John Coates Jr.
Hailed as '…excellent' by Don Friedman
'Anyone who likes swinging straightahead jazz with plenty of blues & gospel tinges should beat a path to one of their gigs.
Jazz Express
'The beautiful compositions reminded me of Miles Davis and the original compositions of jazz piano legend Bill Evans.'
AB-CD Planetwide
'Their music is a group experience… Recommended.'
Cadence Magazine
'On tenor sax [Art Themen], a fetching silver-frosted horn with golden keys, his tone blended elements of Charles Lloyd, Sonny Rollins and Archie Shepp into distinctive solos coloured with smears, vocalised cries and truncated double-time runs. On soprano, using a softer reed, his sound was more rubbery but his ideas equally eclectic in an unpredictable style that has outlasted the Coltrane clones of his generation.'
Jack Massarik, London Evening Standard
“Great tune (‘Nightwalk’), classic jazz song structure with superb vocal and instrumental performances. Sophisticated melody…loved the trumpet solo.”
Mike Pinder
The Moody Blues
“…the solos throughout the CD (Firstlight) allow the musicians to stretch out and show their talent…each of the members of the quartet know exactly where the others are going musically... they truly listen to each other.”
Jim Yadlon, host Just Jazz
WWFM HD, 89.1, jazzon2.com
“The construction (of as yet unreleased ‘Moonlight and Whispers’) is sophisticated with great chord changes and a solid melody. The song has a beautiful sultry groove. Great sax solo!”
Mike Pinder
The Moody Blues
“An effortlessly assured straightahead jazz set led by a glossily elegant pianist…Giasullo’s crisp phrasing and pearly sound make an excellent contrast (to tenor sax Themen’s special palette)…the pieces range from wistful themes over rolling piano figures that turn into (Herbie Hancock) Maiden Voyage-like vamps, bursts of driving soul-jazz, canny mid-temp bop swingers…”
John Fordham
The Guardian (UK)
“The Frank Giasullo Quartet’s Firstlight is a very engaging release. This acoustic melding of piano, trumpet, bass and drums reaches back to the very roots of jazz; the execution is absolutely flawless! This is the essence of the “live, one-take Jazz experience.”
Jazz Steps
“Sophisticated, lush, contemplative, sad, uplifting all at the same time…reminding me of the music of Miles Davis (particularly his classic recording Kind of Blue) or the original compositions of jazz piano legend Bill Evans.”
“The Dingus, funky, cool, very nice groove with some great soloing.”
“Summerwalk, a really stunning composition. Lots of rich and surprising harmonies. Thoughtful, moving.”
“Nighwalk, features vocalist Michele Glick. Simply stunning all around!”
Musicians on the Internet
“Short UK tour by unpretentious quartet with a critically well-received debut album, Firstlight. Pat Wristen takes mellow trumpet solos.”
Jack Massarik
(London) Evening Standard
“Giasullo’s compositions will bring to mind Chick Corea (especially his early work) and the ruminative stylings of Steve Kuhn…The musicians never get carried away by over displays of technique. That makes it easy to get hooked by the simplicity of the music”
Richard B. Kamins
Cadence, The American Review of Jazz & Blues
“Bill Evans’ trios are an obvious model but…(Giasullo) moves far enough away from Evans to capture Ramey Lewis’ funky gospel strut. The Evans-plus-gospel description may remind you of Keith Jarrett.”
Kevin Whitehead
Jazz Times
“You can’t please all the people all the time but (Frank Giasullo’s) Interweave Jazz Trio came close in its concert at VMI’s Lejeune Hall.”
Mollie Hall
Lexington (VA) New Gazette
The Frank Giasullo - Art Themen Quartet has created a distinctive sound, enhanced by its strong repertoire of original compositions by Frank Giasullo. Frank Giasullo is a classically trained jazz player but his piano playing and the music he writes comes as much out of his feeling for gospel, folk, and blues as his classical and jazz background. This gives his music a rare naturalness and ease with which listeners instantly identify, yet it also possesses emotional and musical layers that offer new delights long after the first hearing. In other words, Frank Giasullo is one of those expressive jazz musicians who uses what he knows, to say what he feels.
The Quartet combines thoughtful, accomplished playing with a laid-back groove and sensitive ensemble work. From cool blue to warm and lush, the FGQ eloquently reflect a breadth of feeling only possible in an acoustic jazz quartet of this quality.
Special thanks to Phillip Bagenal for his studio expertise & Andy Cleyndert photography.
The FG-AT Quartet
