Review by Matt Wong & Staff
PHAZE II has been providing Smooth and Funky Jazz sounds on the local music scene in the Washington, DC area, by honing its craft of delivering quality music to their listeners.
PHAZE II are the winners of the 2005 Capital Jazz Challenge Competition and the 2014 Washington Area Music Award for fan favorite. They have been fortunate to back up various artists such as; Regina Belle, El DeBarge, Kenny Lattimore, MeLisa Morgan, Conya Doss, Tim Bowman, Matthew Whitaker, Paul Taylor, Cindy Bradley and Frank McComb, just to name a few.
“April” begins with a grand drum fill, and then launches into the groove with guitar, bass, keys, and drums laying down a tight pocket for the saxophone to riff over. After giving listeners some tasty lines, the band moves on to the song’s melody, lead by saxophone and guitar. Behind the melody is an interesting, yet groovy bassline, a tight drum part, and a sparse, yet colorful comping on the keys.
Listeners experience wonderful and melodic solos by the keys, guitar, and saxophone. Following an enjoyable solo section, the band re-states the melody, and ends the song with a fiery duet between guitar and saxophone.“April” by PhazeII is an excellent example of well written contemporary instrumental music.
The song’s melody is memorable, and the band’s solos are exciting. All this is seamlessly performed with a fantastic showcase of musicianship, all while remaining melodic. While many listeners get overwhelmed by the word “jazz,” don’t let that be a deterrent to checking out Phaze II. This is a band that understands how to connect to listeners and remain accessible, in addition to expressing themselves at a high level musically that all audiences will love.
Listen on Spotify
For more information on Phaze II, please visit their Website.
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