Jane Getter Premonition - On

During my Hanukkah and Christmas holiday, I was completely jaw-dropped from a guitarist that has completely taken me by surprise. That guitarist is none other than Jane Getter. She is considered by Guitar Player magazine as “The fieriest frettboarding female to strap on a Stratocaster.” And let me just say, that she can nail the Fender Strat very well with her improvisations that will take Jazz and Rock listeners to a whole new level.

She had released so far three albums. Two of which were a part of Allan Holdsworth label, Alternity Records whilst getting recognition playing with the Saturday Night Live house band by receiving word of mouth and widespread exposure that shows support she is getting. Jane released her fourth album entitled On which is released on the Madfish label.

And from the moment I put the album on from beginning to end, I knew that I was about to be introduced from a guitarist who will someone to watch out for. Mind you, I’m new to the music and world of Jane Getter, and On is a real killer. She brought along some help including, Adam Holzman (Steven Wilson, The Avengers) on Keyboards, Bryan Beller (Mike Keneally, Deathklok, and The Artistocrats) on Bass, and Chad Wackerman (Frank Zappa, Allan Holdsworth) on Drums.

Not to mention special guests featuring; Theo Travis (David Gilmour, Gong, No-Man, and Porcupine Tree) on Sax, Alex Skolnick (Testament) on Guitar, and Corey Glover (Living Color) on Vocals. It’s this combination between Metal, Jazz Rock, and Progressive Rock rolled into a gigantic hot and spicy burrito, that makes it perfect and in your face to show they are no fluking around, but getting the action and power they need to show where Getter wants them to delve into.

For example on Train Man, she is blaring the solos into a fiery pattern both in the rhythm and lead section as Alex helps her out with the guitar work to show a lot of teamwork. Not just for showing off, but both of them are carrying a lot of support as they take turns into their improvisation’s. You have to love the Mellotron coming at you with a chilling scenery before the haunting acoustic backgrounds and Corey’s voice closing off the crescendo for the last few seconds of the composition.

The acoustical ballad of dealing with collapsing, but standing up and learning to keep on going with Falling, sees Jane nailing those vocal arrangements. And with help from Theo Travis’ flute section setting the jazzier tones, gives it a chilling and emotional tones while delving into a seguing technique for a jazz fusion-sque introduction thanks to Bryan’s bass line for a funk-like opener for Logan (Would’ve Sounded Great on This).

It is a dedication to the late bassist Steve Logan who passed away back in 2007. It’s a wonderful tribute to him. Onto the track. As I’ve mentioned before, it starts off at first by going into a Funk-Jazz Rock introduction before diving into the ocean for a Moog river-like sound that Holzman does through his keyboard section in the melodic sound that Getter blends in before heading into the surface. Adam is going into Hammond Organ, Moog and the Mellotron town through the magic and wonders of the mysterious sounds as Jane and her comrades give Adam a chance to come full circle.

The opener, Surprised sounds like a combination between ASTRA, Amon Duul II’s Tanz Der Lemminge (Dance of the Lemmings) and Steven Wilson’s The Raven that Refused to Sing. Jane takes the listener into outer space with an ascending melody in the lead section as the thumping drums from Chad goes into lift-off as the ominous and haunting themes blend in well into the cosmos.

It’s also a dystopian theme on what was once beautiful, turned into something wrong with lyrics including; “They tell untruths distort their news and use surprised at how low surprised that they don’t know/surprised at how much fear still exists year after year.” They nail it with the lyrics between Jane and Corey vocals sharing the lyrics and duet together.

It’s a perfect introduction to start it off with a bang and the virtuosity in which Getter brings into, is like hitting a nail on a piece of wood at the right exact moment to hit the hammers in to blend together. This is my tenth time listening to On. And Jane Getter herself and her team, done a job well done of bringing the essences of Jazz, Prog, and Hard Rock to a standstill.

This is a one of a kind album that would be recommended to any guitarist who wants to delve into and understand what real guitarist who bring the beauty and the quality into other worlds and adventures that Getter would go into next. I will again, keep an eye out on what she will do next. So if you love Zappa, Steven Wilson, Allan Holdsworth, and futuristic wonders, then Jane Getter Premonition’s On is the ultimate trip.