Hectic Watermelon
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Hectic Watermelon

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"Reviewed by François Couture"

An impressive debut—that’s all there is to say about The Great American Road Trip! Okay, there’s actually a lot more to tell, but after the disk stops spinning, the only thing on your mind will be “What, this is a debut album?!?” Hectic Watermelon is a quirky fusion trio led by a very good guitarist, on of the best kinds of guitarist in fact: the kind that eschews pointless flashiness in favor of wild ideas. John Czajkowski possesses all the necessary skills to pull of a fusion career—and he does take the time to impress on The Great American Road Trip—but he is first and foremost a strong composer with a knack for studio work. The album offers a very large sound palette, form madly contorted rock songs (“Twenty-First Century Visigoth,” hilarious) to textural sonic experiments (and “layover in Hamemet”). But the bulk of the album consists of spirited fast-paced fusion instrumentals featuring Czajkowski, bassist Harley Magsino, drummer Darren DeBree, and none other than Mahavishnu Orchestra’s violinist extraordinaire as a special guest. Goodman appears on all but two tracks and his trademark sound is put to excellent use in highlights “Bullets, Dice and 30 Megabytes,” “The Third Derivative of James Brown,” and “Subterranean Rapid Transit.” John McLaughlin’s influence is felt throughout the album, but Frank Zappa is also quite present—not in Czajkowski’s guitar playing, but in his witty writing and sense of humor. Both entertaining and technically impressive, The Great American Road Trip has enough jazz to titillate fusion fans, enough complexity to please the progressively inclined, but most of all (and despite the above statements about Zappa and McLaughlin) it has its own endearing personality. And that, more than anything else is what makes it such a strong debut album. Highly recommended. - All Music Guide


"Master's Recital Commands Attention:"

Master's Recital Commands Attention:

Teacher and ex-Navy SEAL John Czajkowski brings serious guitar chops to debut

San Diego Union-Tribune
November 19, 2006
By George Varga POP MUSIC CRITIC

ARTIST: John Czajkowski is the guitarist, bandleader, composer, producer and audio engineer for the band Hectic Watermelon. He describes his intricate music as sounding like a combination of “(Frank) Zappa, Tribal Tech and The Dregs.”

INSTRUMENTS: Electric and acoustic guitars, guitar synthesizer, mandolin, keyboards and sound design.

UPCOMING SHOWS: With his band, Hectic Watermelon, Dec. 14 at SDSU's Smith Recital Hall and Jan. 9 at Winston's in Ocean Beach.

WEB SITE: www.hecticwatermelon.com

KEY COMMENT: “What I hope to do is impart integrity and honesty into my music and the players I'm privileged to work with. I want to create a situation where everybody can be 100 percent themselves, in a setting that's challenging but also embraces who they are as players.”

John Czajkowski is the guitarist, bandleader, composer, producer and audio engineer for the band Hectic Watermelon. He describes his intricate music as sounding like a combination of “(Frank) Zappa, Tribal Tech and The Dregs.”

John Czajkowski could make history when he and his virtuoso fusion band, Hectic Watermelon, performs their CD release concert Dec. 14 at SDSU's Smith Recital Hall. The concert, which is free to the public and features ex-Mahavishnu Orchestra violin star Jerry Goodman, will also double as the master's recital for this fleet-fingered guitarist and composer.

“It's definitely a first,” said Joseph Waters, the SDSU music department's director of electro-acoustic and media composition. “I've never heard of anyone simultaneously doing their master's recital and album release concert as a combined event before.”

But multi-tasking is easy for Czajkowski, who partly honed his formidable guitar chops during his downtime at sea as a U.S. Navy SEAL officer in the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Storm.

A happily married father of two young daughters, he has juggled studies for his master's degree in composition at SDSU with his work as an 11th grade teacher at Bonita Vista High School in Chula Vista. He currently teaches advanced placement English in the school's International Baccalaureate Program, as well as advanced placement music theory and guitar.

“My students definitely know about my musical life, and they're very positive about it,” said Czajkowski, who last month performed a benefit at Bonita Vista with Hectic Watermelon and a student band called The Transcontinental Spray-tan Syndicate.

“But you could be Eddie Van Halen and nobody would care. Kids expect teachers to be teachers, not rock stars. So whenever I refer to my music, it's always in an educational context, like: 'Boy, did I waste a lot of time this weekend – here's what I learned.' ”

Considering his perpetual swirl of activity, wasting time seems unlikely for Czajkowski, 40, who graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1989 and is also credentialed to teach physics. An Oakland native, he began classical piano lessons in elementary school, then switched to guitar after hearing Dire Straits' “Sultans of Swing.”

By the time he was in high school, Czajkowski (pronounced Chai-kow-ski, like the famed classical composer) was good enough to briefly study with rock guitar hero Joe Satriani. He had less time for music during his tenure at the Naval Academy or while attending Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL and SEAL Team One Training School in Coronado.

“Ironically, it was during Operation Desert Storm that I really had time to play,” he recalled. “Between missions, I would be on a ship listening to albums by (guitar greats) Eric Johnson and Steve Morse. Since I just had a little boombox and didn't have any transcriptions, I learned them all by ear.”

Czajkowski recorded Hectic Watermelon's album, “The Great American Road Trip,” in his home studio. He released it this fall on his own label, Predator Fish.

A tour de force, especially since it's his first album ever, it showcases his dazzling fretwork, contrapuntal ingenuity and impeccable ensemble playing with bassist Harley Mausino and drummer Darren Debree (violinist Goodman is featured on nine of the album's 11 selections). Produced and engineered by Czajkowski, the 47-minute release features such intricate compositions as “Bionic Hillbilly” and “The Third Derivative of James Brown,” which blend elements of fusion jazz, prog-rock, funk and contemporary classical.

“John is brilliant and it's a joy to work with him,” said SDSU music professor Waters. “A teacher's most important role is to give students permission to be who they are. John had this enormous talent waiting to be released; he just needed someone to give him the go-ahead.”

On his band's Web site, Czajkowski describes Hectic Watermelon as a “precision-guided Post-Zappa Commando-Fusion trio.”

“Rock needs to take risks or it's just contrived, pretentious and lame,” he said. “As a former commando, I know about taking calculated risks – high risk, high yield.”
- San Diego Union-Tribune


"Album Review by Midwest Record"

HECTIC WATERMELON/Great American Road Trip: The next generation of jazz/rock/progressive has arrived, and show they know their history, they invited Jerry Goodman around for a few licks. It can be a challenge to move this genre forward when so much great foundation has been laid and has to be lived up to, but these cats have their feet in today and craft this for young, up and coming tastes that aren’t bound by the past. Mahavishnu fans might pass it by but their kids will take note, as it should be. With a degree of genre splicing ruing rampant, it’s the kind of sonic gumbo progressive college kids will relate to.
3346 (Predator Fish)
- Midwest Record


"George Harris AAJ Review"

November Los Angeles, Bay Area and Chicago November print editions:

Power trio Hectic Watermelon’s (John Czajkowski, Darren DeBree, Harley Magsino, plus special guest, Jerry Goodman) latest release, The Great American Road Trip, is a slice of progressive rock/jazz that will whet the appetite of any fan of the Mahavishnu Orchestra or King Crimson. Adding to the equation is the addition of Mahavishnu Orchestra alumnus, violinist Jerry Goodman, who is still crazy after all these years. His electrifying violin work creates quite a number of sparks with John Czajkowski’s hard driving guitar. On “Bionic Hillbilly,” the violin and guitar themed melody is multi-layered and bluesy over Darren DeBree’s hard rocking and aggressive drum work. The playing is complex and highly intricate, mixing heavy metal guitar tuplets and progressive chord progressions. “Twenty-first Century Visigoth” is a clever mix of ‘70s metal with modern attitude, reminiscent of vintage King Crimson. “F Street Fulano” delivers a clever use of chord progressions, mixed with Goodman’s maniacal violin dancing over the frenetic bass and drum work. “Steve’s Stunt Double” features some absolutely astonishing guitar work by Czakowski. I can’t wait to get the transcription of this one! “The Third Derivative of James Brown” combines frenetic fretwork with Goodman’s high-octane violin, mixed with clever usage of voice sampling. Throughout each of the songs on this masterful set, the playing is tight, complex and eclectic. Anybody who is missing the days when Jeff Beck’s Blow by Blow or The Mahavishnu Orchestra’s Birds of Fire ruled the world will have found a friend in this high-energy recording. - All About Jazz:


"Reviewed by MJBrady"

Published 4 Nov 2006

I absolutely love when an obscure band comes seemingly out from nowhere to kick my behind. And though California is somewhere, this band has done just that. Coming at you with a high tech, ultra dense progressive fusion attack, this Navy Seal led band has all the talent and imagination to stifle the minds of the hardest core fusion heads anywhere. And they don't just appeal to that genre, this music has such a unique sound and the players are outrageously gifted, that progressive rock fans that have a flair for instrumental adventure will find more than enough to appeal to their senses.

Hectic Watermelon is able to draw from a wide array of influences coming mostly from the fusion side of things, but with enough Zappa-esque flair to keep the music bumpy and non-repetitive. Each song is a flavor of it's own, showing the innovations of Mahavishnu, the virtuosity of The Dregs, the class of Return to Forever, and the humor and daring of Zappa more challenging instrumental compositions. While this may seem an exaggeration of sorts, trust me when I emphasize that the musicians in this band are equal to the task in every way. They have enlisted some outside players to assist on various songs, even ex-Dreg/Vishnu violinist - Jerry Goodman.

I have heard a LOT of fusion and progfusion stuff, and this is as good as it gets for this small subgenre, the members of this band feed on all of your aural imagery through the clever constructions of this music, while they are all impressive soloists in their own right, what they are doing as musical inventors is where they make their mark, as this cd will impress you not only at the first passing, but each successive listen will continue to challenge and awaken your attention to the details of their unique brand of music.

So, In hearing this band for the first time, I was floored, so much so, that I was convinced that musicians this seasoned have been doing a lot of things with a lot of artists, but this seemingly is not so. So add them to a new generation of important prog/fusion bands that need to be heard to convince you. Along with Helmet of Gnats, Bad Dog U, Kick the Cat, there is another wild breed of music on the front, one that will appeal to those that long for the days of yore, and don't mind musicians that are forward thinking, while paying homage to the roots of the genre itself. Excellent recording, top recommendation! - Prognosis


Discography

The Great American Road Trip (Predator Fish Records)

Photos

Bio

Hectic Watermelon is a progressive "Post-Zappa Commando-Fusion" action-music band from San Diego-Los Angeles comprised of John Czajkowski on guitars, Darren DeBree on drums, and Harley Magsino on bass. The recently released album, The Great American Road Trip, featuring Jerry Goodman (of Mahavishnu Orchestra and Dixie Dregs) is a sonic tour de force. Experiencing the debut album, The Great American Road Trip, the listener is treated to a fresh retrospective that draws from the American jazz-rock traditions of the past decades with a highly ambitious new compositional direction. Czajkowski relates, “My aim has been to write and record an album that has more dimension than a mainstream instrumental rock guitar album.” The resulting album is a palette of deep compositions that draw idioms ranging from classical, jazz and fusion to progressive rock, bluegrass, and metal.

Hectic Watermelon receives airplay around the US and in Western Europe on terrestrial and internet stations featuring fusion and progressive-fusion programs and has conducted extended radio interviews. Distributed in the US, UK and Japan, The Great American Road Trip has earned the number one spot on the UK Jazzwise Alternative College Jazz Charts. In the U.S., the album has been in the top 20 on the East Coast Gagliarchives progressive stations in Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania for 12 weeks. It has been reviewed in the All Music Guide as well as All About Jazz, and many other major press locations with advertising and/or reviews in major periodicals such as Guitar Player Magazine and All About Jazz. The band has begun to play the intense music in the Southern California area with a recent CD release concert for a full college concert hall audience with special guest, Jerry Goodman.

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, John Czajkowski cites the following guitarists and composers as his chief influences and inspirations: Frank Zappa, Steve Morse, Eric Johnson, Allan Holdsworth, Scott Henderson, Adrian Belew, Vernon Reid, Mike Patton, Pat Martino, John McLaughlin, Pat Metheny, Dusan Bogdonovic, Egberto Gismonte, Ornette Coleman, the Assad Brothers and the Romeros. He has been influenced by many major 20th century classical figures, but he is most inspired by the free-spirited and rebellious attitude of American maverick composers such as John Cage, Harry Partch, George Crumb and Scott Johnson. Lastly, there is a distant influence of 70's cartoon music. John holds a Masters of Music degree in contemporary composition from San Diego State University. Prior to his MM, John studied classical guitar extensively with Romero Disciple, Robert Wetzel.

In addition to his work writing, producing and performing with Hectic Watermelon and Jerry Goodman, John is proud to be working with German drummer, Marco Minnemann on a new project called Normalizer 2 that will involve five composers (Mike Keneally, Alex Machacek, Mario Brinkman, Marco and John) writing and recording music around an extended drum performance.

"Every so often, an album like Hectic Watermelon’s The Great American Road Trip comes along to give me hope that jazz-rock fusion hasn’t collapsed like a poorly-made soufflé under the weight of its own clichés."
- Dave Wayne at Jazz Review

"John McLaughlin’s influence is felt throughout the album, but Frank Zappa is also quite present—not in Czajkowski’s guitar playing, but in his witty writing and sense of humor. Both entertaining and technically impressive, The Great American Road Trip has enough jazz to titillate fusion fans, enough complexity to please the progressively inclined, but most of all (and despite the above statements about Zappa and McLaughlin) it has its own endearing personality. And that, more than anything else is what makes it such a strong debut album. Highly recommended."
- François Couture for the All Music Guide

"A tour de force, (The Great American Road Trip) showcases his dazzling fretwork, contrapuntal ingenuity and impeccable ensemble playing with bassist Harley Magsino and drummer Darren Debree (violinist Goodman is featured on nine of the album's 11 selections)...a virtuoso fusion band…a fleet-fingered guitarist and composer…intricate compositions (that) blend elements of fusion jazz, prog-rock, funk and contemporary classical."
- By George Varga San Diego Union-Tribune

"I absolutely love when an obscure band comes seemingly out from nowhere to kick my behind. Coming at you with a high tech, ultra dense progressive fusion attack, this Navy SEAL-led band has all the talent and imagination (for) the hardest core fusion heads anywhere. And they don't just appeal to that genre, this music has such a unique sound and the players are outrageously gifted, that progressive rock fans that have a flair for instrumental adventure will find more than enough to appeal to their senses."
- MJBrady (Prognosis: Feature Review 4 Nov 2006)

"With so much competition