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update: 01/13 /2010
Jupiter was born in Baltimore, Maryland. At the age of 6 he decided he would become a musician, showing a gift specifically for percussion.
He studied drums privately and played in the school orchestra. At 16 years of age, he was drumming professionally with Rhythm and Blues group" The London Fog" . His talents led him to Los Angeles where he became a member of the rock band "ZEUS", which showcased in Hollywood's best clubs. Not content with the sound of acoustic drums, he enrolled at Peabody Conservatory to study electronic music and then invested in Simmon's electronic drums. By learning the keyboard synthesizer and along with digital sampling , Jupiter began to compose his own music. Jupiter is now drumming throughout the USA and in many foreign ports with Carnival Cruise Lines. His studio is based in Towson , Maryland.
Jupiter has currently performed with The Great Train Robbery , Jamie LaRitz, Mascaraid , Sir Rod , Signals and Clay Hunt; some of Maryland's best bands.
Now available on the internet, is his 2000 debut solo CD "Jupiter Project" . An all instrumental CD containing 13 tracks composed by Jupiter with featured guest artist, award winning keyboardist Jordan Rudess. Jupiter was voted one of the best new artists by LA's Highwire Daze magazine and did recently appear on Wright Productions Television show "New Music Artist Video on California's San Fernando Valley's cable network. He performed 5 songs off of the debut release. Upon returning to Maryland , Jupiter was a guest on the WEBR internet radio program "ProgRock Diner" hosted by Debbie Bradshaw. Shortly another interview followed on WRNR FM 103.1 on the program "Homegrown" . Host of this show was Damion.
Jupiter Project just helped to headline at Baltimore's "Artscape" outdoor music / art festival. Many thousands of spectators enjoyed 5 songs performed off of the debut album Jupiter Project. Jupiter recently performed at the 67th Annual Races and Rally during "Bike Week in Sturgis , South Dakota and Keystone ,South Dakota.
Jupiter Project's latest CD ECHO and ART recorded in NYC containing 9 instrumental pieces written by Jupiter is now available and features Keyboard Wiz Jordan Rudess from Dream Theater.
Jupiter Lee has recently joined forces with Maryland rockers, Jettstream
Welcome to my CD Review and Interview page! you can write me at juptron@comcast.net
TVT recording artist The Unband opened the show at 9pm sharp. The opening number was Too Much Is Never Enough. The trio rocked the joint with enthusiastic energy. This young band played aggressive. The lead vocalist/guitarist holds his own. He seems to be natural and yet completely professional on stage. His presence seems to engulf you, he could be a solo act. Not used to often, pounding away on his SG the guitarist stole the show. Other songs in their set were: Geez Louise and Cocaine Whore.
Next up headlining the show was Dio. With their great experience this band was anticipated greatly by the packed audience. Ronnie James Dio looked great and sang with expressive impact. His basic lineup of bass, guitar and drums was very tight and performed without compromise. I was with great surprise that the drummer’s solo came so early in the set (right after the third song). With songs from the album Sacred Heart the audience knew every word. Checking out the sound from walking around the room, the killer mix rushed right to you. The audience this evening got their money's worth of good solid rock ‘n' roll.
What if you combined influences of Brand X and late King Crimson together? Tim Alexander, Michael Manring and Alex Skolnick are Attention Deficit. Pounding rhythms and abstract arrangements along with precise musicianship. I found these qualities very appealing. Millions of notes and rhythms flying all over the place … somehow they come together to form this kind of music. Crank this one up!
The Blue Dogs have a middle of the road sound. It was a departure from the conventional rock country sound I was expecting. This funky band has some excellent hit material like Sky Line Dream and Pass The Time Of Day could be excellent commercial radio hits. The Blue Dogs use cool musical hooks but I didn't hear any vocal harmonies used. I also enjoyed the tune called "Carry Your Heart". This group can be pretty at times as well as foot tapping rocking as well. In addition, they use many special guests on their new record.
Listen to this collaboration between Drummer Terry Bozzio, Bassist Tony Levin, and Guitarist Steve Stevens and you will find it goes through everything from heavy fusion rock to progressive jazz mixed with far eastern-like overtones ."Tragic" has some of the most technically sick drumming I've heard in a long while! Multi -meter "Tziganne" features Stevens on the acoustic guitar. "Situation Dangerous" has so many different feels even within one piece that the whole album presents itself with a very sophisticated, stylistic flow. These guys work like one, always thinking about the other 's playing. Wait til you hear the blistering, tight, crunching riffs on '"Crash!" The album boasts 8 tracks, all with 1-word titles. Certainly a new Supergroup for the century ahead. Interview with Terry Bozzio soon to come!
Bob Catley, the former vocalist for Magnum, has found a great band. They have a fresh and natural approach to their music. Some of the song lyrics are inspired by the myths and legends of Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe. From the dramatic "Tender Is The Night" to the beautiful catchy sounds of "Where The Heart Is," you will enjoy listening to Legends. Make sure you check out "The Light!"
Chinchilla are keeping power metal alive and well in Germany. There are five musicians. If you like Whitesnake, then you will really get into this! Good songs about keeping a positive outlook. The album has 10 tracks and even includes the song "I Stole your Love" written by Paul Stanley. Chinchilla are Thomas Laasch on lead vox, Marc Peters on bass, Steffen Theurer is playing drums, guitars are by Udo Gerstenmeyer and Marc Steck is on keyboards. You can find out more about this sensational new band by going to www.chinchilla.rocks.de
Emerald Rain hails from Canada and combine powerful melodic rock with strong vocal harmonies. Formed by vocalist Murray Daigle in 1997, drummer Kyle Lazenka, bassist Sean Gregory and guitarist Mike Dmitrovic make for a very refined commercial FM sound. I especially liked tracks "Sleeping In The Fire" and "The Method." Listen for some fast, furious moments.
Ice Age is a relatively new four piece progressive rock band. This being their second release, they have a unique sound, though I hear influences of early Genesis, Rush and Marillion. Liberation contains lots of heavy symphonic metal , coupled with many odd-metered arrangements. This US based group, I found had a British-like production. At over 63 minutes long, there is plenty of great music to check out. Track 5, "When You're Ready", features a very nice ballad. All songs are sung by Josh Pincus who also plays some incredible keyboard lines throughout the entire album. I hope they open their live show with the song Howl! Track 12 Tong-Len has some excellent piano. Check out their site at http://www.ice-age.com!
From Columbus, Ohio comes the power metal of Jacobs Dream. I really dug their first CD. Now with Gary Holzman and Jon Noble having left the band , I was wondering what this would be like. I found it to be very aggressive . The music is really in your face. Tons of double guitar leads and catchy guitar synth lines. Newly recruited guitarist, Derek Eddleblute has a very refined , intense way of playing. Animated passionate lyrics are sung by David Taylor. Drummer Billy Queen really drives the band. Track 6 is different from the others, casting shadows of Marillion. Look for these guys touring soon near you!
This is one of the finest new progressive metal bands. I was impressed by their super-defined metal/classical fused riffs and demanding technique. Guitarist Gary Holzman has to be one of the best in a new breed of classical metal masters. Along with mysterious songs like Mad House Of Cain and Violent Truth, this group has a surprisingly melodic yet dark impact. The multi-tempo song "The Bleeding Tree" is a hyper-intensive tune. This whole album kicks butt.
The Expedition is a live recording of their European tour covering Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, Greece, and Spain. It includes some new material as well. As soon as the album starts you can feel the energy within the band and audience. Larger than life production courtesy of Sascha Paeth, I found captured a feverish burst of enthusiasm all thru it. Progressive Rock fans get ready to experience the shining expertise of Kamelot. Feel the impact. The Expedition Rocks! Now available is the new release called "Wings Of Despair."
This slamming progressive rock album starts with an intro that will blow your mind. The title track, The Fourth Legacy, leaves you wanting more. With over tones of Dream Theatre their complex arrangements seem consistent, head banging and hot. The song Desert Reign has a far eastern sound influenced throughout it as short as the song is. The band in sound is very technically skilled. This four piece group sounds much bigger, maybe because they used two producers. Some of the best compositions include: The Fourth Legacy, The Inquisitor and Nights Of Arabia. This CD features 12 tracks in all that really rock you.
Lightning fast heavy metal balanced with classical influence. This is truly a super tight f*cking band. I noticed a sound resembling Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force. Exceptional drumming, lead guitar, and keyboards lines are jam packed on this new release. Vocalist Stephen Fredrick fits right in. Track 7, "Dimensions" was emotionally and technically appealing. The tune "Like A Paradise" shows Jarno Keskinen's skills on the acoustic guitar. The last track, "In The Prophecies" is over 10 minutes in length. These guys are some to be reckoned with.
After 7 previously released hard rock albums, this album by Kings X shows they are clearly innovators. The tune "Fishbowl Man" is abstract and disfiguring. The 2nd track "Julia" has nice lush harmonies over heavy rock guitar. Iconoclastic harmonies and rhythms make up the tune Smudge. Other great tunes are "When You're Scared" and "Bitter Sweet". The last piece "Move Me" is in two parts making it over 12 minutes long. Part Two put me in a dreamworld. Kings X fans, old and new will dig this.
Last Minute is a young, kick ass 4 piece rock band . They are from the eastern shores of Maryland. I got to meet these super nice guys in Ocean City , MD where i was gigging with Great Train Robbery over the summer of 2001. Heavier than Blink 182 but just as fast and melodic. Some great tunes included are Takes Two , No Apparent Reason , and Open Eyes Closed . Keep your eyes open for Last Minute!
Niacin features Billy Sheehan on bass, John Novello on keys and guitar, and Dennis Chambers on drums. It's a hot line-up. Deep is filled with funky, melodic and hypnotizing grooves. Sheehan carries the bass line and the main melody with great ease in spite of the intense superstructures he sets for himself. His custom crafted bass tones are clearly heard throughout. It's good to hear the sounds of the Hammond B-3 as a main part of Novello's setup. Chamber's formidable power on the drums is complemented by his sensitive, emotional playing. The 3rd track "Sugar Blues" has cool alternating solos over a slow heavy groove. The tune "Klunkified" really rips. Man.. track 12, "Things Ain't Like They Used To Be", features Glenn Hughes singing and Steve Lukather on guitar. Deep ends with track 13 "Bluesion", a lively instrumental with a quixotic personality.
This new release of heavy metal features 10 cuts. Launching with the first song "Metal Forever{, the drums seemed to carry the CD filling the album from start to finish. With the tastefully done instrumental tune "Emerald Eyes" makes Pegazus very versatile. Some of the best tracks include "The Crusade" (over 7 minutes in length) and "Tears Of The Angels". The bonus tune of" A Little Time" would make a great opening number for them to perform.
Derek Sherinian, Tony MacAlpine, and Virgil Donati host this explosive fusion array of abstract, mind bending, melodic instrumental music. All works are perfectly executed which is no surprise from these three prodigious musicians. The album is written by all of them giving them a special band sound of a stunning mixture of influences. Sherinian's grinding organ tones provides a modern yet timeless sound. "King Of The Universe" , "Inside Black", and "2116" were some of my faves.
Formed by singer Michela D'Orlando and guitarist Marco Ceccioi, this unique blend of Metal/Classical and Celtic folk music has a very refreshing pleasant musical quality. Her haunting, radiant lyrics and voice-at times reminds me of Annie Haslem and other times, Grace Slick .The band has brilliant arrangements, some with an incomparable master of orchestration. The album features 7 tracks. The last one is a trance -like instrumental.
Heavy Metal virtuoso Luca Turrili and band bring a mixture of classical and old Russian and Celtic dance music in this mind-blowing experience. The album goes through many rich-textured changes .The bizarre combination of these influences make for a strikingly unique dimension of international Metal. Produced by Sascha Paeth and Miro, they used real Russian choirs and a considerable number of special guests. Every piece of music .. passionate with immense orchestration. Ones in particular I liked were "Epicus Furor" and "Riding The Wings Of Eternity".
Bloodlust is Sacred Steel's heaviest offering to date. Driving, powerful rhythms and outstanding musicianship combined with the production of a 500 megaton bomb, makes this album a candidate for one of the hottest releases of the year! Taking off with the aggressive "Stormhammer", Gerrit P. Mutz's compelling and intense voice really cuts through. Check out "Master Of Thy Fate" and "Metal Is War".
Melodic,tight, hard edge progressive rock best describes the new release from Shadow Gallery. So carefully written with lots of lightning fast keyboard and guitar driven riffs. The band consists of six musicians. Expressive , forcefull lyrics are sung by Mike Baker and created by Carl Cadden - James. Track 5 , "Legacy" really rocks! The final track, "First Light" is a whopping 34 minute space rock composition. While perfectly balanced musically and lyrically, the whole album leans more towards classical influence rather than heavy metal. Very lush production. These guys make great music together. www.shadowgallery.com
I got to see these guys play live before I heard their CD. They rocked the 9:30 club in D.C.! Their tremendous energy level onstage and on their recording reminds me a bit of the Seattle grunge sound, the Doors and Led Zeppelin. Kewl guitar riffs dominate the music and Dan Kerzwich’s poetic lyrics reveal his soulful singing style. Make sure to check out their site at www.sixtywattshaman.com.
The album Snow is not rock and roll as we know it when it begins; but wait don't leave yet, after about a minute they take a 360 and go flippin' insane with heavy keyboards, guitars and cool time changes. This drummer is really something else. His drum fills are so melodic , well placed and tastefully done. Track 2 'stranger in a strange land' has alot of acoustic instruments along with synthesizers to create a very warm sound. This will be a double- disc with a full color booklet available in stores by late August 2002. Each of these awesome players can create a multitude of personalities on their given instruments and keeps the music fresh.' Devil's got my throat' was one of my faves; a far out 6/8 riff- rockin jam with some organ,synths and guitar leads mixed in with lots of white noise in the backround. It's a phatt sound. Track # 9 ,'I'm the guy' sounds like a combination of The Beatles and Dream Theater mixed together - very f*cking cool!!Produced by Neal Morse and Spock's Beard.. in a nutshell explores all new musical possibilities.
The Steve Morse Band is a power trio featuring all instrumental compositions. There's Steve Morse on guitars, long time Dixie Dregs cohort Dave LaRue on bass , and Van Romaine on drums. It starts off with the song "Heightened Awareness" and you think it's going to have a jazzy flavour only to find out the next tune is completely different.. as is the rest of the album. Some cool Stewart Copeland like drumming caught my ear on the 3rd track "Marching Orders". Track 4, "Mechanical Frenzy" has a funky groove with LaRue's tastefully done bass explorations coming into view over the music. At just under 1 hour , I found it e-z to listen to the music in one sitting. This 3 piece group combines different genres breaking the barriers of music while mastering them all. Can't w8 to see ya live! For the latest news about the band , go to www.stevemorse.com
Progressive Metal with songwriting hooks is what I find makes Stratovarius different from other bands. They have a knack for writing great songs as well as showing their musical prowess with tasteful production throughout. Check out singer Timo Kotipelto's soaring high lead vocals. "Infinite" has some of the best and most fabulous keyboard playing I've ever heard from Jens Johansson. Drummer Extroadinaire Jorg Michael knows when to lay out to feature other bandmates. Everyone in the band is extremely talented.
The album features 14 songs. Some of the best after-school hits include a cover of Billy Squiers hit "Everybody Wants You". Other tracks are "Geez Louise" and "Too Much Is Never Enough". These songs are about three minutes in length and are easy to remember. One of the highlights in this group is the usage of liquid noise drums, whicachieves a massive wall of sound. The tune "Pink Slip" is playful and energetic and might even be a radio hit.
Under The Sun's new release is very orchestrated. This styled rock music reminds me of the strong structure from the group Yes. With the unique vocal style of Chris Shryack and the cool complex arrangements, the care is very apparent in the music for which they play. The different stops and starts contained on the album keeps you anticipating more. With heavy space guitar riffs, tunes like "This Golden Voyage", "Tracer" and "Dream Catcher" are traditional progressive rock songs. Innovative keyboard work adds greatly to this masterpiece of a CD. Other great songs on here are: "Gardens Of Autumn" and the epic song "The Time Being" (which is over 10 minutes in length). High hopes are for this group.
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JUPITER LEE: Drum Czar from Maryland! Buy the latest CD Echo And Art available at CD Baby! Check out the sound clips now! JUPITER PROJECT: The MySpace Site! JORDAN RUDESS: Keyboard Wiz for Dream Theater who played on my CD's! Look for Rhythm of Time with Rod Morgenstein,Vinnie Moore and others! JETTSTREAM: Classic and southern rock from Maryland with yours truly on drums ! Check out all our 2009 Maryland show dates! TOWER RECORDS: Jupiter Project debut CD available at Tower Anahiem, California! PEGAZUS: Cool heavy metal band from Germany! KAMELOT: Progressive metal from Florida! RECORD AND TAPE TRADERS: You can get /order the solo work at all Baltimore ,Maryland locations! MAGNA CARTA RECORDS: Progressive rock record label! THE SOUNDGARDEN: You can get /order my solo work in Fells Point , Maryland! ICE AGE: Awesome U.S. prog rock! BILLY SHEEHAN:Bassist extraordinare! LEATHERWOLF: The Official Web Site! ROD MORGENSTEIN: His Official Web Site! UNDER THE SUN: New "Cinematic Symphonic Art Rock" from Los Angeles now on Magna Carta Records! MUSIC MONTHLY: Very cool music paper available throughout the Maryland, DC ,VA area ! Thanks to everyone who voted for me in this years Readers Poll! |