Sounds of Greg D

A perfectly lively, joyous and nicely melodic pop-rock album that was performed live in the studio. Greg D's deep, friendly, commanding voice projects a warmth and smooth assurance that's quite engaging. The folksy, harmonic, pleasingly kicked-back, yet still hoppin' arrangements are likewise really up to speed while the snappy tempos and neatly boppin' beats bounce along in a winningly catchy and effervescent manner. Moreover, there's a real blithe spirit and good-natured quality evident in such delightful songs a "Something's Always Wrong," "Having A Good Time," and "Love on the Go" that's genuinely refreshing and appealing. It's this infectiously perky and upbeat sensibility which in turn makes this album a real treat to listen to.


- Joe W - JERSEY BEAT (Nov 1, 2006)

What a great album, your best easily I'd say and I am a big fan of your last work. The production, execution, and musicianship is ultra tasty and alive. The songs themselves are top notch.


- Don Campau - No Pigeonholes

We like this record! It's quirky and fun.

- Billy Zero

It’s always a pleasant surprise to attend a show and discover the band you’re seeing is just as good live as they are on their studio recordings. This was the case last Friday night, when I saw Sounds of Greg D perform at Mo Pitkins. All I knew about the band beforehand was what I had heard on BTR the week leading up to the gig.

I left a fan.

But first up was an extremely enjoyable performance by The Violets, who played before Sounds of Greg D. These two bands playing together made for a somewhat interesting combination. The Greg D performance was very laid back, with the band members dressed casually in jeans and collared shirts. The Violets, however, hooked up a very entertaining stage act, complete with cross-dressing, checkered pants, and brightly dyed hair. Let’s just very loosely compare them to old school Good Charlotte performing with Dave Matthews Band. But, despite the difference in sound and attire, the two bands surprisingly complemented each other quite nicely.

Sounds of Greg D ended up playing for only 30 minutes, but that was all the time they needed to strut their stuff. The band, comprised of members Greg D (vocals/guitar/harmonica), Dave Dreiwitz (bass), Arne Wendt (piano) and Ryan Thornton (drums), made the most of their abbreviated time on stage, winning over the crowd with their relaxed-yet-solid set.

The show opened with “Blame Myself,” the first track off their CD My Little Monkey Got Caught. The song boasts a cheerful beat, which the band cleverly blends with lyrics addressing the need to constantly blame yourself, complete with “la la la’s”. They followed up with the title track from the album, which turned out to be much more intense than the recorded version, and boasted tighter drum beats, which gave it an almost island-like feel.

The next song, “Forty,” is, well, an ode to turning 40-years-old. It really showcased the group’s sense of humor at not being the typical band of 20-something-aged performers. The next two songs, “Morning-Time” and “What Made You?” flowed quite nicely. “Morning-Time” was accentuated with a little harmonica action by Greg D and gathered up speed as the song went on. The set was capped off by “Standing in the Shadows With You.” The band played with the most emotion during this song, which ended their performance on a high note.

The band’s set was unfortunately cut short due to time restraints, which was disappointing because I was really getting into it. However, they’ll be more chances to catch Sounds of Greg D. They’ll be at 58 Gallery in Jersey City, NJ on May 5 and at the Surfside Grill in Asbury Park, NJ on May 20.


- Colleen McAllister @ Break Thru Radio

Sounds of Greg D is based primarily around the singing and songwriting of Greg Di Gesu who has been playing in various bands since the mid-80's.

If you like Syd Barrett, Ray Davies and the formentioned Lou Reed then chances are you'll dig the current Sounds of Greg D


- Bruce Warren

Greg Di Gesu wrote the wonderful Chris Butler interview last issue, and this is his combo, recorded completely live, "no overdubs, all end of session rough mixes as final mixes!" That's right kids, live takes, vocals included, all done in two days at Cowboy Technical Service in Brooklyn by engineer Tim Hatfield. Mastered by Tom Ruff at Mercenary Productions. Greg's ace is the talented backing quartet behind him, supporting the tunes and playing well. There's a loose, engaging feel here like Dylan's Highway 61, certainly due to the live studio approach, though the 16 track, 15 ips 2" and accompanying tape hiss doesn't hurt!


- Larry Crane

Many thanks!!! I really LOVE the CD!!! ... it's what I call a perfect (!!!) release for people looking for a certain feeling/*honesty* in music!! I just realised that we know each other for almost 20 years!! With each step (band/release) I think you came closer to your *real you in music* (if that makes sense in english) and Monkey is the *best* so far!!! - Lord Litter