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Kraft Quartet & Friends



Last Updated: 11/28/2009

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City: NYC
State: New York
Country: US
Signup Date: 3/1/2007

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Monday, July 07, 2008 

Category: Music

Kraft Quartet "Nervous Boogie" Review by Phil Dirt
CD available at CDBaby or download from iTunes here

original review posted at http://www.reverbcentral.com/reviews/s/samu6202.html

This is quite remarkable. Imagine surf instros inverted to fit a blue jazz construct. It's amazing how some of these familiar surf classics just seem to naturally fit into this entirely different way of imagining them.

Picks: I Wish You Would, Continental Missile, Tom Cat, Pills, Tragic Wind, Johnson Machine Gun, Roller Coaster, El Conquistador, Nervous Boogie, Boss, Whose Muddy Shoes, Pipeline, Ice Cream Man Reprise

Track by Track Review

I Wish You Would dotdotdot Blue Jazz (Instrumental)
Billy Boy Arnold's seminal 1955 song "I Wish You Would" is done with extreme reverence, yet has a charming jazz edge delivered via trumpet, and trembled a bit by the addition of guitar. Very saucy.

Continental Missile dotdotdotdot  Surf Jazz (Instrumental)
The Chantays' "Continental Missile" seems a very unlikely vehicle for a trumpet instrumental. The addition of marimba and vibes is, to say the least, a brilliant move. It ties into the electric piano of the original, but also connects with jazz groups like MJQ. Great drums round out the experiment. Amazing!

Tom Cat dotdotdotdot Surf Jazz (Instrumental)
"Tom Cat" slowly writhes against a repeated muted reverbed crash chord that plays at odds with the sultry slide guitar and horn. The tremble of the tremolo guitar hooks into surf. All I can say is, what a cool slithering monster!

Pills dotdotdot Blues (Instrumental)
I'm not sure about this one. "Pills" didn't grab me like the rest here. It seemed almost tame and un-engaging, though the harmonica is pure Billy Boy Arnold stylistically.

Tragic Wind dotdotdotdotdot Surf Jazz (Instrumental)
All right, this is what this band was meant to do! The Chantays' "Tragic Wind" is utterly superb, played against very cool drums, vibrant with energy, and blissfully arranged with guitar shimmer and horn squirts. You just cannot ignore this or dismiss it, regardless of your feelings towards the notion of surf jazz.

Johnson Machine Gun dotdotdot Blues (Instrumental)
"Johnson Machine Gun" is a straight blues, with wonderful tremolo guitar and soulful slither. It doesn't stray far from home, drinking deep at the blues trough.

Roller Coaster dotdotdotdot Blues (Instrumental)
This is a great jumpin' blueser with great harmonica! It may be all blues, but it's thoroughly infectious and cool! The muted chords add a surfish feel, and that beat... Man, I like this!

El Conquistador dotdotdotdot Surf Jazz (Instrumental)
Muted reverb rhythm guitar and horn in the drivers seat when the guitar isn't in charge. This is the closest thing here to an actual surf instro. Great drums, digital reverb guitar, perfect surf bass, and squirting trumpet. Yikes!

Nervous Boogie dotdotdot Blues (Instrumental)
"Nervous Boogie" is another straight electric blues. Its energy and vibe are hoppin' good, and the trumpet just squonks!

Boss dotdotdotdot Surf Jazz (Instrumental)
The Rumblers' "Boss" is perhaps a natural for Lex Samu and the Kraft Quartet because it was, after all, a blues based sax lead instro in a guitar dominated genre. Then again, leave it to these guys to play the melody line on marimba with the trumpet squirtin' radical notes. This classic has undergone a very interesting transformation.

Whose Muddy Shoes dotdotdot Blues (Instrumental)
The blues slowly ooze from every corner of "Whose Muddy Shoes." Arranged in a fairly traditional fashion, except for the trumpet lead, the song is both adventurous and safe.

Pipeline dotdotdot Surf Jazz (Instrumental)
This is reminiscent of the way Kai Winding and Kenny Burrell did it, and with the melody line incorrect the way Jerry Cole missed it, it has a certain uneasiness about it. yet, the Rhodes break lines are superb.

Ice Cream Man Reprise dotdotdot Blues (Instrumental)
The first version of "Ice Cream Man" on this disc is vocal, and this is very similar, but with trumpet lead against some great harmonica. Quite nice.
 
- Phil Dirt, www.reverbcentral.com

Retail CD available here or download from iTunes here

8:55 AM 
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Tuesday, April 08, 2008 

Category: Music


"Nervous Boogie" can be downloaded from iTunes here

Available as CD or MP3 through Amazon.com here

"Nervous Boogie" the first full length album by Lex Samu and the Kraft Quartet was released on April 1st, 2008. It contains 14 classic blues and surf tunes including songs by Little Walter, Muddy Waters, Sunnyland Slim, the Chantays, John Brim and Elmore James. Special guests for this album include bluesman Sean Costello, winner of the Memphis Blues Society's talent award and nominated for the W.C. Handy "Best New Artist Debut" award; the legendary Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin, who was guitarist for Muddy Waters from 1973 til 1980 and has won multiple W.C. Handy awards for solo or group efforts through the years including best blues guitarist; and blues/rockabilly musician and W.C. Handy multiple time winner Tom "Mookie" Brill on harp and vocals. Aaron Bachelder lends his percussion skills on the vibes and marimba. Bob Margolin and Sean Costello both have recent solo albums, as well as back catalog available through their websites. These special guests bring an authentic blues flavor to the project, juxtaposed with the jazz artistry of the trumpet/double bass performances and the rock-n-roll drums/rhythm guitars creating a truly unique sound, undeniably new while washed in vintage feeling.

The album was produced by Morgan Kraft, mixed by Mitch Easter and mastered by Brent Lambert.

"Nervous Boogie" can be downloaded from iTunes here

Available as CD or MP3 through Amazon.com here

Also available online at CdBaby.com here




12:11 PM 
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Friday, February 08, 2008 

Category: Music

a.k.a. Lex Samu and the Kraft Quartet the group features a small ensemble of musicians performing instrumental versions of original songs and standards from various genres of North American music.

The core quartet members and their instruments are:

Lex Samu - Flugelhorn
Morgan Kraft - Guitar
Madison Rast - Bass
Wesley Rast - Drums

with:

Dave Durst - Drums
Sean Costello - Lead Guitar

Dave Durst appears on most of the recordings for the first 3 full length albums, and Sean Costello plays on seventeen tracks recorded in 2007-08. The Kraft Quartet is honored to include them both as members of the band. Additional special guests include:

Aaron Bachelder – Vibes, Marimba, Composer
David Boatwright – Guitar, Vocals
Mookie Brill – Harp, Vocals
Bob Margolin - Lead Guitar

Influenced by Jazz, Blues, Rock, Reggae and Classical music, the Kraft Quartet quickly becomes hard to classify. Although the quartet does not perform jazz or classical, the name is a reference to traditional ensemble names in both genres. The core members of the group attended the North Carolina School of the Arts together in the early 90's, and named the group to reflect their common background. When playing straight blues, the group also performs and records under the moniker Jumpin' Salty, named after an original instrumental by Sean Costello.

Jazz - Lex Samu and Madison Rast are both full time professional jazz musicians. To them blues, rock, latin and other genres are styles that they have been playing their entire life on jazz gigs that demand players be versed in almost all styles of music.

Blues - Sean Costello, Bob Margolin and Mookie Brill are all legendary bluesmen; each brings an authentic blues flavor to the songs they perform on.

Rock - Morgan Kraft and Dave Durst have been gigging together for years as a rock outfit. Performing punk, country and southern rock they provide the most modern influence in the group.

Reggae - Wesley Rast and David Boatwright both play reggae professionally in the northeast. Dave has been playing live reggae in Western Mass since the mid 70's, and Wesley is one of Philadelphia's hot-shot reggae, hip-hop and jazz drummers. Producer Irish Moss (Rob Connelly) delivers dub remixes of Kraft Quartet tracks.

Classical - Lex, Madison, Morgan, Wesley, Aaron Bachelder (NCSA) and Dave Durst (Syracuse) all studied classical music at conservatory during university. David Boatwright is the son of noted classical composer Howard Boatwright (Syracuse) and soprano Helen Boatwright (Syracuse). Madison Rast is a professor of Double Bass at Temple University. Aaron Bachelder's composition "Nomos" for Violin and Percussion was released on Albany Records. Morgan Kraft's orchestra work "Serenade" was performed by the North Carolina Chamber Symphony and he created the electronic music "Alone" featuring New York Metropolitan Soprano Jennifer Welsh-Brigade.

The earliest recordings were made from 1995 to 1999. They include the 1995 cassette only releases "Superstar" (Lex and Morgan) and "Music from the Living Room" (Madison, Wesley, Lex and Bryan Lipps). The "Green Street EP" was recorded between 1997 to 1999 (Madison, Wesley and Lipps). The first release on Microeart Records - "Kraft Quartet EP" was recorded March 6, 2007 in New York City and features Lex Samu playing the flugelhorn, the Rast Brothers on bass/drums and Morgan on fretless guitar.

Their first full length album "Kraft Quartet feat Lex Samu" was mixed by Mitch Easter and mastered by Brent Lambert and contains 14 classic songs including tunes by Little Walter, Muddy Waters, Sunnyland Slim, the Chantays, John Brim and Elmore James. Special guests for this album include blues legend Bob Margolin who was guitarist for Muddy Waters from 1973 til 1980 and has won multiple W.C. Handy awards for solo or group efforts through the years (including best blues guitarist); blues/rockabilly musician extraordinaire and W.C. Handy multiple time winner Tom "Mookie" Brill on harp; and blues guitar sensation Sean Costello, winner of the Memphis Blues Society's talent award and nominated for the W.C. Handy "Best New Artist Debut" award. Bob Margolin and Sean Costello both have recent solo albums, as well as back catalog available through their websites. These three special guests bring an authentic blues flavor to the project, juxtaposed with the jazz artistry of the trumpet/double bass performances and the rock-n-roll drums/rhythm guitars creating a truly unique sound, undeniably new while washed in vintage feeling.

visit the official website at www.kraftquartet.com

Demo CD, set list and press kits available upon request,
email: kraftquartet@microearth.com

1:45 PM 
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Tuesday, October 30, 2007 

Category: Music
LEX SAMU AND MADISON RAST DUET AVAILABLE




KQ members Lex Samu (trumpet) and Madison Rast (double bass) were on their way to record the second quartet album, when car trouble, weather, and fate intervened and they were unable to make the session. They took advantage of the lost evening to record a free jazz CD - "Alpaca Dance" which is available for sale through Lex Samu's website www.lexsamu.com




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Tuesday, June 19, 2007 

Category: Music


"KRAFT QUARTET EP"

01. Crossties by Dale Hawkins
02. Bar Nine Blues by Morgan Kraft
03. Freddy Freeloader by Miles Davis
04. Blue Monk by Thelonious Monk
05. Autumn in New York by Vernon Duke

Currently listening:
A Night at Birdland, Vol. 1
By Art Blakey
Release date: 07 August, 2001
1:32 PM 
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