Customer Reviews

Midnight Noon

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
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2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This may be Craig's most creative release. Craig tells the listener (in the liner notes)the story behind each tune. There is considerable range demonstrated throughout the whole CD. There are soft songs and then there are the guitar jamming songs which made me think that Craig was returning to his (Jefferson)Starship roots. It is said that Craig incorporated over 50 different guitars in the making of this CD. After listening to the entire CD, I knew it was a great listen whether there were 1 or 50 guitars used. Additionally, several tunes showcase Craig's band members. "Equinox" features Ozzie Ahlers with a nice piano solo and "Bobby Sox" probably demonstrates his bandmates more significant contributions with the bass and keys getting the most play. "Dream Date" features a nice back and forth between Craig and saxman Kevin Paladini. Throughout the CD, you will experience the therapeutic effect that Craig has attempted with his work via the American Music Therapy Assoc.

Craig Chaquico was once the lead guitarist for Jefferson Starship but you wont hear a lot of rock and roll polished riffs here on this CD.No, this is no Yanni nor Pat Metheny, but it is Craig Chaquico, a guitarist who has made a unique sound of his own.

Although Chaquico plays mostly amplified jazz-fusion music, his sound is nevertheless well suited for the SACD(Super Audio Compact Disc) treatment utilized here.Normal, standard CDs are criticized, and rightly so, for sometimes being on the cold side. So artists like Chaquico need all the warming-up help they can get.

During the last several years, Chaquico has been number one on many levels and many charts-both during and after his work with Jefferson Starship.A few # 1 mentions:

Number 1 on Guitar Player's Magazine poll; #1 on Billboard Magazine for New Age music, with his album, Acoustic Planet, #1 on Billboard's top Indie tunes with Acoustic Highway.

Listed as #1 tune from album Panorama on Café Carnival; Best of Craig Chaquico, #1 on Smooth Jazz for album Shadow and Light,

This CD was created to inspire you, move and make you think.It accomplishes that goal very well.Below is my track by track review:

1-On Her Boyfriend's Wedding, Craig uses an acoustic guitar and the song itself is an upbeat song that is easy-listening which you can play over and over and you may never get tired of hearing it.This song is inspired by a true story of a woman who was invited to her ex-boyfriend's wedding, where she meets someone new.

2-Dream Date-A dreamy song to follow "Her Boyfriend`s Wedding", telling what might have happened next. A combination of acoustic and electric guitars with sax sets the mood.

3-El Gato-Written and recorded during the Year Of The Cat to loosely follow the story line of the CD. El Gato (the cat) is a passionate song featuring piano, sax, classical Spanish nylon string guitar, acoustic steel string guitar, and finally rockin` electric guitar accented with Latin-inspired percussion and horns.

4-Bobby Sox-Inspired by an old, fat-bodied guitar from the `50s, a vintage Hammond B3 organ with original Leslie rotary speakers, and things that happen between midnight and noon and back again. Envision a nostalgic trip in time where you see those cute little bobby socks with saddle shoes, classic automobiles, and the rounded fenders of Harley-Davidson motorcycles lined up along the curb in front of a diner.

5-Always With You-Day and night, a true love is always with you. Many thanks to April Hendrix for the mysterious and soulful vocals. Her vibe (and just the name Hendrix) inspired the way much of the guitar was played on this song. Acoustic guitar flipped sonically and played backwards in the studio, Spanish guitar, electric funk guitar, plus lush keyboards and sax weave a story of how different musical styles and opposites always attract.

6-Jazz Noon-A slow, sexy song.Perfect song for the title track, which fits perfectly the title of this CD!

7-Dia Del Zorro-My favorite song from this CD, This is the first song on any of Craig's albums played entirely on electric guitars.

8-Girls Night Out-Several distinctive guitars and other instruments are used here to express the different personalities of girls on a night out together. As the `night` continues, the guitars (like the girls) get a bit more uninhibited.

9-Equinox- This song features Ozzie Ahlers with a nice piano solo and a beautiful piano introduction to "Outlaw In The City".

10-Outlaw in The City- This song was inspired by the idea of someone exploring areas outside of their element - like a traditional tribal singer, medicine man, or sacred seer, feeling their unbridled spirits roaming barefoot among the iron horses in a big concrete city, skyscrapers breathing humanity in and out of lungs made of glass and steel.


Using sounds from 50 of his own guitars Chaquico shows exactly what he can do, communicating through his instrument, taking his audience wherever he feels like going.

Influenced by Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, and Eric Clapton, mega star Chaquico deserves the recognition he has earned through his years as lead guitar for Jefferson Starship, along with the 20 Gold Records won, making the group one of the most successful, ever.

Aficionado Chaquico connects with his audience through a passion of story telling, emotional weaving of textures, and a flow of rich sound.

With 30 plus years as creator, connoisseur, and master of sound, Craig Chaquico has launched another hit.

This is one of Craig's best CDs. Not only is the music great, but this is a CD you need to have so that you can read the story presented in the CD booklet. It gives more meaning and atmosphere while listening. The variety on the CD is interesting and the vocal track is great.

Craig Chaquico is the former member of the 1980s supergroup Jefferson Starship. His 1993 solo debut album "Acoustic Highway" was and remains the best solo album of his career to date and blended the best of New Age, with rock and a stunningly beautiful 12 string guitar played in many different ways. The album was a powerhouse that has lost none of it's enjoyability in the years since it's release. However, following releases, while still enjoyable, saw his music drifting more and more towards predictable smooth jazz and less of the spark of AH even though "Four Corners" was his best in the Smooth Jazz era.

However, his 2004 comeback album entitled "Midnight Noon" comes as his strongest set of songs since his debut and after waiting so long, brings back the incredible sound that made his early solo music so amazing to listen to. Listen to the incredible pop/jazz anthem "Always With You" with it's beautiful vocals as well as it's great sunny melody! Another incredible song is the opening track "Her Boyfriends Wedding" with it's fast high-speed drum rhythm as well as it's incredible keyboards and great guitar sounds. Even if you despised his 'smooth jazz' works from immediately before this, "Midnight Noon" is a must-have. I haven't heard Chaquico sound this great and energetic in so long. Welcome back Craig!

Craig Chaquico might not only be the best guitarist you never heard of, he might be one of the best musicians you never heard of. For fans of the Jefferson Starship and Starship, they are most familiar with Chaquico's work. Chaquico was brought into Jefferson Starship by founding member Paul Kantner in the early 1970s. Chaquico is probably best known when Jefferson Starship morphed simply into "Starship" and scored a huge number one hit with "We Built This City". "We Built This City" is a song that is often thrashed - and unfairly. This song does personify the 1980s, but it is also a very good song. This song featured some outstanding guitar rifts. These rifts were played by none other than Chaquico himself. While the video was cheesy, I do remember Chaquico and his long brown hair jamming on the guitar. "We Built This City" was what introduced me to Craig Chaquico - and ever since then he has become one of my favorite guitar players. The 1990s saw Chaquico built a new career for himself - this time as a Smooth Jazz artist. Chaquico would establish himself quickly in the Smooth Jazz community - even garnering a Grammy nomination for his 1994 sophomore album, "Acoustic Planet". Chaquico would continue to stamp his footprint in the Smooth Jazz community releasing many critically acclaimed albums at the rate of nearly one per year. By 2004, Chaquico would release his ninth solo album, "Midnight Noon". This album not only solidifies Chaquico's standing as a Jazz guitarist, but cements his reputation as one outstanding musician.

Throughout his career in the Smooth Jazz world, Chaquico has collaborated with Ozzie Ahlers from both a songwriting and production standpoint. It is clear that the duo has great chemistry when it comes to creating music. In general, while Chaquico focuses on his guitar, his albums bring in all of the elements of a modern Smooth Jazz band. There is a heavy infusion of keyboards, which has almost become a necessity in Smooth Jazz and Ahlers brings some outstanding keyboard work to the table. Chaquico and Ahlers seem to have a knack for bringing in the right musicians. Musicians such as bassist Jim Reitzel and drummer Wade Olson go back to Chaquico's sophomore album and are also present on the "Midnight Noon" album.

Many may argue whether Smooth Jazz is really Jazz or not. Whether you believe the term "Jazz" belongs in Smooth Jazz or not, I do believe this genre has established itself on the music scene. I look at Smooth Jazz as primarily an instrumental music style that is an incorporation and fusion of several instrumental styles. Some of the fusion may be classic Jazz brass sounds (such as the sax), but others may be modern music styles of electric guitar or synthesizers. All of this is very prevalent in Chaquico's work - and in particular "Midnight Noon". You will hear some classic Jazz sounds (such as on "Jazz Noon"), some Latin elements ("El Gato" and "Dia Del Zorro") - and even a mix of electric and acoustic guitar work on "Outlaw in the City".

Instrumental artists seem to have difficulty succeeding on today's modern music landscape. One thing that really helps Chaquico is for "Midnight Noon" is that he really attempts to build a concept album. This often hard enough to do with music that contains vocals, but I think it's even harder to do when you are an instrumentalist. On "Midnight Noon", Chaquico helps to communicate the concept of "Midnight Noon" through the liner notes. Some may argue that this takes away from your imagination of listening to an instrumental, but I think it does the opposite. It helps you realize what Chaquico's vision is for the songs. Chaquico has done this in the past, and he continues the trend on this collection.

Chaquico communicates his concept two ways. At a "macro level", Chaquico explains the concept of the "Midnight Noon" album as a whole. He explains that in our modern day society, there isn't much of a traditional "9 to 5" work day. He explains that a lot of people now don't start working until after midnight - and throughout his music, he clearly puts the Smooth Jazz artist as someone who falls into this working shift. As you listen to the songs on this album, you can almost feel how this music fits into that "late night shift" that he is explaining about. Chaquico then explains the concept at a more detailed "micro level". For each of the ten tracks on this collection, he will not only explain what the song is about, but he also finds a way to fit things into the macro, "Midnight Noon" concept - whether it's a bunch of girls going out and wrecking havoc on "Girls Night Out" or a woman out at a late night wedding reception on "Her Boyfriend's Wedding". Chaquico does an outstanding job at communicating this message - and it really enhances the listening experience.

While Chaquico does a great job explaining the music on this collection, he backs it up with some outstanding tracks. This is a very strong album - there is not one weak song on this album and you can enjoy listening to it over and over. Possibly the strongest song is the last song, "Outlaw in the City". The song showcases Chaquico's guitar work as well as any song he has done. In the liner notes, Chaquico explains the concept behind this song as someone playing an acoustic guitar in a sea of electric guitars that are reminiscent of the city. The whole "city" theme blends very nicely with the "Midnight Moon" theme. I'd even go as far to say that "Outlaw in the City" might be as good a Smooth Jazz instrumental as I ever heard.

Overall this is a great album. Even if this collection didn't have the outstanding liner notes that it does, it still would be a must have. Highly recommended.

Higher Octave presents "Midnight Noon", featuring Craig Chaquico and his confident blend of classical Spanish guitar with a cool rock edge...some quality backup with Jim Reitzel on bass, Marquinho Brasil on percussion, Wade Olson on drums, Ozzie Ahlers on keyboards and Ramon Slas on percussion...staples of new agey smooth jazz.

A few stand outs..."EL GATO" and "DEL DIA ZORRO", features Chaquico's ongoing brilliance which is truly identifiable, incorporating jazzier elements mixed with horn drenched arrangements into a wonderful comfort zone..from the very first note you know you're in for a great performance with room to spare...just the way you like 'em!

Total Time: 44:37 on 10 Tracks ~ Higher Octave 76716 ~ (9/28/2004)

Love Craig Chaquico, have many of his albums. It is a relaxing album with great melodies and the distinctive sound he produces.Highly recommend if you want to sort of chill out and enjoy some lovely music.

Midnight Noon is the 2004 release by jazz guitarist, Craig Chaquico. According to his Wikipedia file, Chaquico has enjoyed musical success largely in rock music before shifting into smooth jazz and new age music in the 1990s and this decade. Though hailing from northern California, this album made me think much more of Florida, specifically a heated Miami vibe. Go figure.

I picked up this CD as a Christmas present. I included it on my wish list because of air play for one of his most popular tracks, Her Boyfriend's Wedding, which is definitely worthy of the attention. It has a solid melodic line and distinctive sound, and it's definitely car-friendly. Great to roll down the windows and turn up the volume. I think it also helps establish a signature piece to the CD, which, unfortunately, becomes so distinctive that you can't help but "hear" it over and over again in other tracks. I'll get to that in a moment.

The most prominent features of the album include a consistent use of warmed guitar strings and synthesized scatting, usually relying on percussive sounds to get the point across. Although he is best known for orchestrating solid guitar riffs, I think that smooth jazz music as a whole tends to soften that down. Perhaps the longest ones are played in his fourth track, Bobby Sox, but they tend to blend well with the rest of the sounds. They don't really stand out. Jazz Noon is great because it features a lot of well-placed ambient noise, such as cups and saucers being placed, spoons stirring into coffee, background conversation, and so on. Very well placed.

What really sinks this album, unfortunately, is that the tracks really don't do much to distinguish themselves from each other. You get a couple of exceptions like I've discussed earlier. You'll also get a mistake like Equinox, just over a minute of random playing around on a keyboard, testing stuff out. The most rotten tomato goes to Always with You. It's his longest track, stretching over six minutes, and it's really dishonest. It should've been dubbed a slower, incomplete remix for the first track. I listened to it a few times to be sure, but it's basically half of the chord progression for Wedding, slowed down, and featuring a female voice repeating, "Our love is so strong. I'm always with you."

Now you wonder why the dude got married to another chick from the first song...

But for the rest of the tracks, you'll basically hear a few neatly plucked chords followed by the last two or three being drawn out with a whammy bar. And it's solid. Wedding does six notes and two whammied ones; the count's pretty close on the rest. It's neat when you hear it the first time, but it feels cheapened a few tracks in. Outlaw in the City provides a nice conclusion to the CD. It does what it needs to. It wraps with a bit of a fun beat. Unfortunately, taking the CD out of the player, I realized that I had high hopes that were all but extinguished.

It's a mediocre CD, and it can get boring after a few playthroughs. I'm glad I got it as a gift, but I wouldn't have purchased it on my own. I don't know if Chaquico has put out a new album since this one -- actually, just one holiday CD in 2005 -- and I would hope that he put a little more effort into it.

My favorite for him is acqustic highway. This isn't as great as that but worth buying!

Thomas Edison said that genius was 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Sadly, this CD is 100% perspiration. Other reviewers compare it favorably to Acoustic Highway, which was truly a work of genius. But Midnight Moon is a pointless mishmash of extraneous sounds that will leave you cold. No passion, no feeling. I'm sad to see such a great talent wasted on stuff like this.