ONOFFON

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ONOFFON's SSP of the day is brought to you by the kind people at Aural Innovations.ONOFFON - Surrender Nowhttp://aural-innovations.com/progrock/onoffon.htmlreviewed by Jerry Kranitz"From California, Onoffon is a difficult to define jazz, pop, blues, progressive trio consisting of Don Lake on guitar, vocals, and harmonica, Von Babasin on bass, and Dave Goode on drums. Much of the music is jazz influenced pop rock, but the blandness that such a description implies is not the case with Onoffon. The musicianship is topnotch, the playing tight, and the music is embellished by creative instrumental passages. Songs like "Surrender Now" and "Rock Garden" feature Don Lake's soulful vocals and bluesy harmonica and are characteristic of this side of Onoffon. The band displays a harder rocking edge on other tracks. "Your Reality" is like Cream meets the Red Hot Chile Peppers and features some spacey guitar from Lake. "I Don't Give No" also has that Chile Peppers feel but is much funkier and oddly metered. Great percussion competes with the guitar for center stage giving the tune a welcome intensity. Other tunes, however, feature a more adventurous side of the band. My favorite track on the disc is "Weekend In Montreal", which after the first few songs took me completely by surprise. With Glen Garrett guesting on tenor sax the band strays into more off the wall jazz and avant rock territory. This wonderfully schizophrenic tune shifts abruptly between manic and melodic playing. This was probably my favorite track and left me aching for more sax on subsequent tracks. "The Gift Must Always Move" has a great acoustic/electric guitar combination and great rhythms that bring this song well beyond the "light jazz" impression only a cursory listen might leave. About half way through the song the band begins to rock out and Lakes guitar takes on a subtle spacey quality. My other favorite track is "Remember Only". About half of the song's twelve minutes is an orchestral spacey piece that between the guitar and percussion has a Middle Eastern feel to it. Vocals are eventually introduced and the whole thing has a laid back feel. In summary, Onoffon has a variety of influences that make them of interest to prog rockers. The lighter tunes may put off some proggers, but I would encourage attentive listening as the band's inventive instrumental passages will reveal themselves. Personally I'd love to hear more tunes like "Weekend In Montreal". These guys can really cook."Sincere thanks to Mr. Kranitz for his thoughts on our debut CD...

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Todays ONOFFON SSP is short but sweet and has one of my favorite compliments from all of our reviews -AMP3.com ReviewsONOFFON - Selected tracksreviewed by Doug Cornell"Which brings us to Onoffon. While not as obscure sounding as King Crimson, Onoffon nonetheless creates jazz-influenced rock that is recorded with extreme care. Mostly a guitar/bass/drums/vocals outfit, Onoffon also adds harmonica, keyboards, sax, and flute to their thick, complex sound. The songs are certainly jazzy, but won't alienate the more casual rock fan, as the instrumental virtuosity kept me engaged even as I was scratching my head in wonderment."I have to say - "the instrumental virtuosity kept me engaged even as I was scratching my head in wonderment" - has to be one of the most complimentary phrases we've ever received. Thanks Doug Cornell for a most interesting view of our music...

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This day's ONOFFON SSP comes from that respected music industry resource, The All Music Guide. You won't find a lot of independent bands in the archives of the AMG - and yet ONOFFON has a bio page, and reviews of both of our CDs.The All Music Guidehttp://www.allmusic.com/cg/x.dll?p=amg&sql=2SU ... NOWONOFFON - Surrender Nowreviewed by Stanton Swihart"AMG REVIEW: From the very beginning of Surrender Now, Onoffon displays their ambitious cross-genre skills. Opening with a rumbling Von Babasin bassline, the title cut might be called jazz fusion were it not for Don Lake's wailing harmonica that cuts through the smooth, effortless music. When the airy vocals enter the picture, imparting vaguely mystical sentiments, it makes for something akin to new age jazz-rock. Very eerie, actually, but something that is unique and intriguing. That new age/jazz-rock mix is not wholly characteristic of Surrender Now. Jazz is certainly a beginning point for the band, but there is a also healthy dose of progressive rock influence and perhaps the slightest hint of blues. "Your Reality," too, shows psychedelic influences, particularly in the lyrics and Lake's slithery, snaking guitar work. Despite being a three-piece, Onoffon creates a dense and full canvas of sound, and their playing is complex and exciting. Babasin is nothing less than a virtuoso on bass, while Lake's guitar is tensive and spacy, making many of the songs, even those with lyrics, sound mysterious. Dave Goode's drumming builds a tricky and complicated foundation for the music that can be either heavy or dexterous, but is never less than interesting. Lyrically, the songs can be occasionally indiscriminate and nebulous, and the band could benefit from a more dynamic vocalist (Lake handles most of the lead vocals on Surrender Now), but those are only slight criticisms of a band that is as consistently inventive as Onoffon. The production -- handled entirely by the band itself -- may have a bit too much sheen, but otherwise is beyond reproach. Everything from a Japanese koto and saxophone to vibes and marimba to bluejean and newspaper taps (on the doo wop-ish "Please Baby Please" ) are employed to fill out the songs, and to good effect. Surrender Now never stops short of surprising or delighting the listener who is willing to give the music the effort it deserves." -- Stanton SwihartOnce again, we wish to thank Mr. Swihart for his contribution to our musical archives...

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The ONOFFON SSP for today comes from a site that was neither local nor a store but called themselves the Local Music Store Reviews - a group of independent music reviewers that no longer exists. Websites come and go so quickly these days -Local Music Store ReviewsONOFFON - Surrender Nowreviewed by Gene Bearer"If you didn't know that there was musical lineage in this band you would be able to guess after the first few songs by the tightness this trio exhibits. The third track 'Your Reality' harkens back to CREAM's 'Sunshine of Your Love" and is followed by 'Weekend in Montreal', one of two instrumentals on this disc. 'Montreal' begins with a big band feel and moves into some real soothing jazz as Glen Garrett helps out with nice saxophone work. There are songs that reflect influences of Frank Zappa both to the sound and lyrics. Both of these ( 'I Don't Give No..' & 'Letter Received' ) are fun songs that are placed among some more serious journeys. The second instrumental flows nicely through various movements keeping you wanting and waiting expectantly, fitting the title to perfection: 'The Gift Must Always Move'. The final two tracks are extended trips into love and perception, the last of which reminds me of early ELP. When I look for meditation/relaxation tracks in the future, I will be going to tracks 10 and 11 from Surrender Now. And I will be going back to the other tracks just for the enjoyment of the music. This is an independent venture with the band producing and owners of the entire package. This makes it a feel good CD for another reason altogether. Those that most deserve the benefits from the proceeds of Surrender Now will receive them. Check this out. These guys are definitely ON to something!"Another reviewer that appreciates what we independent artists go through just to do what we love - thanks to Gene Bearer for his kind words of support...

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ONOFFON SSP of the day is a very complimentary review from a gentleman in West Virginia, Geoff Melton. So, without further adieu -The Music CornerONOFFON - Surrender Nowreviewed by Geoff Melton"Thanks largely to their extremely diverse backgrounds, this California trio has come up with a very impressive debut that defies categorization. Depending on which of the eleven tracks you land on here you'll find Dave Matthews-like funky/rootsy jams - "Surrender Now", "I Don't Give No...", pure jazz instrumentals - "Weekend In Montreal", the beautiful laid-back "The Gift Must Always Move", the shuffling, jazz-tinged groove of "Please Baby Please", the captivating acoustic "If A Thief Were I" - check out the superb guitar work here, the orchestrated "Remember Only...", the rocking, blues flavored "Your Reality" and more. But not only does their diversity shine, their songwriting and pure talent as musicians shines throughout each and every cut. Surrender Now is an excellent release with something for just about everyone, and with such diversity and talent, the future is wide-open for these guys. I can't wait to see what they've got in store for album number two."Extreme thanks for Geoff's comments and insights...

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Today's ONOFFON SSP is the latest review we received over at BroadJam.com. It's on our instrumental, "Shadowglass", a rather sensual 5/4 progressive jazz tune with the lead played on alto flute by the very talented, Glen Garrett.Review of Song: ShadowglassDo you listen to this genre on a regular basis? - YesDoes this song have market potential? - 5/5Would you like to hear more from this artist? - 5/5Strength of the Hook - 5/5Quality of Instrumentation - 5/5Quality of Recording - 5/5Quality of Arrangement - 5/5Originality of Song - 5/5Overall Rating - 5/5What Genre is most appropriate for this song? - Jazz/SwingPros - Wow!!! Excellent!! I expected to hear Donald Fagen's voice break through the chord structure at any moment.Cons -Anytime someone even remotely compares us to the likes of Steely Dan, I am totally honored and humbled. Thank you kind stranger...

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Today's ONOFFON SSP of the Day is from a producer/musician in Arkansas, Bob Ketchum - Cedar Crest StudiosONOFFON - Surrender Nowreviewed by Bob Ketchum"I wanted to take a moment to tell you how much I enjoyed ONOFFON. "Surrender Now" - LOVE the time signature leading into the vocs. Don's got a good voice for this. "Rock Garden" - Very etheral. Jangly guitars. Nice tom sound. Thought provoking lyrics. Good vocal job by Don. "Your Reality" - This reminds me of something...... or someone.... can't put my finger on it. Deep and moody sounding. Maybe it's reminding me of early Robin Trower. Nice drumming. "Weekend In Montreal" - HEY! Let's "Jazz"!! Mingus meets Coltrane on a Thursday night. "I Don't Give No....." - These are great lyrics. "Zen - Mercedes Benz" HA! Nice harmonica solo, too. Good double-kick work. I like that direct-to-the-board guitar sound. "Inside My Soul" - Right off the bat I love the lyrics. Wish I could write like that. Very straightforward approach to the track. I like that. The lyrics deserve to be heard without musical complications. Nice job. "Please Baby Please" - All right! HAMBONE!!!! The perfect percussive compliment to the tune! "The Gift Must Always Move" - What a nice mello song. I close my eyes and am flooded with a thousand images. Bet it took a while to get this arrangement right! I listen to this one a lot while I'm "surfing". Your cymbals were recorded very well on this one. Nice drum work, Dave. Lots of empty space throughout the arrangement to let the piece breathe. "Letter Received" - What a concept. An almost Vegas approach to a stab at the IRS. Refreshing! Great scat singing by Don. Ella would be proud. "If A Thief Were I" - Nice acoustic guitar. Really nice guitar work..... BG vocals remind me of "Guinevere" by CS&N. Best vocals by Don on the CD. "Remember Only..." - BIG!! Very orchestral. I'll bet this one was fun! LOTS of space. 10-second reverb times. Sort of an Andy Summers feel to the guitars. This would make a good " dive video " soundtrack. Another song to close your eyes on. Congrats to Mudflap Buzz! Nice chorus effect on the vocals. Nice bass riffing after the first verse. Overall, it's a very cleanly produced and well thought out recording. The track layering is very smooth. Herb did a good mastering job. No loose ends on this CD. All the songs stand well on their own. No "filler". Von's bass parts are always right in the pocket with the drums. All guitars are very tasty. What I like best is it's not over produced. You allow the arrangements to carry the songs, not the mixing or spfx. This is a very tasty album."Wow! Robin Trower, Mingus meets Coltrane, CS&N, and Andy Summers comparisons - all on the same CD! Our sincere thanks to Bob for appreciating what we are doing with our music...

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Today's SSP for ONOFFON is from an interesting source - a metaphysical website - reviewer Richard Fuller, who reviews everything of a metaphysical nature, saw something in our music - Metaphysical ReviewsONOFFON - Surrender Nowreviewed by Richard Fuller"Here's a band that does it all...and does it all superbly. ONOFFON is Don Lake, Von Babasin and Dave Goode. Together, they composed the music, wrote the lyrics, did the arrangements, produced the album, shot and edited the music videos and even created the website. The end result is Surrender Now, a spectacular 11-song assemblage of great and mellow jazz combined with poetic and enlightening words. For instance, the track Inside My Soul says "The streets are filled with echoes of those who are not there...A tear runs down a cheek in the window of my mind's despair...Calm is broken as the morning light cuts through the dark and quiet gloom...My glass is empty, there's no where to turn as I sit here in my room." Don Lake does guitar and harmonica; Von Babasin is on bass guitar; and Dave Goode handles drums and percussion. They do the vocals together...and together, they produce a sound like they've been playing together for 25 years, and Surrender Now is their debut album! A sound only achievable when the band members are spiritually attuned to each other, in perfect harmony. Would you enjoy a preview...a chance to listen to this fine work? Von Babasin, in addition to his other talents, has designed an excellent website. The URL is shown below and your opportunity is now. Surrender Now, you will see and hear, is a superior album created by truly talented people. In this reviewer's opinion, ONOFFON has given us a memorable work you'll listen to over and over again!"Our thanks to Mr. Fuller for a deeper look into the more spiritual aspects of our music...

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Today's ONOFFON SSP is two for the price of one by the good doctor - Rotcod Zzaj that is! First, he hit a couple of our Mp3s - then asked for the real thing. This is what he said -Zzaj Hot FilesONOFFON - various Mp3sreviewed by Rotcod Zzaj"Gourd, what a marraige THIS is! All th' elements of jazz (not th' syrupy "smooth jazz" schlock, either), rock & (yes, even) improv you could ask for... but done tastefully & with th' kind of fervor that only musicians who understand that th' energy of th' universe is what they capture in a piece of music can play! This is VERY well done, & merits more than just a listen... you OTTA' click on in & BUY this one!!! Comes MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED & (without question) gets our H-O-T Pick of the Week for best "crossover jazz"! I just LOVED this stuff!"Improvijazzation Nationhttp://www.reachone.com/rotcod/zzaj39.htmONOFFON – Surrender Now"The first CD from this group (they sent us their latest, too, which will be reviewed soon)... some SMOKIN’ blues-based funk that’ll have yer’ fingerz’ poppin’, & get yer’ feet MOVIN’! We first reviewed them in our H-O-T files pages - http://www.olywa.net/rotcod/DABAYBULLZ.htm - , & were so impressed with their lowdown kickin’ style that we asked them to send th’ CD in. The elements of fusion jazz (some S-T-R-O-N-G sax on track 4, "Weekend In Montreal" ) mixed in are a main attraction for me, but they’ve got a strong rock presence (shades of "Cream", verzure) crawlin’ down under, too! HIGH ENERGY music for folks who won’t tolerate syrupy smooth in their listening sessions. This is one of the best (all around) groups I’ve heard! They get a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, especially if yer’ lookin’ for some music that’ll carry ya’ over thee TOP!" Thanks to the good doctor for such an enlightening review...

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ONOFFON's SSP of the day comes to us from Great Britain -Acid Attack Records - U.K.ONOFFON - Surrender Nowreviewed by Martyn Jones"California based trio ONOFFON debut cd seems to offer something for all. Describing themselves as a "Progressive Jazz" group, in the sense the music is a progressive sound, and there is a lot of jazz influence. Mixing instrumental and vocal tracks, the first track, and title track is a more bluesy number, with a strong jazz back line running through it. Please Baby Please, is a very upbeat downtown bluesy/jazz number. The contrasts in musical styles, work well, keeping you on your feet. Taking in the almost free jazz instrumental tune of Weekend in Montreal with some excellent sax soloing, to the powerhouse tune of Your Reality the tracks move from one to the next giving the listener a musical treat. The cd finishes off with two 11 mins+ tracks, and are the more constructed of the "progressive" tracks, with If A Thief Were I, an excellent acoustic number, and Remember Only... the last track, for me been the best track on the cd, a harder edged tune with long instrumental passages. All vocal tracks are extremely strong with the vocals of Don Lake, along with Dave Goode on drums, and Von Babasin pumping bass and keys, the other two band members. If you are prepared to try something that might test your musical taste, then give this one a go, due to the changing styles of the tracks, there is plenty here to keep you listening for a long time."Our sincere thanks go out to Martyn for his complimentary views of our CD...