Press clips (For press release,blurbs etc please go to the individual project pages)

 

Rambles.NET
15 July 2006

Infinity Ltd. is a blast from fusion jazz past.

Keyboardist Walter Fischbacher leads the quartet, sharing leads with tenor sax player Bernard Ullrich. Despite some urban sounding shout-outs by Pete Macnamara, Infinity Ltd. harkens back to '70s jazz funk, with heavy, choppy bass lines by Ric Fierabracci and four-four drumming by Hari Gangberger. When guest Jeff McErlain plays guitar on "Lizard," he fits right in by relying heavily on the wah-wah petal. And, of course, Fierabracci is right out front doing a few solos, almost as a tribute to the heyday of the electric bass.

If you like all those synth sounds that came out of jazz keyboards back in the '70s and the sound of an electric piano, this CD is for you. None of the keyboards sound at all acoustic.

Fischbacher comes up with both pretty and pretty psychedelic keyboard settings on the title tune. "Dano" is also softer, featuring Randy Brecker on trumpet. Fischbacher warms his keyboards to match Brecker's tone. "Cafe 28" adds a playful touch, with sounds of someone trying to make a phone call interspersed with the music.

The funk beats get a bit overextended on the last two cuts, "B Nice" and Triple S," which are a little over 13 minutes combined. But generally, Infinity Ltd. makes the days of fusion sound better than they actually were. A lot of stuff from back then was irritating and self-indulgent. This CD, on the other hand, has the advantage of modern production (expertly done by Fischbacher) and well thought-out arrangements on 10 songs that range from three and a half to seven minutes. I have never much liked this genre, but Phishbacher is beginning my conversion. Play that funky music, Austrian white boys!

by Dave Howell Feb 2006

 


http://www.bassplayers.co.za, 2006

Wow, what an exciting quartet. This CD appealed to me right off probably because I’m a huge Dave Weckl fan. I don’t mean to detract from Walter Fischbacher’s originality in any way but I very often hear shades of other musicians’ work in whoever I happen to be listening to at the time. Only once I read the interview on www.bassplayers.co.za did I realise that Walter’s idol is Chick Corea which explains the musical influences that I heard.
Walter Fischbacher is a pianist/keyboardist who hails from Austria but is now resident in New York City. He is joined by Bernard Ullrich on tenor sax, Ric Fierabracci on bass and Hari Ganglberger on drums. I really appreciated his tribute on the sleeve of the CD to Tommy Motola and Clive Davis for ignoring his work totally, thereby forcing him to get his act together completely on his own. This he has done on his own label, Lofish Music. The opening track is called “The Opening” and progresses from a slow laid-back beginning to more frenetic rhythms later in the song. Very funky.
Track 2 “Call Pete” contains a rather pedestrian beat overlayed with a tasteful sax solo. “Lizard” is a rather lengthy slow groove. I found this one to be a compulsive foot-tapper. Again, the manner in which the various sections of the song are put together just reminds me so much of the Dave Weckl band with Steve Weingart on keyboards.
The next track “Dano” starts off with some impressive bass guitar soloing before breaking off into a very laid-back jazzy number featuring Randy Brecker on trumpet.
An octave bass effect is featured very nicely to introduce the next track “Pavel”.Thereafter, the tune progresses into a dance-beat type of number, at least I’d be able to dance to it. Track 8 is called “Level 12” and is a swinging, jazzy number, which is, as Walter Fischbacher himself says in his interview with Martin Simpson, a nice show-off tune for the jazz cats. The second last track “B Nice” is a funky groove which I imagine is played in the key of B. Lastly, “Triple S” starts off slowly with some guy fantasizing about sucking a woman’s toes, I guess it takes all types.
My overall impression is that these are extremely fine musicians who I would love to see performing live.

Kerry Blewett


Musikoutlook.de Feb 2006

 

Fischbachers Welt
Das zweite Album von Walter Fischbacher (Keys). Zum zweiten Mal überraschend, neue Wege gehend und relativ offen bleibend. Zusammen mit Bernard Ullrich (Sax), Orlando Marin (bass) und Hari Ganglberger (Schlagzeug) geht es dem Funk im Allgemeinen an den Kragen. An erster Stelle steht jedoch der Groove. Stets eingeleitet von Walter Fischbachers ausnehmenden Keyboardspiel. Um den Groove gruppieren sich dann vor allem Funk, stets ein wenig Fusion, dezenter Jazz, proklamierende Soulelemente und eine freche Offenheit, der man nie entnehmen kann, wohin der Song eigentlich führt. Sensationell nach wie vor Fischbachers Keyboard- Sounds. Als würde er den schlichten Midibefehl durch sämtliche Electro- Harmonix- Geräte dieser Welt jagen, dann durch Moogs entfiltern um letztendlich noch einen Pitchshifter zu enttarnen. Große Kunst die immer dem Song untertan bleibt, aber zeitgleich dem Album im Ganzen Charakter und Wiedererkennungwert verleiht. Ein lockeres Album, aber nie blumig oder falsche Versprechungen machend. Wer sich über Musik wieder mal Gedanken machen möchte, sei dieser Exkurs ans Herz gelegt.
www.phishbacher.com

(RED)

 

 

 

 

Musikoutlook.de   Nov 2004


Mit Phishbacher geht ein Ensemble an den Start, das zu beschreiben schwierig wird, denn visionär scheinen sie ihrer Musik- Philosophie nachzugehen. Walter Fischbacher am Klavier/Keyboard, Steve Doyle am Baß und Hary Ganglberger am Schlagzeug gehen in neun Eigenkompositionen weite Wege, fangen an bluesigen Groove eines Miles Davis, ziehen fort mit Latin, rasten in Afro gekleideten Songs oder verweilen zwischen Samba, Groove und Filmmusik.
Die Kompositionen werden eins, setzen sich am Ende des Albums zusammen, bilden eine Einheit und fast könnte man ein Konzeptalbum vermuten, dass uns auf einer Reise begleitet, das würde dem Trio allerdings wahrscheinlich zu weit gehen. Es sind flüssige Songs, konsequent zu Ende gedacht, nie stehen bleiben und sommerfrisch.
Sollte man gehört haben, egal ob rocken, Jazzer oder Popper.

Jazz Manual, Germany Nov 2004

Rambles.net August 2004

Have you ever visualized particular scenarios down to a minute detail, even if they are likely never to occur? I'll admit that I have, particularly a New York cocktail party. Yes, one of those stuffy yet engaging events portrayed in countless films, the type in which everyone is enjoying the latest concoction and conversing in a high-rise apartment adorned with the most striking modern art. The only part of this scenario that never quite fits is the background music. Well, ladies and gentlemen, I give you the perfect background music for this scenario: Chillin' by Phishbacher.

Actually, this jazzy instrumental album would fit any occasion. With the range this album encompasses, it seems that is exactly what pianist Walter Fischbacher was wanting. (Yes, in naming his trio he intentionally re-spelled his name with a "ph" -- how phunny a phad.) Fiscbhacher is joined by Hary Ganglberger on drums and Steve Doyle on bass. All the tracks except "Like Someone in Love" by Burke/Van Heusen are original compositions.

While all of the tracks have their own means of cool, there are a few that really hit it. "Chillin' at the Continental" has a big band/mambo with climbing scales and an alternating rhythm that will induce compulsive shoulder bouncing. "Pootish" has a merengue sound with an excellent percussive beat by Ganglberger. "Loopish" has a slightly slower tempo but keeps the heat, like a fusion of Vince Guaraldi and the Marsalis Brothers. The following track, "Return to Nowhere," takes the tempo to a relative crawl, taking time out for a cerebral trip along the piano keys.

Although this album is perfect for your intricately planned mid-Manhattan cocktail parties (hey, it could happen) it is also great background music for reading, cooking, thinking, horseback riding, basket weaving or typing reviews. This album offers something for everyone for any occasion -- Chillin' by Phishbacher is perfectly named.

- Rambles
written by C. Nathan Coyle

 

 JazzImprov Magazine June 2004

Walter Fischbacher's Chillin' does very little chilling. Is is a busy collection of original songs that hightlights the pianist's desire for irradiated levels of intensity. If this were to be said of a child prodigy, we would think he has a great future.
Much of this album works well before we catch hold of its only notable weakness. "Bloomish" starts us into a beautiful groove that is straight ahead and cool. The group's technique is fundamental and, therefore, easy to access. Walter Fischbacher's arching piano improvisation reaches in the hope of landing in place unimagined. Cymbal syncopation gives "St. Leonard" a different, more energized, feel. On "EZ Breezie", structured snare work is the point of departure for some tasteful electronic keys. Innovative. The strength of improvisation rests largely with Walter Fischbacher, but he hands it to bassist Steve Doyle on several occasions.
Hary Ganglberger is a talented drummer with a heavy hand. In spots, he hits the drums with the force of rock when a lighter, swifter intention might have brightened Hary's primal urge. Yet, Ganglberger absolutely shines in the Latin sphere, especially on "Chillin' at the Continental" and "Pootish". Hary's hilarious on-offbeat combinations remind us what "Sex on the Beach" might be like. Ganglberger's extended solo (over three-and-a-half minutes) clearly distinguishes his musical prowess. Discretion can mark his professional progress because Hary Ganglberger certainly has the chops.
Unfortunately, Phishbacher loses its grip on the listener's sensibilities, twice. On "Loopish", Walter Fischbacher trills a torrent of notes in solos of interest. Hhowever, Walter's aesthetic muscle may overwhelm impatient listeners. One delights in the moody, cerebral "Return to Nowhere", but the trio turns away from its own groove in less that three minutes. By the time it reprises the song's original theme, the remaining explorations (containing much integrity) are singed by the band's internal explosion. The record's conclusion, "Like Someone in Love" feels like a prescription drug to peel us off the ceiling.
Too much ambition too quickly, a wonderful problem to have. Although the intensity of their original collection may leave listeners aghast, Chillin' proves that Walter Fischbacher can massage 88 keys inside of two bars. The question is: can he hesitate long enough to let that magic work? Stay tuned.

Gregory J Robb