Guitar International Reviews Randy Klein’s Two Duos “What’s Next?” w/Alex Skolnick and Boris Kozlov
Pianist Randy Klein is an alumnus of Berklee College of Music. He is an Emmy Award winner for Free To Dance (PBS Great Performances), Beyond Tara – The extraordinary Life Of Hattie Mc Daniel (American Movie Classics) and Richard Wright – Black Boy (PBS/BBC Production).
Klein has also enjoyed great success in Musical Theatre, and has released 11 recordings as a leader for his record label “Jazzheads.” Klein states that he hopes to continue his series of duo recordings for years to come.On this project Klein is joined on alternating tracks by bassist Boris Kozlov and guitarist Alex Skolnick.
Kozlov is Russian born, and has been with the Mingus Big Band for many years. Skolnick is best known for his work with Testament and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. His reputation for technical prowess in the heavy metal genre is well deserved.
The opening tune is titled “Exalted Kingdom” and featured a tight unison statement of a Latin tinged melody. Skolnick immediately shows that he is capable of a nice full traditional Jazz tone and phrasing. Klein’s note selection and soloing is a combination of Bill Evans and Ahmad Jamal. He plays nice full chords underneath thoughtful single lines that flow effectively through the changes.Next up is the title tune “What’s Next.”
Kozlov provides the perfect voice to blend with Klein both as a support instrument and soloist. Their natural interplay shows a commonality of musical background and approach that works wonderfully. “Casa China” brings Skolnick back to share in a somewhat mysterious melodic statement and feel.
“Dear Charles Mingus” is a bass feature that I am sure has the departed legend smiling from above. “No” is a playful tune with a somewhat fugal treatment and presentation. Once again Skolnick serves as a perfect partner to Klein’s musical intent.All of the compositions are Klein originals. Other titles included are “Lark,” “Where’s My Glasses,” “Tea for Three,” “Inner Voice” and ‘Return to Splendor.”
Each tune is perfectly placed in the order of the presentation to guarantee a solid contrast throughout. The melodies are all extremely well crafted and interesting. Klein’s chord progressions offer a modern approach while maintaining enough of the traditional thought processes to be logical and pleasing to the most hard line old school listener.
This is a truly fine recording performed by three excellent musicians. It will be a welcome addition to the library of any Jazz fan. It can be enjoyed as either relaxing background music, or analyzed and appreciated for its complexity. That is a truly rare combination and a testament to the quality of the compositions.
Guitar International - Vince Lewis
“What’s Next?” available on JAZZHEADS, 
and 
MWE3.com Interviews Randy Klein
mwe3: Aside from the different instrumentation, how different is your new duo album What’s Next? compared to your first duo album? Also how did you meet Boris Kozlov and Alex Skolnick and how would you describe the musical chemistry in play on What’s Next? how was the material chosen for the album and how did it begin and end?
RANDY KLEIN: The compositions on Sunday Morning, the first CD from the Two Duos project, are more melody and harmony driven. They were chosen because they fit the two players performing them. Oleg Kireyev has a deep warm saxophone sound and Chris Washburne has a unique facility in all ranges of the trombone. Both are superb all around musicians and improvisers. As I was preparing What’s Next? I wanted to make the CD simply different from the last one. The most important difference was to use two rhythm instruments and the compositions on What’s Next? are written with this idea in mind. The compositions also forced my demands as a pianist to grow.
MWE3.com Reviews Randy Klein’s Two Duos “What’s Next?” w/Alex Skolnick and Boris Kozlov
Jazz duo albums can sometimes be a hit and miss affair yet one that completely hits the bullseye is What’s Next? by jazz pianist Randy Klein. For the 12 track, hour long What’s Next? Randy teams with guitar virtuoso Alex Skolnick and bassist Boris Kozlov and the results are a delicate yet sonically durable outing that puts Klein’s sumptuous grand piano skills in a very favorable light. Both Skolnick and Kozlov are fine players to compliment Klein’s sensitive sounding, jazzy piano tracks. What’s Next? is actually the second CD of Randy Klein’s Two Duos album series from the pianist, the first one being 2010’s Sunday Morning, featuring Klein with trombonist Chris Washburne and saxophonist Oleg Kireyev. Guitar fans will note Skolnick’s tasteful fretboard work on What’s Next? and indeed Skolnick’s deft touch sounds quite well suited to Klein’s jazzy piano. Commenting on working with Skolnick and Kozlov on What’s Next? Klein adds, ‘These are top notch players! And when you play with players who are on this level, it really becomes a dream come true.’ Jazz fans who appreciate sensitive, varied, acoustic piano-based albums are truly well served by this album, while music fans should keep their ears open for more releases from the soon to be acclaimed series of CD releases from Randy Klein’s Two Duos on Jazzheads - the record label started by Klein back in 1992.
“What’s Next?” available on JAZZHEADS, and
Randy Klein’s Two Duos: What’s Next? is the Ringer of the Week on Jazz Weekly!
I’ve always been a sucker for jazz duets. Lonnie Johnson and Eddie Lang, Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, Jim Hall & Pat Metheny…the list could go on forever. There’s nowhere to hide, and if you’re posing, it’s going to come out. This disc with pianist Randy Klein has him in duo setting with either guitarist Alex Skolnick or bassist Boris Kozlov, and the result is one of the most lyrical, melodic yet incisively swinging releases to come out in many moons. Klein’s got a flowing touch with an inherent sense of pulse, flow and timing, making these tunes come off like intriguing conversations between longtime friends. Skolnick’s warm guitar embraces sonatas like “Exalted Kingdom” and the luxurious “In The Twilight Hours” with delicacy while he can also give it all he’s got, yet without shouting, on the fun loving ”No.” Kozlov’s elastic and electric 6 string bass dances around “Dear Charles Mingus” with exciting fingerwork while his sensitivity is spotlighted on the lilting “Inner Voice.” All throughout, Klein keeps the mood serene yet without somnambulism. Gently gliding like a spring brook, this music is refreshing to the soul.
JazzWeekly.com - George W. Harris
“What’s Next?” available on JAZZHEADS, and
AllMusic Reviews Randy Klein’s Two Duos “What’s Next?” w/Alex Skolnick and Boris Kozlov
Pianist Randy Klein is a talented composer and lyricist who has written extensively for film, television, and theater, though he has had plenty of opportunity to show off his jazz chops since launching his Jazzheads label in the early 1990s. This session is a bit unusual as it is divided into a series of duets with two different musicians: electric guitarist Alex Skolnick and electric bassist Boris Kozlov (who is better known for his work on acoustic bass). All of the tunes are Klein originals, alternating tracks with each partner. Skolnick is an interesting choice, as most of his career had been spent playing heavy metal. But the match recommended by Klein’s radio promoter proves inspired, as Skolnick absorbs the subtlety of the pianist’s music and proves himself to be a good listener, complementing Klein’s work with thoughtful solos and accompaniment, beginning with the infectious opener “Exalted Kingdom,” which is reminiscent of the kind of duets Chick Corea often plays with vibraphonist Gary Burton. The soft, understated samba setting of “No” is full of inspired moments, while the lush “In the Twilight Hours” has a sense of melancholy. The tracks featuring Boris Kozlov are eye-opening as well. There’s a lot to like about the lyrical “Dear Charles Mingus,” with its mix of romanticism, nostalgia, and humor, with Kozlov’s sublime playing being the perfect match for Klein’s whimsical piano. The elegant ballad “Lark” suggests a morning sunrise, as the pianist and bassist deftly engage one another in a delightful musical conversation. The lovely “Tea for Three” has a reflective mood, as if Klein was recalling a first love from his youth, and the delicate ballad “Inner Voice” has a child-like innocence, as Klein’s spacious chords engage the ebb and flow of Kozlov’s bass. What’s Next? is an all-around success.
“What’s Next?” available on JAZZHEADS, and
O’s Place Jazz Magazine Reviews Randy Klein’s Two Duos “What’s Next?” w/Alex Skolnick and Boris Kozlov
Randy Klein - What’s Next? 4/3
O’s Notes: Pianist Randy Klein forms two duos to perform a dozen original jazz-fusion compositions. He pairs with guitarist Alex Skolnick to generate a lot of positive momentum on “Casa China” and “Exalted Kingdom”. Boris Kozlov plays bass and provides a similar strong impact on “Dear Charles Mingus” and then a soft ballad, “Tea For Three”. Randy alternates the pairings to sustain the listener’s interest. The soundstage is open drawing listeners into Klein’s space and keeping them there with a smile.
D. Oscar Groomes - O’s Place Jazz Magazine
“What’s Next?” available on JAZZHEADS, and
Rochester City Newspaper Reviews Randy Klein’s Two Duos “What’s Next?” w/Alex Skolnick and Boris Kozlov
Rochester City Newspaper
Normally, if I were to write that the songs on a particular album have a repetitive quality to them, that would not be a compliment. But repetition is a central positive ingredient in the compositional style of Randy Klein, and his new album, “What’s Next,” is engaging from start to finish. From Bach-like variations, repeated phrases you might hear in serial music, all the way to pop hooks, Klein’s tunes grab you and won’t let go.
Klein is actually no stranger to pop music. He’s written songs for prominent R&B artists like Millie Jackson, Candy Staton, Sarah Dash and even rapper Lil’ Kim, and among his numerous career credits are tunes for Sesame Street. But “What’s Next” is the latest of his 10 jazz albums and the second in his “Two Duos” series. The premise is simple; chose two accomplished musicians with distinctive sounds and record half an album with each.
“What’s Next” features duets with guitarist Alex Skolnick and bassist Boris Kozlov. Skolnick is the former heavy metal guitarist (for Testament) turned jazz improviser. His vibrant guitar style is the perfect complement to Klein’s spritely playing. Kozlov is a highly melodic, six-string electric bass player whose bass sometimes enters hybrid guitar territory.
Although the majority of the tunes are up-tempo, there is also a more subtle and gorgeous side of Klein’s writing. One of the most beautiful examples is his (and Skolnick’s) treatment of “In The Twilight Hours.” The bottom line: when Klein and his two collaborators use their considerable skills on his excellent tunes the results are magical.
Ron Netsky - Rochester City Newspaper
“What’s Next?” available on JAZZHEADS, and
Avaxhome Reviews Randy Klein’s Two Duos “What’s Next?” w/Alex Skolnick and Boris Kozlov
Randy Klein’s Two Duos - What’s Next? (2012)
Randy Klein launched his Two Duos series with Sunday Morning (Jazzheads, 2010), pairing the pianist up with trombonist Chris Washburne and tenor saxophonist Oleg Kireyev, but he leaves the horns behind for this follow-up. This time around, Klein turns to two different, but equally skilled string men. Guitarist Alex Skolnick, reborn as a jazz guitarist but best-known as a heavy metal icon thanks to his work with Testament, and bassist Boris Kozlov, who anchors the Mingus Big Band with his acoustic axe but wields his electric here, carry the torch passed along by the horns.
The concept hasn’t changed at all from the first record, as both albums are all-original affairs that contain a dozen tracks programmed in back-and-forth fashion, but the end result differs a bit. The horns usually stood apart from Klein’s piano, and each other, in terms of sound and intent; Skolnick’s guitar and Kozlov’s bass do not. Both men blend well with Klein and occupy a similar space in the music. This is a plus, in that Klein is able to create a more consistent state of mood and tone throughout, but it has a slight downside in that a sense of sameness becomes a bit too prevalent in the middle of the program.
Things start off in stellar fashion, with Klein and Skolnick working through “Exalted Kingdom,” which could be mistaken for a McCoy Tyner tune if the tempo were ratcheted up and percussive force was added to the mixture; of course, it sounds great without those musical additives and alterations. Hints of Chick Corea surface on the Latin-tinged title track, which introduces the Klein-Kozlov combination, and things move along without a hitch from then on. Klein delivers some lighthearted piano work during “Dear Charles Mingus,” turns reflective on the waltzing “Tea For Three,” and brings out the tenderness with some help from Kozlov on “Inner Voice” and Skolnick on “In The Twilight Hours”. Clarity is ever-present throughout, as Skolnick’s clean-toned lines ride comfortably over or within Klein’s piano work and Kozlov’s warm and occasionally guitar- like bass work adds a bit of weight to the proceedings.
Klein’s Two Duos dates are, thus far, about one-plus-one rapport and intimacy, and both albums deserve high marks in these areas. It will be interesting to see what Klein does to change things up again for the third volume of the series. Perhaps vibraphone and piano partners will fit the bill for the next one.
“What’s Next?” available on JAZZHEADS, and
Randy Klein’s Two Duos “What’s Next?” is Pick of the Week on eMusic!
Randy Klein, What’s Next?: This makes now the second straight duos album by pianist Klein, this time trading notes individually with guitarist Alex Skolnick and bassist Boris Kozlov. These are stripped down tunes, no matter which of the artists Klein pairs up with, but the music doesn’t possess a sparse atmosphere. Much how Bill Frisell is able to seemingly fill space with a dearth of notes, Klein dictates an amicable chatter to the conversation, even though few words are actually traded. A lovely album, and my Pick of the Week.
“What’s Next?” available on JAZZHEADS, and
The Buffalo News Reviews Randy Klein’s Two Duos “What’s Next?” w/Alex Skolnick and Boris Kozlov
Pianist-composer Randy Klein is a kind of jazz composer who couldn’t have existed 60 years ago – a preternaturally gifted composer and performer of chamber jazz who created his own jazz label and is now into the second disc of a series in which he’ll play piano with two entirely separate musicians in chamber duos. On this one, he plays with Boris Kozlov, who plays one of Charles Mingus’ own upright basses in the Mingus Big Band but duets here on electric bass, where he has a lot of the lyrical authority of Steve Swallow. And on the rest, he plays with guitarist Alex Skolnick, known for something like heavy metal guitar in the groups Testament and, yes, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, but a musician of formidable sensitivity and delicacy here. There’s nothing searing here to singe one’s brain pan but it’s music by that part of the New York musical community that writes music for documentary films, isn’t afraid of making jokes on disc and avoids playing in clubs. When Klein and Kozlov play Klein’s “Dear Charles Mingus,” you’ll swear they were trying to get the great bassist/composer’s attention in the great beyond with a version of “Cocktails for Two.” ∆∆∆
“What’s Next?” available on JAZZHEADS, and
AllAboutJazz Reviews Randy Klein’s Two Duos “What’s Next?” w/Alex Skolnick and Boris Kozlov
Randy Klein launched his Two Duos series with Sunday Morning (Jazzheads, 2010), pairing the pianist up with trombonist Chris Washburne and tenor saxophonist Oleg Kireyev, but he leaves the horns behind for this follow-up. This time around, Klein turns to two different, but equally skilled string men. Guitarist Alex Skolnick, reborn as a jazz guitarist but best-known as a heavy metal icon thanks to his work with Testament, and bassist Boris Kozlov, who anchors the Mingus Big Band with his acoustic axe but wields his electric here, carry the torch passed along by the horns.
The concept hasn’t changed at all from the first record, as both albums are all-original affairs that contain a dozen tracks programmed in back-and-forth fashion, but the end result differs a bit. The horns usually stood apart from Klein’s piano, and each other, in terms of sound and intent; Skolnick’s guitar and Kozlov’s bass do not. Both men blend well with Klein and occupy a similar space in the music. This is a plus, in that Klein is able to create a more consistent state of mood and tone throughout, but it has a slight downside in that a sense of sameness becomes a bit too prevalent in the middle of the program.
Things start off in stellar fashion, with Klein and Skolnick working through “Exalted Kingdom,” which could be mistaken for a McCoy Tyner tune if the tempo were ratcheted up and percussive force was added to the mixture; of course, it sounds great without those musical additives and alterations. Hints of Chick Corea surface on the Latin-tinged title track, which introduces the Klein-Kozlov combination, and things move along without a hitch from then on. Klein delivers some lighthearted piano work during “Dear Charles Mingus,” turns reflective on the waltzing “Tea For Three,” and brings out the tenderness with some help from Kozlov on “Inner Voice” and Skolnick on “In The Twilight Hours..” Clarity is ever-present throughout, as Skolnick’s clean-toned lines ride comfortably over or within Klein’s piano work and Kozlov’s warm and occasionally guitar- like bass work adds a bit of weight to the proceedings.
Klein’s Two Duos dates are, thus far, about one-plus-one rapport and intimacy, and both albums deserve high marks in these areas. It will be interesting to see what Klein does to change things up again for the third volume of the series. Perhaps vibraphone and piano partners will fit the bill for the next one.
“What’s Next?” available on JAZZHEADS, and
Midwest Record Reviews Randy Klein’s Two Duos “What’s Next?” w/Alex Skolnick and Boris Kozlov
The piano man that likes doing duets splits this new entry in his duet series into a duet of duets, one with a guitar player the other with a bass player. Forget the gimmicks, Klein is a solid piano man and this format showcases a nice slice of brilliance on a budget. You have to have a taste for miniatures to get the point here as his playing is juicy enough to be more than just a solo instrument and the coloration adds nicely. Juicier than Sunday in the parlor stuff, not wet enough to enjoy careening through traffic on a Friday afternoon, this is simply a solid listening date for when life’s noise has just gotten to be too much.
Midwest Record - Volume 35/Number 361, October 26, 2012
“What’s Next?” available on JAZZHEADS, and
The interview for Mississippi Public Broadcasting, featuring Randy Klein and Dr. Robby Luckett, Director of the Margaret Walker Center, talking about For My People: The Margaret Walker Song Cycle.
Flambé Dreams production for the New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) in press:
Broadway World - Photo Flash: Jarrod Spector, Catherine Cox et al. in Rehearsal for NYMF’s FLAMBÉ DREAMS
TheaterMania - SPECIAL REPORT: 2012 New York Musical Theatre Festival Preview
The Associated Press article - Hopes soar at NYC musical theater festival
Playbill - DIVA TALK: Chats With NYMF’s Catherine Cox, Michelle Federer, Anika Larsen, J. Elaine Marcos, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Melissa van der Schyff
Playbill - Jarrod Spector, Catherine Cox and J. Elaine Marcos Share Flambé Dreams Beginning July 9 at NYMF
Playbill - STAGE VIEWS: Jersey Boys and Flambe Dreams Star Jarrod Spector
Jackson Free Press article about For My People: The Margaret Walker Song Cycle to be performed this Saturday, July 7, 2012 at the Margaret Walker Center, Jackson, MS featuring composer/pianist Randy Klein, vocalist Aurelia Williams and members of Jackson State University Chorale!
