Truth in Shredding [Original recording reissued]

MVP, Mark Varney Project Featuring Allan Holdsworth Frank Gambale | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 4, 2003)
• Original Release Date: 1989
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued
• Label: Tone Center
• ASIN: B0000DJZ7P
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #319,549 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Rocks

2. Humpty Dumpty

3. The Fall

4. Not Ethiopia

5. New Boots

6. Ana Maria

7. Bathsheba

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars THE TRUTH INDEED, February 8, 2004

By 

Jeff Arenson (Colorado Springs, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Truth in Shredding (Audio CD)

"Truth in Shredding" is precisely what this disc is. Originally released on the now defunct Legato Records label over a decade ago, this CD has now been rereleased by TONECENTER. When I first heard this CD back in the early nineties I would have given it 5 stars. Now, however, my tastes are a bit different but it still rates a strong four.
This disc is all about chops. Allan Holdsworth and Frank Gambale are the featured soloists, but Jimmy Earl(Bass), Freddy Ravel(Keyboards), Steve Tavaglione(Sax and EWI) and Tommy Brechtlein(Drums) are all given a chance to stretch out on one tune or another. Gambale and Holdsworth contribute on every song and their playing, at the time of recording had never been better. This CD is the prelude to all of the Tonecenter all-star band discs that happened many years later.
The music is Jazz-Fusion with plenty of emphasis on soloing. All of the songs, except for one, are covers. 'New Boots' is a Frank Gambale original and a different version of this song is on a Vital Information CD. The covers are 3 Brecker Brothers songs: "Rocks", "Not Ethiopia" and "Bathsheba"; a Chick Corea composition, "Humpty Dumpty" and 2 Wayne Shorter pieces, "The Fall" and "Ana Maria". The guys in the band go ballistic over these fusion standards.
If you just want to hear some musicians going chops crazy then this disc is for you. Holdsworth and Gambale are simply incredible and a G3 type of tour would have been priceless. This is not for anyone wanting to hear original compositions, or compositions that are Holdsworthesque.(unless you're unfamiliar with the covers) A lot of fun and TONECENTER has also rereleased CENTRIFUGAL FUNK which feature Gambale, Brett Garsed and the late great Shawn Lane on guitar. Self-indulgent, virtuostic madness done right.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "The GREATEST Fusion Guitar Album Ever!", May 29, 2009

By 

Daniel S. Sullivan "guitar enthusiast" (Gibbstown,N.J. USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Truth in Shredding (Audio CD)

The year is 1990. Mark Varney puts the two best fusion guitarists on the planet together for this guitar tour-de-force; Frank Gambale, who in addition to his work with the Chick Corea Elektric Band, recorded three albums for Varney; and Allan Holdsworth, who's fusion resume included 2 albums with the Tony Williams Lifetime as well as several of his own albums.
Gambale produced the recording, and assembled the band, which was comprised of bassist Jimmy Earl, saxophonist Steve Tavaglione, keyboardist Freddie Ravel & drummer Tom Brechtlein.

Gambale & the rhythm section tracked the album live in the studio, while Holdsworth over-dubbed his solos and mixed the album.

The set consisted of 3 Brecker Brothers tunes, 2 Wayne Shorter compositions, a Chick Corea tune and a Gambale original.

Gambale's finest moments include "Rocks", "Humpty Dumpty", "Not Ethiopia" & "Ana Maria".

Holdsworth's highlights include "Rocks", "Not Ethiopia", "New Boots" & "Bathsheba".

Tavaglione, Ravel, Earl & Brechtlein make stellar contributions of their own to this apocalyptic jam-fest.

Unlike most of my reviews-which break an album down track-by-track, any detailed description of this album would just be redundant reminders of the following statement:

"The GREATEST Fusion Guitar Album EVER !!!

5 STARS.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It truly is an honor ...., May 26, 2003

By 

Jazzcat "stef" (Genoa, Italy Italy) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Truth in Shredding (Audio CD)

.... to be the first person to review this album. I can't believe I'm the first person in the world who wants to review masterpieces as Centrifugal funk, Truth in shredding, Powers of ten (from Shawn Lane) on the Amazon site. Anyway it is! This is the second part (or first as you like) of the mesmerizing Mark Varney Project. The second album we're talking about is Centrifugal funk which is probably my all time favourite Jazz fusion album. This comes behind that one but it is a great effort too. There is always one that should be preferred. Mine is Centrifugal funk, this comes after. The main reason lies in the funkiness of Centrifugal funk which added something to the Mark Varney recipe that Truth in shredding does not have. A sense of fun, of freshness. Anyway TIS is a fantastic album too. The line up is not the same. Brett garsed and Shawn Lane are not included here. And there are different players in the rhythm section (Tom Brechtlein of Robben Ford fame). Gambale crossed his guitar here with nonetheless than Allan Holdsworth, the father of the two younger guns before mentioned. The music here is more classic fusion oriented and less funky fusion. Tunes are from Michael Brecker, Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter just to name the best known names. And what names!!!! There is a tune from Gambale which in my opinion is a stratospheric Jazz standard. New boots. Not more to add here. It is an intense hard Jazz fusion release (with some tirannosaurus rex guitar solos) that should be owned by every cat interested in guitar, modern Jazz or fusion. I don't know how to judge the fact that Mark Varney closed this project after two such magical release. By one hand this fact strenghtned these two releases giving them a sense of full closed perfection. By the other hand this fact left me wanting more from this precociously aborted series. Anyway this is how it went. In the end two gems are better than nothing. Thanxs MVP !!