LIVE AT LOCAL 506

Ozone Quartet reformed last year after a three year hiatus and one of their first tasks was to release this recording which was made at one of their last gigs in 2000. Ozone Quartet are a prog rock/jazz fusion act with an unusual line-up from North Carolina. On drums is Fran Dyer who can sometimes find himself on his own when providing stability, as Wayne Leechford plays Chapman Stick, which he can use a melody instrument in its' own right. Jeremy Shaw provides the rock muscle with electric guitar while Hollis Brown fights off all comers to take centre stage on electric violin.

This is a band that played many gigs together, as well as recording two albums, and they are all aware of what each person is doing onstage. Some of the interplay particularly between Hollis and Jeremy is quite breathtaking, while the others prove that they are no slouches either. This is music that is played and lived at pace, with each one willing to go up front or stay just behind as the mood and style demands. It is music that is intense and deserves to have a lot of attention paid to it ? this is not music that can be played in the background. This is jazz with balls that can be threatening when it is needed, or full of fusion and smoothness so that progheads will enjoy this as much as the jazz buff.

Originally appeared in Feedback #78, April 2004