Dom Minasi - THE VAMPIRE'S REVENGE

[Mike Schwartz]

This is a two-disc set that takes its inspiration from the vampire novels of Anne Rice .

This includes some of the best avant guarde [for lack of a better term] players on the scene— the core trio of Minasi, bassist Ken Filiano and drummer Jackson Krall.

There are close to 20 musicians on this date, including Herb Roberts (trumpet), Joe McPhee, Mathew Shipp (piano), Joe Giaradullo (alto sax),Jason Kao Hwang (violin),Tomas Ulrich(cello),Steve Swell (trombone), clarinetist Perry Robinson......

Interwoven among all the talent, Minasi combines his controled, measued playing and breaks out into his patented, blistering, rapid fire high energy runs,and the changing sizes of the ensembles from one track to the next keep each composition pretty interesting and sonically refreshing.

There's a lot to be heard here, and it's both interesting and fun to take in. Minasi's dark sense of humor is on full display, with song titles like "Who's Your Dentist," Where You Gonna Go/Where You Gonna Hide?," "Just One More Bite" in the mix.

I believe today is the offical release date on his CDM label [#1006]

[mke]

I've listened to the first disc, the music seems interesting, but you have to admit that the cover art is incredibly cheesy.

[Mike Schwartz]

The inside art is even worse, but his tongue is so far inside his cheek as to make it a match.