Contemporary jazz offers featured roles for electric guitar, electric bass, horns and keyboard. And then there’s the drummer. No longer a timekeeper, the drummer sits amid his extended set of percussion instruments and propels his band with a variety of tools. Dave Weckl employs practiced rudiments on his large set to create patterns that interact with the other band members.
   He stretches out occasionally, but prefers to share in each track’s creation instead. Guitarist Buzz Feiten breathes fire in a hard rock tradition. Pianist Jay Oliver chooses from the hundreds of distinct electronic keyboard sounds available to him and stretches out at will. Brandon Fields does better on the lively blues-derived numbers. That’s where he gets a chance to loosen up with his tenor sax, jump and jive, swing and sway; he’s having a good time... allaboutjazz.com
...Hence, the title, SYNERGY, reflects the band's tight cohesiveness, and their ability to lay down intense grooves and burn through stunning solo sections as if of one mind. Specializing in muscular rhythmic complexities, Weckl does what he does best here while maintaining the clean, driving groove that has typified this project since its inception... cduniverse.com

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   Jay Oliver (April 26, 1959) is an American jazz musician (piano, keyboards and synths), composer, record producer, programmer & engineer; residing in Los Angeles. He began his professional music career at the age of 19 as the youngest member of Maynard Ferguson’s band. His later credits include: Sheryl Crow, The Eagles, Jimmy Buffett, Wynona Judd, Glenn Frey, Peabo Bryson, Chick Corea, Dave Weckl, Russ Kunkel, Jay Graydon, Aomusic, Bonnie Raitt, Michael Brecker and many others...
    Jay resides in Los Angeles, where he has worked extensively in music composition and production since 1990. Ranging from jazz fusion and World music to soundtracks to session work of all kinds...

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   Brandon Fields (b. in Indiana,1958) started playing the piano at age five, violin at eight and was enamored with the alto saxophone by ten. He began working as a freelance musician while still a teenager, and moved to the Los Angeles area in 1982 to embrace the inspiring local club and studio scene...
...As a sideman, his recording credits reflect his eclectic influences, including Tower of Power, Earth Wind & Fire, Elton John, Quincy Jones, Nancy Wilson, Jewel, B.B. King, Everclear, Bonnie Raitt, Babyface, Toto, Luther Vandross, Luis Miguel, Al Jarreau, Robben Ford, Bobby Caldwell, Los Lobotomys, The Rippingtons, Nancy Sinatra, George Duke, Stanley Clarke, The Temptations, Buzz Feiten, Michael McDonald, Randy Newman, Neil Diamond, Kenny Rogers, David Garfield, Lionel Richie, Queen Latifah, Rob Thomas, Engelbert Humperdink, Harry Connick Jr., O.D.B, and Dave Weckl....
...When he's home in Los Angeles, Brandon continues to write and record, honing his skills on a variety of auxilliary instruments (flutes, keyboards, and percussion), and to play at his favorite L.A. area clubs in both acoustic and electric settings, performing original material and arrangements of current faves, combining his wide range of influences into his own unique expressive instrumental style.

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   Tom Kennedy (b. August 21, 1960 in St. Louis, Missouri) is the son of a professional trumpet player. He began playing acoustic bass at the age of 9 on a double-bass brought home by his older brother jazz pianist Ray Kennedy.[1] Soon he began to perform with many nationally recognized artists passing through the Midwest. By his 18th birthday, had performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Stitt, Stan Kenton, James Moody, Barney Kessel, Eddie Harris, George Russell, Nat Adderley, Peter Erskine, Bill Watrous and Freddie Hubbard, among others...specialized in acoustic jazz until his introduction to the electric bass at age 17. Soon he was dividing his time between mainstream jazz and contemporary fusion-funk....
...Kennedy relocated to New York City in 1984 and became involved in musical situations on both instruments. Tom’s east coast career expanded to include performances and recordings with such artists as Dave Weckl, Don Grolnick, Steve Kahn, Randy Brecker, Benny Green, Bucky Pizzarelli, Al Di Meola, Steve Ferrone and Junior Cooke....