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"Graham Czach is a creative and accomplished musician, composer, upright/electric bassist, vocalist ..."Graham Czach is a creative and accomplished musician, composer, upright/electric bassist, vocalist and guitarist. “Lucid” is Graham’s debut album where he combines influences from being raised in a household where Led Zeppelin and the Beatles were playing constantly, to being educated and trained as a classical and jazz musician. If you're tired of John Mayers antics and want to hear a man with more talent, give this a shot. The classical composition is evident on the awesome "Abide" and the string filled "True Love." Fans of baroque pop and Eric Matthews will flip over this artist." -06/11/10
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Aaron Koppel Quartet - 3 1/2 star Downbeat Magazine Review
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"'Falling Together Falling Apart' showcases guitarist Aaron Koppel's writing and arranging skills ah..."'Falling Together Falling Apart' showcases guitarist Aaron Koppel's writing and arranging skills ahead of his playing. This translates into more solo time for what amounts to more then a quartet with pianist Matt Nelson, drummer Robert Tucker, and bassist Graham Czach being joined by alto saxophonist Greg Ward and tenor saxophonist Geof Bradfield on selected cuts... Across 10 originals, the emphasis is on group interplay, with active basslines and lively arrangements… Among the standouts is pianist Nelson, who gets the nod more often than not. His close connections with Czach form the basis of many songs, among them the serene ballad 'The Bad Decision' and the lively multi-layerd 'The Big Tease' which opens the album... There are a fair number of introspective moments on ‘Falling Together Falling Apart’, thanks again to Nelson’s knack for getting off the beaten path, but there is the occasional up tune that suggests these guys might be used to people dancing at their shows. ‘Electric Cowgirl Boogaloo’ is just such a number, featuring some bouncy funk swing with saucy playing from Ward along with lots of spritely lines from Czach, his bass playing a driving if delicate force. In the end, what makes this disc enjoyable is the way the 26-year-old Koppel takes a conventional form (mainstream jazz) and makes something of it, breaking up the material, avoiding the tendency to just write blowing vehicles...”
- John Ephland, Downbeat, December 2009.
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Falling Together Falling Apart
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by Matthew Warnock
Falling Together Falling Apart is an emotionally charged excursion through the...by Matthew Warnock
Falling Together Falling Apart is an emotionally charged excursion through the realm of modern jazz by Chicago based guitarist and band leader Aaron Koppel. The ensemble that Koppel has assembled for this recording reflects the best and brightest of the highly creative Chicago modern jazz scene. Pianist Matt Nelson, bassist Graham Czach and drummer Robert Tucker hold down the fort as solidly as any rhythm section on the scene today. Apart from the strong support given by these three, saxophonists Greg Ward and Geof Bradfield bring a strong sense of melody, invention and creative energy to every melody and solo they play. With a cohesive band, strong soloing, well-crafted compositions/arrangements and gripping guitar playing by Koppel, Falling Together Falling Apart is yet another reason why the Chicago jazz scene and its players have been receiving more and more national attention in recent years.
Koppel composed as well as arranged all of the tunes on the album, and at twenty-six years old shows a maturity in his writing, soloing and ability to lead an ensemble that reflects the real-life experience of someone twice his age. There are seldom any wasted notes in his writing or soloing. The melody section and solo on "Old Man New Tricks" is a great example of the subtlety that Koppel exudes in his playing and writing. The melody of the tune is as simple as it is eloquent, supported by clean chords that do not clutter. This strong melodic sensibility continues into Koppel's improvised solo, which is one of the few instances on the album where the band leader takes the first solo, yet another sign of the guitarist's musical sensibility and maturity. His solo is short, focused and melodic to the point of sounding like a vocal, rather than guitar solo. These qualities can be found in Koppel's playing throughout the album.
Apart from his strong showing as a performer and writer, Koppel's leadership abilities are also to be commended. Not only does he bring out the best in those around him when he's playing, he knows just the right moment to lay out and showcase his band. Tunes such as "Electric Cowgirl Boogaloo" and "Toumani" barely feature the guitarist at all. In these and other similar instances Koppel slips into the role of accompanist and lets the other members of the band take center stage. By doing so, he allows each musician to make memorable contributions to the album, and avoids producing yet another blowing session. The result is both refreshing and respectable.
Koppel delivers a masterful performance on Falling Together Falling Apart. He is at the top of his game as a soloist, his writing shows a depth and understanding of modern jazz harmony that is as exciting as it is engaging, and the tunes and ensemble are firmly in focus during each melody and solo section.
Track listing: The Big Tease; Ten Year Reverie; Electric Cowgirl Boogaloo; Falling Apart; The Bad Decision; Toumani; Falling Together; Old Man New Tricks; Our Tree; Gidderfiddle Blues.
Personnel: Aaron Koppel: guitar; Matt Nelson: piano; Graham Czach: bass; Robert Tucker: drums; Greg Ward: alto saxophone; Geof Bradfield: tenor saxophone.
Published: June 27, 2009
Style: Modern Jazz
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Native Fiction Review
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Native Fiction has the motivation to take the world by storm, playing like a veritable tempest. With...Native Fiction has the motivation to take the world by storm, playing like a veritable tempest. With members hailing from Oak Park, Hoffman Estates, Palatine and Antioch, the group includes Phil Sheaff on guitars, Matt Nelson on keyboards, Graham Czach on bass and Brad Dickert on drums (as well as nonstage band member Matt Nishan, who writes, records and mixes concerts). With all of its stage members contributing vocals, Native Fiction creates an impressive chorus of primal-sounding music. There is nothing fake about the Fiction lineup. They throw themselves wholeheartedly into playing their wild sound with gusto. Native Fiction plays romantic rock with epic scope. They're not exactly straight-up rock, nor are they a jam band or prog rockers. They say their influences include Floyd, Zappa and Miles Davis, as well as Ravel and Neil Young, but they don't sound anything like any of those particular artists. They do draw on their roots to create a fitting tribute to what has come before them. "First Case Scenario" is a little bit of everything, conveyed in dramatic guitars, sweeping melodies and fierce vocals, sometimes pretty, always practiced. And everything Native Fiction does with their music is exactly what they want to do. That kind of mastery is impressive.
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Chicago Afrobeat Project
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The musical legacy left by Nigerian Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti after his 1997 death is so dense and ...The musical legacy left by Nigerian Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti after his 1997 death is so dense and fruitful that his style continues to germinate around the world. The mere existence of the Chicago Afrobeat Project is proof of this. The group came together in 2002, and since then has embraced a two-fold aim: to make people dance (which isn't hard, given infectious polyrhythms and blistering horn interplay) and to spread the word about Fela and the music he created. But while the CAbP certainly pays tribute to Afrobeat's founding father, it isn't a tribute act: The band writes its own songs based around funky keyboards, charging horn lines and talking drums, thus keeping the music vibrant and vital.
