Whisky A Go Go
West Hollywood, CA
Material: A hard rock/metal band from Los Angeles, Slant delivers crafty, well-written songs that drive rhythm to your soul. Time and effort have been invested in the songs, especially standouts like “No Regret” and “Wasted.” Both are powerful and hard-driving with fairly complex, dynamic rhythms that incorporate melodic and well-placed lyrics that make you want to “bang your head.” Musicianship: These guys have been honing their skills for a bit, evident from their cool, selfassured presence. They are fun to watch as the rhythm guitar and bass guitar run from one side of the stage to the other while Lee twirled his sticks and kept the beat like he was born with them in his hands. Zaman, guitar in hand and mic to face, played multifarious rhythms, keeping the music intact while belting out lyrics and making it look easy amid the chaos. Performance: Slant came out dressed in uniform, all wearing red. Was it in support of our troops or to show that they were hot? Possibly both, but for sure the latter. Not only did Slant play their music well, they played with the
PIERCE BROCHETTI
Contact: joshlergner@pcmlive.com Web: SlantMusic.net The Players: Fahim Zaman, vocals, lead guitar; Munir Haque, rhythm guitar; Jimmy Lee, drums; Josh Chastain, bass.
SLANT
audience in a confident and elfish manner to not to detract from the music’s impact. Slant left no one untouched––the upstairs, the downstairs, the bars and even outside. Haque and Chastain would switch sides and vivaciously dig at the crowd to make noise and get louder. Summary: Though less progressive and more straightforward, Slant is a hard rock/metal band in the style of Tool. Great rhythms intertwine with melodic guitars and lyrics then mix with
coltish, onstage antics to make for a fun, pleasurable experience. Even if you’re not into the rock/metal sound, Slant makes you like it with melodic rhythms and catchy melodies. They also present a medieval vibe that drives the rhythm section and vocals alike and draws the listener closer to each song. A great listening and visual experience, it’s no surprise Slant are playing bigger and bigger venues, not to mention a couple of European tours. – Pierce Brochetti
playing and supportive arrangements, which paired well with Frish’s vocal style.
Musicianship: Frish’s innate musicality is most evident in his phrasing, which is natural and intuitive. Wisely adhering to material that serves his voice best, he does not step out of his vocal comfort zone, which keeps his performance consistent. Frish assembled a world-class band spearheaded by Alan Farnham delivering nothing short of great
Summary: Oleg Frish is an interesting study in intelligence, good taste and consummate entertaining and has earned the right to fully own that. He has a profound understanding of the genres in which he performs and, above all, an enthusiasm and affection for material that should never be forgotten. – Ellen Woloshin
OLEG FRISH
Feinstein’s 54 Below
New York, NY
Contact: namedia11235@gmail.com Web: olegfrish.com The Players: Oleg Frish, vocals; Allen Farnham; piano, musical director; David Ephross, bass; Jack Cavari, guitar; Bob Millikan, trumpet; Birch Johnson, trombone; Lawrence Feldman, sax; Allan Schwartzberg, drums; Gary U.S. Bonds, guest vocalist. Material: Born in Russia into a musical family, Oleg Frish was immersed in music from a young age, where, despite the iron curtain, he managed to become well versed in The American Songbook, rock & roll, jazz and swing. Considered a historian, he has become 56 May 2016
musicconnection.com
MARK SHIWOLICH
an ambassador of the music he reveres, a role he has parleyed into a radio and TV personality and eventually, performer. One could describe Frish as a male “chanteuse” with a repertoire traversing several genres over four decades showcasing songs like “On The Sunny Side Of The Street,” “The Things We Did Last Summer” and “Hello Dolly.”
Performance: Supported by a top-shelf band, Frish took the audience on a journey, sometimes in several of the 15 languages he sings in. Entertaining and informative best describe this show with a well-laid out set and plenty of backstories to share. Frish was on stage for an hour and 30 minutes (barring a break to bring up special guest artist Bonds for a couple of numbers) filling the time with relevant content. Frish’s reverence for the artists he admires was at times a bit excessive considering the fact that this was his show. Ask almost every artist and they will name several mentors that they hold in high esteem. When Frish sang a rendition of “The Things We Did Last Summer” he became a bit unnerved by Helen Merrill’s presence in the audience. He re-started the song, which was a human and appealing moment and proceeded to pull out one of his best numbers. On the other hand, capitalizing on the immense love he has for many artists (while also demonstrating keen marketing savvy), Frish recently released an album of duets entitled Oleg Frish: Duets With My American Idols, some of which include Melissa Manchester, Gary U.S. Bonds, Lainie Kazan and the late Ben E. King.