4809 - NIACIN - Krush (2013)

NIACIN
''KRUSH''
73:26
2013

1/Krush
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:18
2/Tone Wheels
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:39
3/Stormy Sunday
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/6:35
4/Low Art
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:24
5/Car Crash Red
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:13
6/Electrocity
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:20
7/Cold Fusion
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/6:41
8/Majestic Dance
Al di Meola/4:47
9/Prelude & Funky Opus
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/7:03
10/The Gnarly Shuffle
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:06
11/Drifting
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/7:28
12/Sly Voltage
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:53
13/That's the One!
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/3:55
14/Triple Strength
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/6:04

Dennis Chambers /Drums
John Novello /Hammond B3, Keyboards
Billy Sheehan /Bass

BIOGRAPHY
by Steve Huey
Having played straightforward hard rock with Mr. Big since the tail end of the '80s, bass virtuoso Billy Sheehan formed Niacin as an outlet for his jazz fusion and prog rock inclinations during the mid-'90s. The trio also featured keyboardist John Novello and drummer Dennis Chambers, both musicians who had crossed frequently between the worlds of jazz and rock during their careers. With Niacin, Novello devoted himself especially to the Hammond B-3 organ, a longtime mainstay of both jazz and prog rock. The band recorded a self-titled debut album in 1996, following it up in 1998 with High Bias. An import-only concert recording, Live!: Blood, Sweat and Beers, surfaced later that year as well. For their next album, Niacin moved from Stretch to Magna Carta, the label that became virtually synonymous with technique-oriented neo-prog rock at the turn of the millennium. Deep was released in 2000 and featured the group's first vocal track, courtesy of special guest Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple), as well as Toto guitarist and session ace Steve Lukather.
DoWnLoAd

2578 - NIACIN - Organik (2005)

NIACIN
''ORGANIK''
OCTOBER 25 2005
63:09

1/Barbarian @ the Gate
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/2:56
2/Nemesis
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:00
3/Blisterine
Dennis Chambers / John Novello / Billy Sheehan/5:34
4/King Kong
Frank Zappa/7:20
5/Super Grande
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:57
6/Magnetic Mood
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/6:39
7/Hair of the Dog
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:18
8/4's 3
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:17
9/Stumble on the Truth
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/3:48
10/Club Soda
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:31
11/No Shame
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:26
12/Clean House
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:21
13/Footprints in the Sand
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/6:02

Dennis Chambers /Composer, Drums
John Novello /Composer, Fender Rhodes, Hammond B3, Organ (Hammond), Piano
Billy Sheehan /Bass, Composer, Guitar (Bass)
Frank Zappa /Composer

REVIEW
by Scott Yanow
The fusion trio Niacin, comprised of keyboardist John Novello, bassist Billy Sheehan, and drummer
Dennis Chambers, perform originals (mostly from Novello and Sheehan) plus Frank Zappa's "King
Kong." Their playing frequently falls between improvised rock and soul-jazz, with Novello's organ and keyboards leading the dense and crowded ensembles through some avant funk grooves. While it is
doubtful that any of the individual originals will catch on, fans of the rock side of fusion will find Niacin's music to be stimulating and fairly original within the genre.

BIOGRAPHY
by Steve Huey Having played straightforward hard rock with Mr. Big since the tail end of the '80s, bass virtuoso Billy Sheehan formed Niacin as an outlet for his jazz fusion and prog rock inclinations during the mid-'90s. The trio also featured keyboardist John Novello and drummer Dennis Chambers, both musicians who had crossed frequently between the worlds of jazz and rock during their careers. With Niacin, Novello devoted himself especially to the Hammond B-3 organ, a longtime mainstay of both jazz and prog rock. The band recorded a self-titled debut album in 1996, following it up in 1998 with High Bias. An import-only concert recording, Live!: Blood, Sweat and Beers, surfaced later that year as well. For their next album, Niacin moved from Stretch to Magna Carta, the label that became virtually synonymous with technique-oriented neo-prog rock at the turn of the millennium. Deep was released in 2000 and featured the group's first vocal track, courtesy of special guest Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple), as well as Toto guitarist and session ace Steve Lukather.

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2577 - NIACIN - Time Crunch (2001)

NIACIN
''TIME CRUNCH''
SEPTEMBER 21 2001
56:04

1/Elbow Grease
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/5:19
2/Time Crunch
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/3:15
3/Stone Face
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/6:11
4/Red
Robert Fripp/8:00
5/Invisible King
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:28
6/Daddy Long Leg
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/5:18
7/Hog Funk
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/5:08
8/Glow
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/3:06
9/Damaged Goods
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:24
10/Outside Inside Out
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/5:02
11/Blue Wind
Jan Hammer/5:53

Dennis Chambers /Drums
Robert Fripp /Composer
Jan Hammer /Composer
John Novello /Arranger, Bass, Composer, Organ (Hammond), Piano, Producer, Synthesizer, Tracking
Billy Sheehan /Bass, Composer, Producer

REVIEW
By Glenn Astarita
With their fifth recording, this 2001 release provides undeniable proof that the hard-driving power organ trio known as Niacin has achieved an artistic milestone. On this outing, Hammond B3 organist John Novello maneuvers his powerful and altogether fluid rhythm section through a series of memorable tunes also featuring a dynamic and unabashed rendition of the legendary King Crimson piece, Red. The trio also renders a blitzing, hard rock cover of keyboardist Jan Hammer's "Blue Wind." However, the musicians' unified approach, consisting of tightly woven fabrics of sound and multicolored themes, bears the mark of a unit who has perhaps reached the pinnacle of group-based success. Strong soloing abounds atop funk/fusion and first-call session ace drummer Dennis Chamber's heavy-handed, polyrhythmic attack. Whereas, the artists also jazz up the proceedings via tightly coordinated unison statements and melodious choruses amid a bevy of twists, turns, peaks, and valleys. Here, progressive rock receives a college education. Recommended.

BIOGRAPHY
by Steve Huey Having played straightforward hard rock with Mr. Big since the tail end of the '80s, bass virtuoso Billy Sheehan formed Niacin as an outlet for his jazz fusion and prog rock inclinations during the mid-'90s. The trio also featured keyboardist John Novello and drummer Dennis Chambers, both musicians who had crossed frequently between the worlds of jazz and rock during their careers. With Niacin, Novello devoted himself especially to the Hammond B-3 organ, a longtime mainstay of both jazz and prog rock. The band recorded a self-titled debut album in 1996, following it up in 1998 with High Bias. An import-only concert recording, Live!: Blood, Sweat and Beers, surfaced later that year as well. For their next album, Niacin moved from Stretch to Magna Carta, the label that became virtually synonymous with technique-oriented neo-prog rock at the turn of the millennium. Deep was released in 2000 and featured the group's first vocal track, courtesy of special guest Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple), as well as Toto guitarist and session ace Steve Lukather.

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2576 - NIACIN - Live! Blood, Sweat And Beers (2000)

NIACIN
''LIVE! BLOOD, SWEAT AND BEERS''
MARCH 28 2000
75:45

1/Clean Up Crew
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/0:28
2/Do a Little Dirty Work
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/5:50
3/Bullet Train Blues
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:48
4/Hell to Pay
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/8:55
5/Niacin
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/3:41
6/One Less Worry
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/7:28
7/I Miss You (Like I Miss the Sun)
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/6:03
8/Klaghorn
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/7:35
9/Three Feet Back
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/5:07
10/Purple Rain
John L. Nelson / Prince/4:31
11/No Man's Land
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:51
12/You Keep Me Hangin' On
Lamont Dozier / Brian Holland / Eddie Holland/6:07
13/Front and Center
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/5:25
14/Gelatin
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:56

Dennis Chambers /Drums
Lamont Dozier /Composer
Brian Holland /Composer
Eddie Holland /Composer
John L. Nelson /Composer
John Novello /Composer, Keyboards, Organ (Hammond), Piano, Producer
Prince /Composer
Billy Sheehan /Bass, Composer, Producer

BIOGRAPHY
by Steve Huey Having played straightforward hard rock with Mr. Big since the tail end of the '80s, bass virtuoso Billy Sheehan formed Niacin as an outlet for his jazz fusion and prog rock inclinations during the mid-'90s. The trio also featured keyboardist John Novello and drummer Dennis Chambers, both musicians who had crossed frequently between the worlds of jazz and rock during their careers. With Niacin, Novello devoted himself especially to the Hammond B-3 organ, a longtime mainstay of both jazz and prog rock. The band recorded a self-titled debut album in 1996, following it up in 1998 with High Bias. An import-only concert recording, Live!: Blood, Sweat and Beers, surfaced later that year as well. For their next album, Niacin moved from Stretch to Magna Carta, the label that became virtually synonymous with technique-oriented neo-prog rock at the turn of the millennium. Deep was released in 2000 and featured the group's first vocal track, courtesy of special guest Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple), as well as Toto guitarist and session ace Steve Lukather.

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2575 - NIACIN - Deep (2000)

NIACIN
''DEEP''
MARCH 7 2000
65:31

1/Swing Swang Swung
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/3:48
2/Best Laid Plans
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:25
3/Sugar Blues
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/5:50
4/Stompin' Ground
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/5:03
5/Blue Mondo
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/5:56
6/Panic Button
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/5:37
7/Bootleg Jeans
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/7:00
8/Mean Streets
Michael Anthony / Alex Van Halen / Eddie Van Halen / David Lee Roth/5:37
9/This One's Called.../3:46
10/Klunkified
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/2:58
11/Ratta McQue
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/3:48
12/Things Ain't Like They Used to Be/Feat. Glen Hughes, Steve Lukather
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/7:25
13/Bluesion
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:18

Michael Anthony /Composer
Dennis Chambers /Drums, Percussion
Glenn Hughes /Guest Artist, Vocals
Steve Lukather /Guest Artist, Guitar
John Novello /Composer, Fender Rhodes, Keyboards, Organ (Hammond), Piano, Producer
David Lee Roth /Composer
Billy Sheehan /Bass, Composer, Guitar (Bass), Guitar (Rhythm), Producer
Alex Van Halen /Composer
Eddie Van Halen /Composer

REVIEW
by David R. Adler
The third studio album from this fusion power trio packs a two-fisted wallop and takes no prisoners. Billy Sheehan's bass solos on "Panic Button" and "Sugar Blues" are highlights, but, in truth, much of the record is practically a bass solo. His sound is crushing -- not unlike the fat tone Chris Squire used to get in the early days of Yes, but pumped up with even more gain. John Novello wrings astonishing sounds out of the Hammond B-3 organ, and drummer Dennis Chambers gives every track enough rhythmic juice to power a small country. The instrumental cover of Van Halen's "Mean Streets" verges on silly, however. "Things Ain't Like They Used to Be" (not to be confused with the similarly titled Duke Ellington tune) isn't much of a song, and Glenn Hughes' guest vocal is overblown, but guitar ace Steve Lukather contributes tasty licks and a hair-raising solo. Niacin's sound can get a little wearisome after a while, but if muscular, technically adept fusion is your thing, this is your band.

BIOGRAPHY
by Steve Huey Having played straightforward hard rock with Mr. Big since the tail end of the '80s, bass virtuoso Billy Sheehan formed Niacin as an outlet for his jazz fusion and prog rock inclinations during the mid-'90s. The trio also featured keyboardist John Novello and drummer Dennis Chambers, both musicians who had crossed frequently between the worlds of jazz and rock during their careers. With Niacin, Novello devoted himself especially to the Hammond B-3 organ, a longtime mainstay of both jazz and prog rock. The band recorded a self-titled debut album in 1996, following it up in 1998 with High Bias. An import-only concert recording, Live!: Blood, Sweat and Beers, surfaced later that year as well. For their next album, Niacin moved from Stretch to Magna Carta, the label that became virtually synonymous with technique-oriented neo-prog rock at the turn of the millennium. Deep was released in 2000 and featured the group's first vocal track, courtesy of special guest Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple), as well as Toto guitarist and session ace Steve Lukather.

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2574 - NIACIN - High Bias (1998)

NIACIN
''HIGH BIAS''
APRIL 28 1998
68:50

1/High Bias
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/6:06
2/Birdland
Joe Zawinul/6:33
3/Slapped Silly
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:47
4/Montuno
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/6:24
5/Revenge
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/8:14
6/Cool to the Touch
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/6:07
7/Darkside
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:25
8/It's the Little Things
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/5:25
9/Soul Diversion
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/5:04
10/Who Cares If It's Raining
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:16
11/Hang Me Upside Down
Chick Corea/11:29

Alex Acuña /Guest Artist, Percussion
Dennis Chambers /Drums
Chick Corea /Composer, Fender Rhodes, Guest Artist
Kenwood Dennard /Drums, Guest Artist
Ray Griffin /Drums
John Novello /Arranger, Composer, Fender Rhodes, Keyboards, Organ (Hammond), Piano, Synthesizer
Billy Sheehan /Bass, Composer
Pat Torpey /Drums, Guest Artist
Joe Zawinul /Composer

REVIEW
by Alex Henderson
Niacin showed a great deal of promise on its self-titled debut album of 1996, and there were no signs of the infamous sophomore slump on the fusion trio's second album, High Bias. Recalling the '70s experiments of John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return to Forever and the Billy Cobham/George Duke Band, this exciting CD served as a reminder that the freedom of jazz and the intensity of rock can complement one another in a major way. Niacin must have been quite a learning experience for its bassist Billy Sheehan, whose main pre-Niacin gig had been his hard rock band Mr. Big. When he formed Niacin with organist/keyboardist John Novello and drummer extraordinaire Dennis Chambers in the mid-'90s, Sheehan proved that he had no problem handling jazz's complexity and challenges, and he proves it once again on everything from the urgent "Slapped Silly" and the Cuban-flavored "Montuno" to the churchy "It's the Little Things" and the cerebral "Hang Me Upside Down" (a song contributed by Stretch Records co-owner and onetime RTF leader Chick Corea, who has a nice cameo on keyboards). Another high point of the CD is Weather Report's "Birdland," which Niacin approaches in a rather angular fashion. Those who like their fusion meaty and improvisatory should make a point of obtaining High Bias.

BIOGRAPHY
by Steve Huey Having played straightforward hard rock with Mr. Big since the tail end of the '80s, bass virtuoso Billy Sheehan formed Niacin as an outlet for his jazz fusion and prog rock inclinations during the mid-'90s. The trio also featured keyboardist John Novello and drummer Dennis Chambers, both musicians who had crossed frequently between the worlds of jazz and rock during their careers. With Niacin, Novello devoted himself especially to the Hammond B-3 organ, a longtime mainstay of both jazz and prog rock. The band recorded a self-titled debut album in 1996, following it up in 1998 with High Bias. An import-only concert recording, Live!: Blood, Sweat and Beers, surfaced later that year as well. For their next album, Niacin moved from Stretch to Magna Carta, the label that became virtually synonymous with technique-oriented neo-prog rock at the turn of the millennium. Deep was released in 2000 and featured the group's first vocal track, courtesy of special guest Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple), as well as Toto guitarist and session ace Steve Lukather.

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2573 - NIACIN (1997)

NIACIN
''NIACIN''
FEBRUARY 18 1997
62:21

1/No Man's Land
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:58
2/Clean-Up Crew
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/1:07
3/Do a Little Dirty Work
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/5:49
4/I Miss You (Like I Miss the Sun)
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:54
5/One Less Worry
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:12
6/Three Feet Back
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/5:31
7/Bullet Train Blues
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:53
8/Hell to Pay
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:35
9/Alone on My Own Little Island
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:53
10/For Crying out Loud
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/3:30
11/Klaghorn
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/6:29
12/Spring Rounds
Igor Stravinsky/2:36
13/Spring Rounds Squared
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/3:00
14/Pay Dirt
John Novello / Billy Sheehan/4:14
15/Fudgesicle
Dennis Chambers / John Novello / Billy Sheehan/1:40

Dennis Chambers /Composer, Cymbals, Drums
John Novello /Arranger, Composer, Keyboards, Organ, Organ (Hammond), Piano
Billy Sheehan /Bass, Composer, Producer

REVIEW
by Robert Taylor
This is the debut recording of the power trio Niacin, comprised of organist John Novello, bassist Billy Sheehan, and drummer Dennis Chambers. The pet project of Sheehan, it is part acid jazz, part progressive rock, and part jazz-rock fusion, all built around Novello's dominating sound. They have obviously learned from some of fusion's previous pitfalls and keep the pyrotechnics to a minimum in deference to strong grooves, patient tension building, and memorable melodies. Chambers in particular exercises restraint and seems content to play "in the pocket," favoring his typically busy (in a good way) style. The session really belongs to Novello, who seems to have appeared from out of nowhere, as did this band, and emerged as a key voice on an underutilized instrument. His sound is steeped in the Jimmy Smith and Joey DeFrancesco schools, but he avoids sounding retro or like an imitator. Listeners were hungry for this type of music and were quick to respond to Niacin's soulful fusion. An excellent debut.

BIOGRAPHY
by Steve Huey Having played straightforward hard rock with Mr. Big since the tail end of the '80s, bass virtuoso Billy Sheehan formed Niacin as an outlet for his jazz fusion and prog rock inclinations during the mid-'90s. The trio also featured keyboardist John Novello and drummer Dennis Chambers, both musicians who had crossed frequently between the worlds of jazz and rock during their careers. With Niacin, Novello devoted himself especially to the Hammond B-3 organ, a longtime mainstay of both jazz and prog rock. The band recorded a self-titled debut album in 1996, following it up in 1998 with High Bias. An import-only concert recording, Live!: Blood, Sweat and Beers, surfaced later that year as well. For their next album, Niacin moved from Stretch to Magna Carta, the label that became virtually synonymous with technique-oriented neo-prog rock at the turn of the millennium. Deep was released in 2000 and featured the group's first vocal track, courtesy of special guest Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple), as well as Toto guitarist and session ace Steve Lukather.

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