You don’t hear much about female guitar instrumentalists, but one who has caught my attention is Aleks Sever. A fixture on the Los Angeles music scene for nearly a decade, Aleks has taken styles from the likes of Prince and Jeff Beck, and mixed in lots of funky and bluesy grooves, into a debut album that is sure to distinguish her amongst those few female instrumentalists.
It’s entitled “Danger Girl,” and it might well describe how unique Aleks’ guitar work can be in that funky, bluesy environment. All 10 of the tracks on “Danger Girl” were composed by Aleks herself, so she’s showing a strong creative side, too.
As I listened to my advance copy of this album, I find how it shows its funkiness in tracks like “Showtime,” “City Rain” and “Joker.” On “Backstage” and the title track, “Danger Girl,” you get how Aleks’ guitar work blends right in with a brass-and-sax sound that comes right out of any great Steely Dan track from the late 1970’s. And yes, Aleks can rock her guitar out even when you slow it down, as is the case in “Wild Love,” “Silhouette” and “First Day.”
Matthew Hager, who’s produced recordings for jazz saxophonist Mindi Abair and the veteran British band Simply Red, handled the chores in “Danger Girl.” Aleks is also backed up on that album by musicians who’ve worked with everyone from Lee Ritenour to Lionel Richie and from Miles Davis to the aforementioned Steely Dan, so their involvement can only enhance what she brings from her guitar.
I’ll admit to being a sucker for instrumentals, among other things musical. Aleks offers up a top-notch supply of those in her inaugural album.
“Danger Girl” comes out on Tuesday, Sept. 25, at iTunes and Amazon, or you can order a hard-copy CD from her website, www.alekssever.com. Aleks is also on Reverbnation at www.reverbnation.com/alekssever, as well as on Facebook at www.facebook.com/alekssever. And, look for an interview with Aleks next month here on this website.
