Jason Anick, Tipping Point

Jason Anick is one mother, a terror of the violin and mandolin. He is excellent. The album Tipping Point (Magic Fiddle) gives a nicely composed and arranged fuzoid program that displays just how good he is. There are a couple of different bands and they are good, quite good.

There are about half standards, half Anick numbers. Lee Dynes plays some very nice guitar, Kris Jensen some very nice tenor sax, and the others kick in, too.

The line weaving on Jason's tunes is intricate and it sets you up for the extraordinary a-live-lee soloing.

His violin playing is bright and virtuoso, assured and strong. And his mandolin is pretty incredible, really. I cannot describe it but I haven't quite heard the like.

I've no reason to like this music. And my own integrity would prevent me from covering something with less than total honesty. So if I tell you this guy hits it on all-fours, I mean it. Listen him let loose lines on either the violin or the mandolin and you might let all the cards fall off the table. He's that cool.

And it IS a real gas to hear this album as music--not just a showcase. So get a hold of this and put it on. You'll see what I mean.