24 Tales

I am a fairly new fan of Alex Machacek's music, only becoming acquainted with him after listening to samples of "Improvisation" here at Amazon and subsequently purchasing the download mp3 CD about 5 or 6 months ago. I am a guitarist of 36 years, and a lifelong fan of progressive jazz.For those of you unfamiliar with Alex, he has a very unique approach to the instrument, incredible technique, a seemingly endless vocabulary, and employs a variety of superb guitar tones. It's almost inconceivable that a guy could attain the level of mastery he has prior to reaching 40 years old of age. If you are a guitarist or a fan of true, pure, uncontrived jazz, you will not be disappointed by any project that bears this man's name.Now, regarding his most recent project: I have had it for less than 2 days and have not been able to stop listening to it!! For fans of Frank Zappa -- especially during his heyday (while utilizing such great talents as Steve Vai, Chad Wackerman, Terry Bozzio, Doug Lunn, Mike Keneally, etc.) -- this will immediately strike you as ONE OF THE GREATEST MUSICAL PROJECTS EVER RECORDED. Since Zappa's unfortunate passing, there has been a huge musical void that only the brave (such as the aforementioned Mike Keneally) have dared to try and fill. "24 Tales" has probably got ol' FZ (wherever he may currently reside), himself, sitting up and saying "Damn!!"Here's what one other well-known, innovative guitar pioneer had to say about this release: "You guys are f---ing nuts - this record is amazing!" - Allan HoldsworthThere is an interesting story that goes with the making of this disc. Here's a direct-copy excerpt from Alex's website:"I have always liked drums," Machacek explains. "On so many fusion and jazz records, there is an extended drum solo - sometimes it feels obligatory. At a certain point I thought, `How would it sound if I compose something based on a drum solo? Drummers are always getting wilder with what they do in terms of meter and technique..." His fascination with drums led to several experiments with composing music based on (and performed on top of) improvised drum solos - a practice that reaches its fullest potential on 24 Tales."After I played my first gig with the drummer Marco Minnemann, I told him that I wanted to do an album with different drummers," Alex continues, "where they would provide me with solos, and I would write music for them. Marco said that he had recorded a solo - but it was fifty-one minutes long! At first I thought, maybe I'll take a section of it to work with...but eventually I decided to take on the whole thing." Minnemann's solo - a kaleidoscopic rush of rhythmic, textural, and even melodic devices, all improvised without a click track - became the backdrop for 24 Tales. (Minnemann also gave this solo to Trey Gunn, John Czajkowski and Mike Keneally, and their interpretations will be released subsequently.)"An astonishingly musical effort, nearly symphonic in its vast range of timbres, use of space, and elegant sense of structure and development, 24 Tales finds Machacek breaking Minneman's solo into 24 discrete (but connected) sections. "When I decided to do this," Machacek explains, "I listened to it - several times. Sitting in front of 51 minutes of drums can be a little intimidating. So I broke the entire solo up into those 24 pieces. Whenever I heard the mood or the rhythmic foundation change, I marked it as a separate piece."-----------------------------------------------------------------------------This disc is one of the most incredible musical efforts ever recorded. I think it is the best thing to happen to jazz in a VERY long time ... I can't say enough -- words are inadequate -- to describe how superb from every aspect this release truly is. The guitar work is extraordinary; so are the drums. ... But what really blows me away is the other-worldly quality of the compositions and the dense, lush, mind-blowing arrangements. This CD firmly documents the emergence (and maturation) of true musical genius, in every sense.Buy this CD -- and tell every fan of jazz, prog and/or jazz fusion whom you know about it, so they can buy it, too! ... You will NOT be disappointed!! (Musicians of this superlative virtuosity deserve so much more than to just sell "dozens of copies".)This is essential listening for any fan of Zappa, acid jazz and/or progressive music.

This is easily the best recording I've heard this year in any genre. The writing, playing and production are all superb. It's astounding how thematically integrated the composition is - especially considering that the entire piece is based on a drum solo (the drum improvisation, by Marco Minnemann, is an amazing composition in its own right). Machacek, in addition to being an accomplished composer, is an astounding guitarist. In an age which suffers no shortage of formidable guitarists, Machacek stands out as one of the premier guitarists with respect to both technical skill and musicality. I can't recommend this highly enough.

A great composition over a very technical drum solo by Marco Minneman. The drum solo was a single take, no cuts or edits. The whole piece flows very well, and has some serious tearing, as well as some light hearted humor. A very technical, sometimes soothing, sometimes unsettling journey.

Was good heard it before.

these musicians are just amazing,there talents are displayed in this music that they have composed together,and should not be missed.if you like jazz/fusion,then you've got to here this music,also marco minneman is the most sought after drummer in the music industry for recording,& as a bandmate.

An amazing very passionate piece of work by clearly one of the worlds top musicians. No wonder he has been praised by both Holdsworth and Mclaughlin.

This is an incredible piece of music. Even the concept is amazing - in that, all music is composed around a 51-minute drumsolo! There is a personal note on the album sleeve, which reads, "The music on this CD is composed to a Marco Minnemann drum solo, which he recorded in one take. There are no edits on the drum tracks hence no gaps between the songs. Enjoy!"The first track is called "On your marks..." and works as a beautiful introduction for what is to come. The music is very abstract, which I like. The drumming is simply breathtaking, while remaining very musical.Alex plays guitar (and all other instruments), and in doing so produces an awesome musical adventure, as he weaves his way through the complex maze of the incredible drum track. His style of guitar playing constantly changes, depending on the mood of the track. However, I would have to say that there are traces of Allan Holdsworth, and Zappa in his playing, which is not a bad thing at all!I would say this is a magnificent example of what can be achieved if you have a load of talent, and a hugely expansive imagination. This is probably one of the finest, and unique musical works I have heard in a very long time. As a drummer - Minnemann's incredible drumming overawed me. Alex Machacek is clearly an inspired virtuoso musician and composer.Fans of Frank Zappa will certainly love this work of musical genius. Indeed, I'm sure Zappa would have approved of such a monumental musical creation. If you are looking for music that's very different, and totally engaging, then buy this album.

As one prone to twiddlin' the fretboard in a jazz inflected way I have strong opinions on the great practitioners of the fusion guitarist's art. My pantheon has stayed more or less stable over more than two decades, with Holdsworth, McLaughlin, Metheny and DiMeola being the key luminaries in my musical universe. There are various other guitarists whom I admire for this or that reason, but it seems that it is those who have some kind of unique harmonic signature, who make intelligent use of dissonance and chromaticism, exotic scales and unexpected chords, that most speak to me. Well, I have just discovered Alex Machacek, and I think he is my kind of guitarist.That Machacek was a seriously interesting guitarist, with something definitely new and individual to say, was made apparent to me by his sessions in a live trio context on  Abstract Logix Live! The New Universe Music Festival 2010 . But upon hearing 24 Tales it was immediately obvious that, let loose in the studio, with modern overdubbing technology at his disposal, he is a composer of near genius. This album has the fractal complexity of the coastline of the British Isles as measured with a clothes peg. You could listen to it a thousand times and still be hearing fresh details and structural associations popping out of the framework. He is a man who has assimilated everybody else's styles and then evolved a few of his own. On 24 Tales he uses every kind of guitar and guitar sound overlaid into a near symphonic tapestry, to take the listener on a journey through new and hitherto unexplored soundscapes. Furthermore, if he were not in the top handful of guitarists in the world, he would be a pianist of formidable reputation. He plays the piano with the same unique approach and style as he does the guitar. He also has a gob-smacking facility with guitar harmonics, which he plays almost as fast as he most people pluck. The combinations of multiple guitar tracks and lush piano creates textures of such density that at times one can no longer tell what instruments one is listening to. Other reviewers have suggested that Holdsworth and Zappa influences are to be discerned. This is so, but I would say that, with respect to Zappa, it is not Zappa's guitar style as such that one hears. Rather, Machacek improvises and composes in a manner strongly influenced by the compositional style Zappa used for the more wacky and complicated music with which he connected up his more standard rock'n'roll sections. Listening to 24 Tales as a whole, what comes to mind is Metheny's  The Way Up , with more guitar parts, and perhaps more compositional coherence, or Frank's posthumous masterpiece,  Civilization Phaze III , distilled into rocket fuel.That the whole thing was retro-composed onto an unedited, single-take drum solo, of 50'51" duration, by the amazing Marco Minniman, is scarcely credible. The time signature never stops mutating, never stands still for more than a few bars at a time. The drum track is fully as intricate as the instrumental parts, and the slick interplay between them is a big part of the impact of the album as a whole.It's a bit strange really, because other things I've heard Machacek do, whether on YouTube, or as preview clips on Amazon, are all very impressive, but can't really be compared with the breakthrough into completely new dimensions that one hears on 24 Tales. Having produced something as extraordinary as this, it's a bit difficult to see where he will go next. Whatever it is I'll certainly be paying very close attention. Abstract Logix Live! The New Universe Music Festival 2010The Way UpCivilization Phaze III

I bought the album out of an interest in the production method, fully expecting it to be a robotic sounding mess. Nothing could be further from the truth. The skill taken to put something together like this is jaw-dropping. Despite being a technical tour-de-force, the range of styles, changes of pace/moods and Machecek's ability to come up with something fresh at every turn make it a joy to listen to.If you love stuff by the likes of Zappa and Keneally I'd certainly recommend that you check out this album.

this is a stunning album..... the sequence track 13 - 15 is as good as anything by Allan Holdsworth. What an aural treat. Buy it!

Le commentaire précédent je confirme!!!Je decouvre le skeud en 2020, enfant de Miles, John, wayne, quincy georges....je dis rien, plutôt tendance a pousser des petits cris d’extaze et de me dire : super la musique est vivante, bon pour rien cacher je le savais déjàMais Alex, il ira plus loin que le Alex Le Grand, sur qu’il depassera les Indes.Finesse d’ecriture d’un guitariste forcément ca met les basesUn style de sique de sicos,Bon moi j’aime la basse et perso j’y trouve non dissimuléEt rigolo quand t’ecoutes ca tu te dis que c’est du top mais on est pas des masse a kiffer ca en 2020....Allez on en reparle en 3656Tchuss

正直、難解です。なかなか慣れが要る感覚。複雑すぎて、ギターの腕前よりまず曲について行くのがやっとですね。ただし、やはりギターのレベルは異次元的です。ちょっと映像とか見ないとどう弾いているのか、弦が何本なのかも解らないですね。そして厚紙で出来ている紙ジャケにビニール袋も無しに直でCD盤が入っているというプロダクションにも衝撃の１枚（笑）購入前にご確認ください。