aaamusic | On 27, May 2011

Acclaimed Jazz and Metal Guitarist Returns with Excellent 4th Release from His Trio

“I love his work. What Alex is doing is completely refreshing. He has updated the notion of what a standard is, and it’s opened up all the current music to interpretation.” – KIRK HAMMETT, Metallica

The Alex Skolnick Trio returns with their fourth album Veritas on July 30th. Veritas (Latin for “Truth”) is AST’s first release on innovative Jazz label Palmetto Records. The 11-track album contains 9 original compositions, a cover of Metallica’s “Fade To Black” and a bonus remix of the song “Bollywood Jam” by Jay Sustain and Nik Chinboukas. The record was produced by Alex Skolnick and recorded at Spin Recording Studios in Long Island City, New York.

Alex Skolnick is a true guitar hero. At sixteen years old, he joined a group of twenty-somethings who’d formed a thrash metal band called Testament. Alex stayed with the band through five critically acclaimed albums and countless tours with, among others, Slayer, Megadeth, Judas Priest and White Zombie. After hearing and seeing one of Miles Davis’ electric bands on TV, Alex relocated to New York City to play and study jazz.

Alex Skolnick Trio (AST) was formed while Alex was earning his BFA in jazz from New School University in Manhattan. AST has been lauded by critics, fans and musical heroes alike ranging from Downbeat to Jazziz to the Village Voice to Kirk Hammett of Metallica.

Veritas will become a favorite of music fans that enjoy some of the pillars of Jazz guitar – Scofield, Pat Metheny, Wes Montgomery, Bill Frisell, Jim Hall and George Benson – but recast from an edgier and more energetic perspective. Veritas is poised to further push the boundary of contemporary Jazz as fans of harder rock and metal are fast becoming a significant new audience in Jazz. It is this fast-growing group of listeners that forms the core fan base of AST. They want truth in live performance, they want truth in great songs, they want Veritas.

The Alex Skolnick Trio will tour internationally all throughout 2011 in support of Veritas.