Marcus Rezak is not a hard man to find. Playing over 200 shows a year, he crisscrosses the country with a wide variety of projects including his high-octane Grateful Dead tribute Shred is Dead, his new ’90s Phish homage Gumbo, the Zappa Experience project with Frank’s former guitarist Ike Willis, his eponymous solo band, and more. On his new album, Guitar Head, out now, Marcus Rezak distills his incendiary live experience down to compact studio compositions featuring members of Trey Anastasio Band, Little Feat, Twiddle, and Kung Fu.
Rezak’s third album and second full length, Guitar Head pays tributes to the omnipresent shredder’s native Chicago and the legends he grew up admiring like Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, Muddy Waters, and Howlin’ Wolf. Of course, this is the blues Marcus’ way, so he carves out plenty of avenues for explorative improvisation in the intense originals.
Joining Rezak on the album is a roster of musicians equally as prolific in the live music circuit as he is. Forming the bedrock rhythmic foundation are Twiddle/Kung Fu drummer Adrian Tramontano and Kung Fu bassist Chris DeAngelis along with veteran Trey Anastasio Band keyboardist Ray Paczkowski and Little Feat saxophonist Erik Lawrence. Guiding the album alongside Rezak is Grammy-winning producer Paul Nelson, who approached Rezak about producing his next album after one of Marcus’ myriad dazzling live shows.
“Marcus is a force to be reckoned with,” Nelson said. “A born guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist, it was a real pleasure to produce his latest album which I feel showcases his diversity and amazing talent.”
That diversity is seen throughout Guitar Head‘s ten tracks, from the hard-hitting opening groove-funk of “Sweet Like Mary Jane” to the closing twofer tribute to Rezak’s experience with the music of Phish and the sounds of the blues, a cover of Son Seal‘s “Funky Bitch”. Along the way, the rhythm section on loan from Kung Fu propels the all-out funk assault of standout single “Funk It Right”.
Though known for his intense stage presence and playing style, Rezak tastefully pulls back on the throttle on the latter half of the album. On “Going The Distance”, Rezak’s smooth vocals (which aren’t to be overlooked) take the track into a smoky after-hours club as he croons the slow jam. The band goes full ZZ Top party-blues with “Grammys Caddy”, Rezak pays proper tribute to The Windy City in “Chicago Hometown Blues”, and the serene, aptly-titled instrumental “Butterfly Fingers” shows off the ingenuity of Rezak’s songwriting voice—even without a voice.
“I know this is my best album yet, and showcases my greatest abilities as a guitar player, songwriter, and vocalist,” Rezak said.
Fittingly, Rezak will celebrate Guitar Head on the road, hosting an album release party on November 10th at The Mint in Los Angeles. A slew of tour dates follow through the rest of the year with a mix of original Marcus Rezak Band shows, Gumbo: A Tribute to 1.0 Era Phish gigs, and a “Franksgiving” show on November 24th in St. Petersburg, FL with Ike Willis. Rezak’s touring year will culminate with a second Guitar Head album release party in New York City on New Year’s Eve.
Check out Guitar Head, the new album from Marcus Rezak, below or on your preferred streaming platform. CD and splatter vinyl copies are on sale here. Scroll down for a full list of tour dates and visit his website for tickets.
Marcus Rezak – Guitar Head
The post Marcus Rezak Assembles Members Of TAB, Little Feat, More For ‘Guitar Head’ Album [Stream] appeared first on L4LM.
