"It's time for some new jazz standards. These melodies will stay with you long after you power off the stereo. Miles Davis fans will find much to like here." - Karen Queen/Hampton Roads Monthly Magazine, Dec/2002.
"An album that harkens back in spirit to the great jazz albums of the '60s and '70s, Piece Offering by guitarist Nick Kepics will impress long time jazz buffs and newcomers alike." - Robert Silverstein/20th Century Guitar Magazine
"I recommend Piece Offering to anyone who loves jazz, no matter what kind - this is not your ordinary "background" music. It's a perfect companion for an evening at home, whether you want to chill out or spice things up. Enjoy!" Paul Wright/jazzreview.com
"Piece Offering is a CD of instrumental trumpet-driven bluesy Latin jazz that is very easy on the head and honestly, really kicks ass, very visual in a "movie score" sort of way. Recommendation - Buy The CD!" - Gail Worley/Starpolish.com
Press Info
"Congratulations on a job well done! The compositions are thoughtful and each tells a very different musical story with lyrical beauty and logical continuity. Outstanding musicianship and infectious rhythms." - Jae Sinnett - Jazz Producer/Host WHRV-FM 89.5
"The album works very well and is reminiscent of some of Miles Davis and Gil Evans' tone poems on Sketches of Spain. Like a good jazz album from the 1950s, it makes for nice background music, but rewards active listening." - Ed Driscoll
"Two thumbs up! This is a guy that Sinatra would have hired for his band. These are compositions by someone who clearly loves music. You can tell these guys had a lot of fun making this CD. If you are not already a jazz lover, you will be after hearing this album. Consider this one a must-own keeper, certain to become a collectors' item."
Similar Artists
Miles Davis, Bill Evans, John Coltrane, Jobim, Monk, Dizzy, Tal Farlow, Cal Tjader, Oliver Nelson, Oscar Peterson, Herbie Hancock, Wes, Joe Pass, Jim Hall, Pat Martino, Howard Roberts, Arturo, Tito, Maynard.
Influences
The 60's, Life, Love, Loss, Jimi Hendrix, Kenny Burrell, Sam Camren, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, John Mayall, Howard Roberts, Eric Clapton, Bill Evans, Joe Correa, Kenny Hatfield, Jae Sinnett.
Bio
Nick Kepics - was born in Tarentum, PA, in 1949. Self-taught for the most part, he has been a working musician in various bands for 4 decades: Quagmire, Angus, Trance, Full Circle, AfterGlow, The New Orleans Sentinels, Maelstrom, The Red Shift, The Usual Suspects and First Class Band. Nick has performed with saxophonists Rudy Wooten, Sonny Morgan, Phillipe Fields; trumpeters Bob Ransom, Bill Brown, Blake Wallace; jazz singer Jeri Hollins (Japan); bassists Elias Bailey, Terry Burrell, Chris Brydge; pianists Steve Weisberg, Tim McDonald; drummers Shannon Leggette, Russell Scarborough, Howard Curtiss, Leon Alexander, Jae Sinnett.
Veteran jazz musician, guitarist & composer, Nick Kepics describes the music on Piece Offering as "Music for its own sake. One of a songwriters chief jobs is to provide a strong foundation for others to build upon, a pallet with enough color for soloists to interpret and tell their own stories. The changes and especially the bass line should be nice and open to facilitate improvisation. I think that composing is the pinnacle of musical expression. I had so much fun and learned so much making Piece Offering that I can hardly wait until I release my next CD called Rounding the Bend. There are lots of articles by people in the industry explaining how to ?make it? in the music business. I think each artist has to define that for him or herself and decide what's most important to them about their own music. That's what I love about being an Indie!"