The Zen Blues Quartet:
...Will Work for Risk
By T.E. Mattox

've always loved garage and basement bands. The scenario for the most part, is universally recognized. It usually starts with a small group of musically-inclined, and often-times instrumentally-challenged friends just hanging out, improvising and jamming along to their favorite songs. A simple premise designed around the love of making music and more often than not; the Rock and Roll fantasy of 'living the dream.'

For guitarist John March and the Zen Blues Quartet, 'living the dream' is the perfect analogy. It was an epiphany after all, that John experienced while standing in a misty mountain forest near the town of Assisi in Central Italy. "In that very moment I had a clear vision of this music. Of a day spent recording music with my friends, simply because we can. No other agenda, no mission to fulfill, just music for the sake of music."

It only took one phone conversation with musician pals back in the U.S. for John's moment of Zen to begin cutting through more than just the Italian fog. The path of enlightenment was about to shine on the "ultimate" garage band. (Of course you realize when I use the term 'garage band,' it's with the caveat that the musical combo in your carport has also played, or recorded with Jimi Hendrix, the Stones, Stevie Wonder, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton, C,S and N...)

"I think my entire life I've wanted to do something that has meaning to me. And I've been really blessed that I have friends who are really good artists and musicians and creative people who seem to be willing to put up with my…uh…eccentric views."

Turns out, John's friends were more than accommodating. They happen to include a couple of Grammy winners not to mention some of the recording industry's all time greatest session players. The original ZBQ included Tim Scott on bass, keyboardist Jeff Young and Steve Ferrone on percussion. "I told them I wanted to go into the studio and record nine or ten of our favorite Blues and Soul tunes, but make them ours, play them how we wanted to. I also wanted to play 'live' with all of us in the same room."

The end result was the debut, self-titled CD from the Zen Blues Quartet. The album reflects not only the diversity and spontaneity John was seeking, but is further enhanced by each member's collective and creative influences. Songs ranging from the full service Doc Pomus-Duke Robillard penned 'Body and Fender Man,' through the desperation in Al Koopers's 'I Love You More Than You Will Ever Know,' to the unique and very trippy cover of Mose Allison's, 'Since the World Ended.' (Headphones are highly recommended.) From beginning to end, the project takes you on a fast-paced and personalized joyride that you want to take repeatedly.

March and his friends accomplished what they had set out to do. The Blues in their truest sense, "not constrained by form. It has rules and structure, but the beauty and power are in the moment, and in the humanity that the players each bring to the music."

Fans and critics agreed. But it was an unexpected and encouraging phone call from the Delta-born master himself that alleviated any reservations the group may have had. Nothing like personal approval from Mose Allison to validate your project and corroborate that your approach to the music had been well worth the risk. You can almost hear the smile in John's voice as he quickly adds that it's more than mutual admiration. "I think he (Allison) is one of the greatest blues writers of all time."

As a non-traditionalist, it's to be expected that March's influences run the gamut. "For me Mose Allison and Jimmy Reed as storytellers; I love the lyric and live content, especially Mose. As a blues guitar player, I actually listen to a lot of guitar players; but also listen to a lot of vocalists and pianists. Oscar Peterson is a huge influence on me."

With the release of 'Again and Yet Again' the second Zen Blues Quartet CD, veteran keyboardist and vocalist Mike Finnigan replaced Jeff Young on the Hammond B3. That wasn't the only karmic shift. To up the risk quotient, along with a few classic covers, this time the band included several of their own compositions for the project. Both Finnigan and Tim Scott contributed songs and shared vocal duties on the CD and John wrote the title track.

The disc kicks in with the Finnigan romp, 'What a Life,' then right into my favorite track, "I've Had Harder Times from Better Women than You.' (Really, how can you not love a blues song that opens with, 'you buried my dog and it wasn't even dead.'?) Not to mention a tasty, gospel feel to the Becker-Fagan hit, 'Reeling In the Years.' March says, "That's one of my favorites, lots of texture and vocal layering." Amen to that.

The party-like feel to the sessions come from The L.A. Horns and yes, that's Curtis Salgado on Blues Harp. John not only played guitar but produced, engineered and mixed 'Again and Yet Again' and is adamant, "This CD is definitely a labor of love. A love for music that comes from the heart, the soul, for the music of the Blues."

A third CD is in the discussion stage, but as John says, "we're all working musicians. Tim Scott is working up in Seattle right now and Finnigan is in and out with Joe Cocker." But if the project does happen, John says he'd really like to include "all original material."

In the meantime, "One project that I'm really proud of that came out recently, there was a very famous and well-respected guitar teacher in Los Angeles named Ted Greene. Every guitar player in the world at one point learned from him. He died very young. He was a solo guitarist that I studied with for 25 years. He was a Mozart-level musician and harmonically on the guitar I don't think anyone has done what he could do. He had this huge repertoire of solo guitar arrangements that are extremely hard to play and I got permission from the estate and his widow to record them. I spent a year recording ten arrangements and built a website…"

http://www.zenbluesmusic.com/tedgreenetribute.html

"You can go listen to the music for free. If you like the music and you'd like to make a donation; the money goes to feed children in Africa or works to fight AIDS. It's my way of repaying my 25 years of getting to study with Ted. I'm pretty proud of that."

Zen philosophy at work, I suspect. As a student of that philosophy, when it comes to blues, John is the first to agree. "I see a direct correlation between the blues and my practice. Both require authentic presence and a willingness to explore the moment."

I personally can't wait to hear what discoveries they make. And with that in mind, you guys are more than welcome to use my garage!

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