Neff Irizarry & Nepenthe.....

Guitarist Neff Irizarry and his group Nepenthe combine contemporary Jazz with Afro-Cuban, Brazilian and Puerto Rican styles of music in a way that few have attempted before: the absence of a piano player in a Latin group is rare if not unseen, but in this band - with saxophone, guitar, bass, drums and percussion- Neff fills the 88-key gap with clarity and fire. Guitaristic feast of montunos, guajeos, intriguing harmonizations, burning hardbop lines... the result is so interesting that it even gained world-renowned Yellowjackets bass player and Grammy Award winner Jimmy Haslip’s attention and brought about a fruitful co-operation, this debut CD by Neff called “Nepenthe” [=Gr solace for sorrow], which he co-produced, partly co-wrote and played on.

You can purchase the Nepenthe by  sending an email to Nepenthe   Sound Bytes

Neff’s CD features seven of his own compositions as well as new arrangements of compositions by Thelonius Monk, Paquito D’Rivera and a catchy version of Mambo Ricci tune made famous by Eric Dolphy. One of Neff’s original compositions on the CD “El Juego”, featured on a charity CD entitled “Junction”-Union Station, Pasadena, has already gained airplay in the US before the CD’s actual release. You can purchase the CD at www.yellowjackets.com in the charity section. The Band is a fine combination of the finest percussionists in Finland, HOT new talent from  abroad and solid cross Atlantic groove.

Neff Irizarry, guitarist, composer and arranger....

 Guitarist, composer and arranger  Neff Irizarry (b.1973) is most known in Finland for his work on Latin Jazz projects, but hailing from the Boston jazz scene and Berklee College of Music (his alma mater), the core of his musical soul rests in styles ranging from straight-ahead jazz to Coltrane-influenced hard bop and to the early ECM years of Gary Burton and Paul Bley.  After studies with people like Steve Khan, Gary Burton and Dave Samuels to name a few, he has gone on to play with such renowned artists as Eddie Henderson, Azymuth, Giovanni Hidalgo, Marc Quiñones, Bobby Allende, Robin Jones, Mr. Gone, Evan Price (of Turtle Island Quartet), Antonio Sanchez (of Pat Metheny Group),  and Jimmy Haslip of the Yellowjackets (who produced and played on Neff's debut CD "Nepenthe"). His style has been described as being a blend of John Abercrombie, Kenny Burrell and Joe Pass, with a twist of his "mother island" and Puerto Rican madness.

REVIEWS

”Neff Irizarry has embarked down a path travelled by few guitarists in contemporary jazz and certainly contemporary Latin jazz! Not since the groups of Wille Bobo during the late ‘60s which featured guitarist Sonny Henry has a guitarist attempted to hold down the entire harmonic weight of such a group. To execute all the montunos, guajeos, necessary harmonizations, and to solo with clarity and fire is a tall order but Neff is certainly up to the task. His group is already on the threshold of doing some very interesting things in the genre, and the potential is endless. Neff’s group should open the minds and ears of many as to just what is possible in this format”.

                                                                                    -Steve Khan, guitarist

“ NEFF IRIZARRYN MAAGINEN KITARA LUMOSI KUUSANKOSKELAISYLEISÖN TELATORIN ILMAISKONSERTISSA”

                                                                                   Eric Carver, KOUVOLAN SANOMAT 

“NEFF IRIZARRY KAN SIN GITARR... en mångsidig uppvisining av den unge gitarristen Neff Irizarry från USA. Trots sin ungdom är han redan tekniskt mycket driven och musikaliskt står han knappast långt bakom de tunga namnen.”

                                                                                   Ulf Överfors, VASABLADET

“NURKKAAN AHDETTU TÄHTI YLLÄTTI TURKU JAZZISSA... vibrafonisti Victor Mendozankin opissa ollut Irizarry lasketteli synteesiä John Abercrombien, Kenny Burrellin ja edesmenneen Joe Passin linjoista. Kokonaisuus oli harkittua, aitoa jazzia, jonka paikka olisi ehdottomasti ollut tapahtuman  päälavalla.”

            Jarmo Wallenius, TURUN SANOMAT

Neff has just been praised for his contributions to Eduardo and his Brazilian Aeroplane’s CD “ TELEPATIA” on POKO/EMI records.

 Finally we have a well honed CD of brazillian renditions of J. Karjalainen’s famous songs.....Naturally, the band consists of vital and important foreign musicians such as Eduardo himself and Johnson, among others. BUT, also one must point out the excellent playing of Puertorican American guitarist, Neff Irizarry II, who is well known by all here in Finland for his own progressive Latin Jazz.                                                                       

                                                                                 Mikko Saarela, RYTMI MAGAZINE 2/03

 You can purchase the CD at http://www.brazilianaeroplane.com

Below is a review (taken from 'Blues & Soul' magazine No.870) of the Eddie Henderson Concerts at the Jazz Cafe, May 2002. The Core members, yours truly on guitar, of Mr.Gone acted as Eddie's Backing band.

"Eddie Henderson was one of the few major jazz fusion artists who didn't perform live in the UK in the late 70's/early 80's, when jazz funk was at the height of its popularity. This is surprising considering that Eddie was voted ahead of most of his contemporaries in B&S polls at that time. Being at this concert was like being taken back in time to those heady halcyon days, and one of the best gigs of this style of music that I have ever witnessed having seen all the greats: Grover, Herbie, Donald, Ronnie, Crusaders and of course Roy Ayers at their peak. Ably supported by UK fusionists Mr.Gone, Eddie a sprightly 61 year old, performed all his great tunes from the 70s (as featured in his recent anthology set on Soul Brother Records) to a capacity crowd...... The audience left having witnessed one of the greatest ever fusion gigs, performed by one of the greatest living trumpeters and his funky band, 90 minutes of pure magic. When Eddie Henderson returns, as he must surely do, be there or be very square."

                                                                                                       Paul John, Blues & Soul.

Eddie Henderson- Trumpet

Mr Gone - The musicians

Simon T. Bramley - Electric Bass 

Neff Irizarry - Electric guitars

Phil Nelson - Drums

Neil Burditt - Fender Rhodes, Synthesizer

Jamie M. Harris - Tenor/Alto/Soprano/Baritone Saxes, Flutes

& Special Guest - Robin Jones - Congas

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