Alcibiades Jones
Gig Seeker Pro

Alcibiades Jones

| INDIE

| INDIE
Band Jazz Funk

Calendar

This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

Music

Press


"KyndMusic.com: Refraction Mirage"

Alcibiades Jones is a trio that describes itself as being a jam band, a jazz band and a funk band, all at once. One thing that is certain is these three players, which originally got together in 1998 in their hometown of New Haven, Connecticut, have developed a high degree of musical empathy. They’ve just recently released their debut album, Refraction Mirage, and it’s a solid effort with some sharp flowing jams that are underscored by a funky backdrop. For a trio they offer quite a “busy” sound, but when they gel its extremely rewarding, as in the spunky, perhaps more spacious grooves of “Artemis Slain” in which guitarist Austin Barney lets fly with some superb melodic lead flurries. Elsewhere they shine with the bluegrass-slide guitar driven “Down With Uncle Jed” and get into a more fusion groove with the lengthy “Mirage.” The latter clocks in at almost ten-minutes and perhaps best demonstrates the trio’s juxtaposition of improvisation and structure. I have a feeling these guys really fire it up in a live show. For more information check out www.shatteryourleaves.com (opens in a new window). Reviewed by Mick Skidmore for Kynd Music Right Action. - KyndMusic.com


"Alcibiades Jones--Camp Yale Jam"

"The coordinator, Stuart Watson, ES '04, had planned the event as one of many stops his band—Alcibiades Jones—is making during their current tour. After a pint and some friendly banter, the band wandered down memory lane, back to their humbler beginnings. Alcibiades Jones was born in the basement of a boarding-school dorm, and continued to fluorish through the members' college years. Now, the illustrious and tour-weary group wishes to lend a hand to those struggling college jam bands they once were. Watson, then, decided to return to his alma mater and share some stage time with his fellow Elis....

Alcibiades Jones, the motivation behind Camp Yale Jam, capped off the evening. Watson owned the venue with his bass guitar, playing a rock-and-funk infused jazz. The band, with Watson on bass, Alex Zanecchia on drums, and Austin Barney on guitar, jammed out an intricate yet unforced jazz. Their CD, Refraction Mirage, boasts several great tracks and should be sought by anyone interested in jazz fusion.

Seeing such a strong band as Alcibiades Jones play for such a small crowd reminds one what makes a true musician. While playing small events like the Camp Yale Jam, the young musicians who form Alcibiades Jones excitedly pursue their dream of breaking into the music industry. For this band, though, industry or not, musical success come in the form of playing and immersing oneself in music for a living: a concept that sometimes seems all but forgotten in the popular-music world." --John Mullins, September 9, 2005, Yale Herald - The Yale Herald


"Muzikreviews.com: Alcibiades Jones-Refraction Mirage"

Three guys and a lot of creative noise is the best way to describe Alcibiades Jones (Pronounced Al-suh-by-dees). After giving their new CD Refraction Mirage several spins I am simply marveling at how incredibly talented these three musicians are.

Austin Barney (guitar), Stuart Watson (bass) and Alex Zanecchia (drums) put it all together on this extremely enjoyable instrumental excursion. You will hear jazz, rock, surf, jam, and all of the above, mixed together to formulate one of the tastiest musical stews you will ever have the distinct pleasure to consume. This CD is jam packed with some major league ear candy.

This rock hybrid is on the cutting edge. Their funky jazz-fusion-rock workouts are difficult to put into any one niche because of the different direction each song takes. They have managed to gather influences from nearly ever style of music there is and bake it into their own one of a kind sound on each individual track. What makes the complete package so impressive is the fact that it is all instrumental. They prefer to let the music do all the talking. Although that emotional factor of lyrics is nonexistent, it is not something that you will miss. This is music with tons of color and character without the Vox Humana. You would be surprised how emotionally driven each piece is. I certainly can hear it in the way these young men play and approach every song.

I loved every track, absolutely. This one is 10 on any scale.

© Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck-http://www.muzikreviews.com

June 10, 2005
- Muzikreviews.com


"Smother.net: Refraction Mirage"

Slightly psychedelic improvisational rock with a fusion of jazz, funk, and rock-n-roll, is what Alcibiades Jones is up to these days. With a debut as strong as this, they’re going to be up to a whole heck of a lot more. Hailing from New Haven, Connecticut, this jam band doesn’t mess around when it comes to songwriting. I love the time signature changes and the sleek guitar tone. Yes it’s instrumental so you won’t find yourself singing along but that’ll be easily replaced with humming the guitar notes.

- J-Sin - Smother.net


"Kweevak: Refraction Mirage"

ALCIBIADES JONES – REFRACTION MIRAGE: Upon hearing the first few notes of the up-tempo 'Thermidor' I thought, "I am really going to like this band" and sure enough their innovative instrumentals won me over. Alcibiades Jones is an experimental trio noodling in the realms of funk, jam, jazz and psychedelic rock. Their music is vibrant and the varied break beats and melodic tempos are entrancing. Funky bass lines and dynamic guitars add color to their musical imagery. Refraction Mirage is their ten-track debut. It was recorded live with few overdubs allowing passion and spontaneity to flow. Alcibiades Jones is working on their next record and touring in support of Refraction Mirage. Track two, 'Honduras' combines heavy rhythms with dramatic guitars and a driving base line. 'The Villa Is Burning' is another smoking tune with fast furious guitars leads blending with a blazing tempo. At some point, the instrumentation slows down to explore a diversity of rifts before building up more momentum. Although I listed the first three songs as my favorites, I enjoyed the whole CD with its diverse, energized jamming and quality musicianship!
• Recommended Tracks: (1,2,3) [USA/CT 2005 - web] (Review by Laura Turner Lynch for Kweevak.com)

- Kweevak.com


"New Haven Advocate"

"The playing is proficient, often passionate and quite tasteful... They've laid down some great jazz-rock fusion jams." -Brian G. LaRue - Brian G. LaRue


"Impact Press: Refraction Mirage"

Alcibiades Jones is a versatile fusion trio that plays instrumental music. They blend rock, jazz, and funk in this catchy album. They even play a bit of bluegrass-inspired slide guitar on one track. The album sounds like a group of buddies who are having a hell of a time, sometimes improvising as they play. (AL) - Impactpress.com


"Hands Down Amazing"

There’s not a bad thing I can say
about this jazz CD from the band
Alcibiades Jones. The production
is great, the music is hands
down amazing, and the choice of
songs is outstanding. Sometimes
instrumental CDs fall short
because the songs flow too much
into one another without enough
differentiation to make a good
listening experience… These guys
show how to do it right, each song
changing moods in a refreshing way.
This CD is a must-have for those
who love jazz.

Production 5.0 (out of 5.0)
Music 5.0
Musicianship 5.0 - Unsigned Music Magazine


"Cool, basante cool"

Cool, bastante cool. La banda de Connecticut se debe dar unas divertidas tremendas haciendo música, mezclando influencias (se autodeterminan una banda de fusión) que finalmente le dan un toque de jazz al jam rock que hacen o bien hacen que el jazz que manejan rockee… como lo quieras ver. Vale la pena estarse un buen rato con esta banda y escuchar atentamente lo que hace cada uno de los instrumentos y cómo se empatan entre los tres músicos.

Thermidor, con la que despega el disco me dió la sensación al inicio que estaba oyendo la guitarra de Gustavo Cerati en sus tiempos de Soda Stereo, trae nostalgia hasta que el solo de guitarra comienza a dar de sí con acordes a-la-Robbie Krieger en tiempos de The Doors, finalizando con el bajo jazzeando y rockeando. Buen track de comienzo… no te lo sacas fácil de la cabeza.

El mood se apetece más calmado en Honduras (más jazzy), donde tienen que escuchar el hi-hat de la batería, sin ser fenomenal, mientras la guitarra se desliza con un estilo que va tomando forma, de nuevo sin ser extraordinario. La banda en su conjunto, sin embargo, se oye acoplada y -de nuevo e importante- divirtiéndose (escuchen el climax y el cambio final)… qué sensación tan agradable!

Viene un track con algo de funk en una de mis favoritas: The Villa Is Burning, donde la guitarra acústica, batería y bajo repiten el loop (con ciertos cambios a lo largo del track claro), mientras la guitarra se destrampa… hasta llegar al slowtempo donde todos comienzan el jam. La banda trae su rollo y está bieeeen suaaaveeee…. coool…. Artemis Slain, parece que nos lleve a lo mismo hasta llegar a la recta final, con un rock que debemos pensar como una combinación rockabilly jazz.. raro no? y funciona…

Mirage es el track del jam… rock más que todo… el track extendido, que incluye kriegerismos de nuevo, solos escondidos (y no tanto, como el de la batería) de cada músico, silencios, rock que es jazz, subidas en octavas, pero sobre todo un delicioso jam. La banda tiene hasta para un blues en Aristotle Blues, sabroso, sabiendo que lo está haciendo una jam band de rock jazz… bueno sin ser el mejor.

Green Tea, regresa a la banda a su onda más jazzy… (rockeada en un lento beat en ocasiones, gracias al bajo). Mientras los acordes acústicos en un sonido folky/blues (y en ocasiones casi bluegrass) sorprenden por lo que venía haciendo la banda antes de este track en un puente corto en Down With Uncle Jed, la banda continúa con un track más bien retroseventies en Switch, finalizando el disco con Into The Deep, que arranca con un funk a base de wah-wahs excelente. Escuchen el wah-solo, y el rasgueo con wah al estilo 70's qué bueno!
Quizá he disfrutado el material por la sensación de jam entre amigos, quizá porque -de tener la capacidad de composición y ejecución- sería el tipo de cosas que me gustaría hacer con mis amigos, no lo sé… Sólo sé que disftuté mucho el disco.

- Eufonia Music


"Smother.net: Freedom in the Cave"

Instrumental jam rock from Connecticut, Alcibiades Jones is able to single-handedly move an audience with their guitars that can give a mighty yell or a wistful whisper. Epic songs that have structure despite an aura of improvisation flowing throughout each tune. Definitely a close cousin of jazz, “Freedom in the Cave” is a smart man’s music.

- J-Sin - Smother.net


Discography

Refraction Mirage, May 10, 2005, Refraction Mirage Records. All rights administered by Refraction Mirage Records (ASCAP).

Freedom in the Cave, January 30, 2007, Refraction Mirage Records. All rights administered by Refraction Mirage Records (ASCAP).

Vacant Cavern, July 11, 2007, Refraction Mirage Records. All rights administered by Refraction Mirage Records (ASCAP).

"Artemis Slain" used in Roadtrip Nation Episode 1, September 1, 2006. Aired nationally on PBS.

"Artemis Slain" and "The Villa is Burning" used in Roadtrip Nation Episode 9, December 2006. Aired nationally on PBS.

"Mirage," "Aristotle Blues," "Green Tea," "Switch," and "Artemis Slain" were all used in Sons of Hollywood, which aired on A&E Spring 2007.

National Radio Campaign through Planetary Group June 13-August 3 2005.

Refraction Mirage charted at #10 on Chicago's WUIC Jazz Chart for the week of June 21.

Refraction Mirage charted at #3 on greater-Milwaukee area's WCSR Top 200 Chart for the week of July 11.

Refraction Mirage has been receiving significant air-play at College Radio stations across the country, including KWCW (Walla Walla, WA), KWMR (Pt. Reyes, CA), WXOU (Rochester, MI), WOUB (Athens, OH), WTJU (Charlottesville, VA), WNEC (Henniker, NH), WCNI (New London, CT), KEUL (Girdwood, AK), WCFM (Williamstown, MA), WLUW (Chicago, IL), WGFR (Queensbury, NY), WRKC (Wilkes-Barre, PA), WUPJ (Johnstown, PA), WMSC (Upper Montclaire, NJ), WMUH (Allentown, PA), WMXM (Lake Forest, IL), WNSU (Ft. Lauderdale, FL), WMPG (Portland, ME), WHRW (Binghampton, NY), WDCE (Richmond, VA), WFCS (New Britain, CT), WDCR (Hanover, NH), WRFL (Lexington, KY), KTUH (Honolulu, HI), WMEB (Orono, ME), WCRD (Muncy, IN), WOBC (Oberlin, OH), WRHO (Oneonta, NY), KTRM (Kirksville, MO), and many others.

Photos

Bio

Alcibiades Jones is an experimental rock group based in New York City. The band's influences include John Scofield, Steely Dan, and Don Caballero. The group released their debut LP, "Refraction Mirage" on Refraction Mirage Records on May 10, 2005.

Songs "Artemis Slain" and "The Villa is Burning" were both used as part of the soundtrack for the 2006 Season of PBS's Roadtrip Nation. "Artemis Slain," "Aristotle Blues," "Mirage," and "Switch" were all used during the course of the 12 episode 2007 season of the notorious reality series "Sons of Hollywood."

Austin Barney and Stuart Watson are the songwriters behind this successful instrumental music. Since a long tour in the Fall of 2005, the band has released a second CD entitled "Freedom in the Cave" in January 2007, and a third album of new material and covers, "Vacant Cavern" on July 11, 2007. In addition, a fourth album of experimental, noise, and ambient music is scheduled for a Fall-Winter 2007 release.