Reviews of New World (from our Guarneri Underground days)

Matt Rosenberg, Seattle Magazine:
“What’s drawing him, as well as a loyal following of music lovers from the over-30 set? The Guarneri Underground, a group that just might be the best band you never heard of. … The exquisitely tailored recordings on New World reflect global influences and are as likely to delight your uber-hip Belltown friends as your Aunt Helen from Schenectady.”

Paige La Grone, Amazon.com:
“In recent years violins have become hot in the hands of Natalie MacMaster, Alison Krauss, and legions of alternative country bands like Whiskeytown and Wilco, but the Guarneri Underground take the fiddle into a whole new arena. With New World, the Seattle duo of electric violinist Jeffrey Sick and multi-instrumentalist John Schussler make a compelling offering of modern jazz, blues, world, and New Age music. Where contemporaries suffer from trying to do too much at once, the Underground is largely successful. Dueling five- and six-string fiddles benefit from the additions of an eclectically beefy rhythm section, pedal steel, woodwinds, piano, and an array of percussive instruments. As a result, these original melodies rely on texture and form rather than merely a pretty tone. Courageous, efficient, and smart, New World is indicative of what’s right with contemporary instrumental music.”

Gary Bannister, 5/4 Magazine:
“Much more than an exposition of the violin, the Guarneri Underground is a world’s fair of music that tantalizes with its sounds, sights, and smells. This group is a native market in a big city, a bazaar by a pyramid where incense lingers in the air. The musicians switch from fez to sombrero to top hats as they unearth the beauties of North African, Spanish, Irish and classical forms. … With so many groups playing at rather than with world music, it’s refreshing to hear a concept that is so unified. The violinists really understand how versatile the instrument is and are fearless in casting it in so many diverse settings. Wow! Did this really come from Seattle?”  

Roberta Penn, Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
“… The Guarneri Underground, a Northwest group led by multi-instrumentalist John Schussler and violinist Jeffrey Sick … plays an evocative blend of blues, jazz, Celtic, and Indian music. The six-piece group’s self-titled CD was one of the most interesting efforts in the area last year.”  

Chris Lunn, Victory Review:
“The two electric violins of Jeffrey Sick and John Schussler provide a delightful interplay and intriguing voicing. I love ‘Take a Walk’ which has a jaunty yet light dance motif with great drive provided by the bass of Gary Shelton and the drums of Ben Smith. ‘Pacifying the Cat’ is full and evocative like a classical movie theme, with Jamie Sieber’s cello elegantly working against the bass drone while the violins take us upward. … Well done…”

Chris Nickson, The Rocket:
“World music might be defined as ‘Local music that’s not from around here’ (thank you, Folk Roots), but there’s one excellent album with strong worldly touches that is from around here–New World (self-released), by Seattle’s GUARNERI UNDERGROUND. The album features the violin virtuosity of Jeffrey Sick, who used to be in the Skinwalkers (they also hail from Seattle). With John Schussler and some guests, he’s created something that rocks hard and intelligently. Outstanding, and worthy of a wide hearing.”

Jennifer Kallen, KGHP, Gig Harbor WA:
“I love the entire CD and will be playing it regularly on my show…just included it in my top 20 for New Age Voice magazine!”

Claude Flowers, Eastside Journal, Bellevue WA:
“Don’t let the ‘instrumental’ classification scare you off–the band’s songs are really catchy, sort of like Pink Floyd without the ringing guitars and breathless vocals. ‘Pacifying the Cat’ winds a wistful melody that arcs and floats as effortlessly as the feather in the opening scenes of ‘Forrest Gump.’”

Reviews of the live show

Melna Skillingstead, Arts Program Administrator, City of Redmond:
“The concert by Guarneri Underground at Microsoft on July 11 was FANTASTIC! We estimate there were 700 people in attendance. The largest crowd for an Arts in the Parks concert ever!It was so interesting to hear that your group was returning to their ‘birth place’ so to speak. Thanks for putting on a wonderful show. We look forward to working with you again in the future.”

Cathy Lauer Bazala, Cultural Arts Supervisor, City of Kirkland:
“Your dynamic performance attracted a huge audience at Marina Park and generated rave reviews! Thank you for handling every aspect of the performance with care and flair.”

Wendy Becker, Everett Parks & Recreation
“Thank you for your incredible performance at the Port Gardner Landing Waterfront Concert Series Thursday evening. I am still excited about the response from the audence. I’ve been getting calls all week about your performance and compliments in my choice in bands. Thanks Jeff. Guarneri Underground made me look good for hiring you!”

Fred Crafts, The Register Guard (Oregon):
“The secret is out. Jeffrey Sick of Seattle is a dancer’s musician–the kind of inspired artist whose impassioned playing conjures exotic images in the minds of choreographers such as Marc Siegel and Pamela Lehan-Siegel, who lead Dance Theatre of Oregon.Marc Siegel, himself a jazz musician and composer, is so blown away by Sick’s playing that he can scarcely control himself.”He mixes every style of music you can imagine,” Siegel says. “His songs have some blues, some jazz, some New Age. He just throws everything together, and the imagery it brings up is fantastic. Multi-layered.”He can make his violin sound like a rock ‘n’ roll guitar, make it sound like a hoedown. He can go everywhere. It’s really inspiring.”Every time I’ve seen him play, people just go nuts for him.”In hopes that something like that might happen here, Dance Theatre of Oregon has engaged Sick as the guest artist for its “Tales and Secrets” program next weekend.

“When I hear his music, with all those different layers, it makes me think of movement. It just takes you to that place,” Siegel says. “It’s not your typical violin concert. It’s more interactive.”