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Steve Khan: Tightrope (CD, 37:44);
1977/1998 Columbia 496852 2 Mastersound recording
What do you get when you have a superb rhythm section,
saucy keyboards, a hot and brassy mini-horn section
and one very tasteful jazz and chops-laden guitarist
all come together with some jazz and some fusion in mind?
You have the magic of Steve Khan and the Brecker Brothers
Band come together. With folks like this and Steve Gadd and
Bob James too, you have a formula for success.
Khan's compositions were smooth yet lively enough not
to bore. His unique drive and pristine flourish and
tone on his modded Fender Telecaster and even his deft
acoustic work all came together to make a very satisfying
blend of sexy jazz and funked-up, be bopped fusion. Yet
there is that special touch that only Steve Khan can add
that makes his releases a signature sound each outing.
If you listen closely you will hear Larry Coryell-ian
riffs and stylings as Khan and Coryell used to jam together
and did record together.
Much ado is made about Mike Stern's guitar work in the
'80's and '90's but one listen to Khan and you will
immediately hear who his big inspiration was. Next time
you pick up an old Stern release you stand a good chance
of seeing the words "produced by Steve Khan".
~ John W. Patterson, EER-MUSIC.com
Personnel: Khan, Steve / electric guitar, electric 12-string guitar, acoustic guitar
Brecker, Randy / trumpet
Brecker, Michael / tenor saxophone
Sanborn David / alto saxophone
Grolnick, Don / acoustic piano, fender rhodes,
clavinet, organ
James, Bob / fender rhodes, oberheim polyphonic synthesizer
Lee, Will / bass
Gadd, Steve / drums
MacDonald, Ralph / percussion
Mironov, Jeff / guitar
Spinozza, David / guitar
Tracks: 1. Some Punk Funk~5:20~Steve Khan
2. Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet Tender Love) ~6:29~K.Gamble, L.Huff
3. Tightrope (for Folon) ~5:44~Steve Khan
4. The Big Ones~6:02~Randy Brecker
5. Star Chamber~5:19~Steve Khan
6. Soft Summer Breeze~5:00~J.Spencer, E.Heywood
7. Where Shadows Meet~3:40~Steve Khan
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Steve Khan: The Blue Man (CD, 38:07);
1978/1998 Columbia Mastersound Recording
Khan's second release was a self-produced/arranged
gem. It was similar in many respects to his prior
debut yet this reviewer and other fans recall this
release as their all-around favorite from Steve Khan's
'70's era recordings. The horn section and solos are
still there but Khan does more conversational soloing
with the reed lines. This is especially evident on
"An Over Autumn" and its fusion jam-fest.
The Blue Man seems overall -- tighter,
focused, polished and Khan's guitar tone is more
overdriven, more jazz rocking, and intensely
penetrating in solos and intricate ostinato
embellishment around song themes. His delicately
reverb, delay, and crystal-clear tones on his
solos are rarely heard done so well these days.
Khan shows a mastering of tone and subtle bends.
His phrasing is so melodic and emotionally rich
that it delivers a spine-chill "rush" nearly
every ten or fifteen notes. The keyboards and
vibes are wonderful, sexy-silky-smooth like a
fine-wine, Steely Dan, jazz rocker ballad throughout.
Horns do more staccato bursts and the percussion
is more varied and polyrhythmic becoming outright
funkified boogie in places. That Latin-flavored
Santana-esque groove slips through in spots. Khan
again offers a beautifully executed acoustic/electric
guitar outing echoing a Larry Coryell friendship on
"Daily Valley".
This release was my first exposure to Steve Khan
and made me a devoted listener and collector of
his works. It's no wonder his name is resident
now with the lists of the great jazz guitarists
of fame and genius.
~ John W. Patterson, EER-MUSIC.com
Personnel: Steve Khan : electric guitar, electric 12-string guitar,
acoustic guitar
Jeff Mironov : electric guitar
Don Grolnick : fender rhodes, organ, arp string ensemble,
arp pro soloist, acoustic piano
Bob James : oberheim polyphonic synthesizer
Will Lee : electric bass
Steve Gadd : drums
Ralph MacDonald : percussion, congas
Mike Mainieri : marimba
Rick Marotta : timbales, cowbell
Randy Brecker : trumpet
David Sanborn : alto saxophone
Michael Brecker : tenor saxophone
Tracks: 1. Daily Bulls (7:02) [Steve Khan]
2. The Blue Man (6:01) [Steve Khan]
3. Some Down Time (5:25) [Steve Khan]
4. The Little Ones (5:52) [Randy Brecker]
5. Daily Valley (4:52) [Steve Khan]
6. An Eye Over Autumn (for Folon) (8:48) [Steve Khan]
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Steve Khan: Eyewitness (CD, 39:01);
1983 Antilles CCD 1018
This release marked a new era for Khan. Eyewitness was
essentially birthed of earlier jam session/improv ideas and
chemistry between each musician plus polished-up ideas readied
for final studio recording. Khan had returned to his college-days
Gibson guitar purity of tone and a touch of reverb, laying aside his
Fender Telecaster and big band mindset to groove with friends
over eclectic rhythms of Badrena and Jordan and exotic bass
grooves only the creative genius of Anthony Jackson could lay
down. Just listen to "Guy Lafleur" and stand slack-jawed at
Jackson's solo.
Khan states this is probably his favorite recording due to that
synergistic magic that came about in the presence of his
bandmates. This melodic and relaxed jazz fusion holds a fiery
tension that is evident everywhere. An airy sense of mystery and
dreamy expectation flows within each song as Khan weaves a
tapestry of excellent guitarscapes and meandering solos that flirt
with structure and form but always avoid the expected norm.
The ground-breaking compositions and their execution on
Eyewitness have served to unlock the creative spark of
many a jazz and jazz fusion musician to come.
~ John W. Patterson, EER-MUSIC.com
Personnel: Khan, Steve / electric guitar
Jackson,Anthony / electric bass
Jordan, Steve / drums
Badrena, Manolo / percussion, effects, vocalizations
Tracks: 1. Where's Mumphrey?~7:28~ S.Khan, A.Jackson,
S.Jordan, M.Badrena
2. Dr. Slump~8:21~ Steve Khan
3. Auxiliary Police~5:25~ S.Khan, A.Jackson, S.Jordan, M.Badrena
4. Guy Lafleur~10:30~ Steve Khan
5. Eyewitness~7:16~Steve Khan
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Steve Khan: Casa Loco (CD, 43:48);
1984 Antilles 422-848 822-2
This is the third release in a series of improv-based, live studio/ live recordings
Steve Khan released with bandmates Jackson, Jordan and Badrena. It has a
very similar flow and groove to Eyewitness and Blades (USA release)
or Modern Times on Polydor, the second release in the trio of
Khan's '80's Gibson guitar tone period.
What immediately stands out, notably on "Some Sharks" -- The Police-esque
track and "The Suitcase", is the excellent vocals by Manola Badrena. On this
song and others he has quite a great time cutting loose, wild-man style, in a
heavily reverbed fashion adding a deeper Latin-flavored atmosphere. This
instantly causes one to think of Andy Summers' chord stylings and voicings in
Khan's guitar.
Paralleling Khan's masterful guitar work, it is noted by Khan, that bass and
drumming enthusiasts cite this as the record to get of the trio of '80's releases.
Sadly, due to many financial and lack of touring issues, this master line-up finally
broke up after this release. All the aforementioned Antilles recordings barely saw
a US release, coming out four years after they were recorded.
~ John W. Patterson, EER-MUSIC.com
Personnel: Khan, Steve / electric guitar
Jackson, Anthony / electric bass, contrabass guitar
Jordan, Steve / drums, Simmons drums
Badrena, Manolo / percussion, special effects, vocalizations
Tracks: 1. The Breakaway~3:09~S.Khan, A.Jackson, S.Jordan, M.Badrena
2. Casa Loco~12:32~S.Khan, A.Jackson, S.Jordan, M.Badrena
3. Penetration~6:17~Steve Leonard
4. Some Sharks~7:20~ S.Khan, A.Jackson, S.Jordan, M.Badrena
5. Uncle Roy~9:17~Steve Khan
5. The Suitcase (for Folon)~5:08~ S.Khan, A.Jackson, S.Jordan, M.Badrena
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