STRAT ANDRIOTIS

EXITS

Dekatria Records

Strat Andriotis, guitar/composer; Joel Banks & Tom Altobelli, bass; Vincent Waters & Alex Karcza, drums.

Strat Andriotis describes his type of writing and the interpretation of his compositions as ‘sweet and sour.’  I would lean more towards the ‘sweet’ side with blues overtones.

Andriotis is a native of Greece.  As a child, he immigrated to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada with his family. Early on, he gravitated towards music, first studying piano and then studying the music of ‘Cream’ and the legendary Jimi Hendrix.  However, it was when he heard Miles Davis on a record called “In A Silent Way” that Strat Andriotis decided to explore jazz.

His current music clearly shows both the influence of Miles Davis and Jimi Hendrix starting with the very first cut called “Dominions.”

This album features two contrasting trios.  On this first original tune, one of eight that Strat Andriotis has composed, he features Tom Altobelli on bass and Vincent Walters manning the drums.  On track #2, titled “Far Away Tears” Alex Karcza shuffles the arrangement ahead on his trap drums, and Joel Banks is the bassist. Banks is brightly featured during this arrangement. This tune is the Andriotis documentation of a long distant break-up.  His fingers dance over the Fender Stratocaster guitar strings with fiery technique.

Andriotis is also an in-demand guitarist who has joined an impressive list of collaborators including brilliant, Grammy-winning pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba.  One minutes he’s laying down his guitar groove with the rock group Eleven Degrees or with drummer Albert Bouchard of Blue Oyster Cult fame.  The next moment he is performing with violinist Jerry Goodman from the Mahavishnu Orchestra.  Strat Andriotis can adapt his style and playing to just about any genre. That’s the sign of a master musician.

His interpretation of “Between You and I” is quite beautiful.  This is a sweet ballad that is meant to represent confrontations between two people. I hear the tender conversation between bass and guitar, with Tom Altobelli laying down a rock-bottom basement for Andriotis to stand upon. I’m also impressed with the Altobelli bass solo.

On the Andriotis “Exits” project, we experience his composing mastery, along with his all-encompassing technical skills on the guitar.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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