D. SAXMO - Album Reviews "D. Saxmo. Not a person's name. Rather a nifty combination of names from this cool pop trio. DeWitt Nelson, Ranjeet Saxena and Jim Moseley comprise this rather unique band. Cool jazz sounds to power pop to rock, D. Saxmo is bound to please everyone that has an ear for good music. Never over powering and never bubble gum. All three musicians are accomplished and seem to enjoy what they are doing. The 8 song CD ("Strapless Luggage") has been in my 10 disk rotation for over a month now and I seem to keep going back to it. My only complaint is there are only 8 songs. The disk seems to end much too soon. That's a good thing I suppose. They leave you wanting for more! Lots of very cool saxophone parts being played in several songs make this seem jazzy to me. The guitar rocks steady too. Party Guy is a fun tune. Probably my favorite. Loser Song reminds me of something that Frank Zappa might have produced. It may not have been in the minds of D. Saxmo, but it strikes me that way. I'd like to party with these guys. It sounds like they know how to have fun! - Van" (Mike VanDenburgh, CEO - MP3ArtistArchive.com January 15, 2001 D. Saxmo - "Strapless Luggage") "This was very interesting music, and that's an understatement! "Yesterday's Future" presents a very original style. Get ready for some rock-funk with violin. Now how is that for different? Due to the diversity of lead guitar/violinist Ranjeet Saxena, their sound stands on it's own two feet. DeWitt Nelson (bass) and Jim Moseley (vocals, drums), round out the rest of the trio. Any drummer that I have ever met has been a real character. Moseley is no exception to the rule. His lively vocal style, coupled with some hilarious lyrics, keeps the flow and vigor steady all the way through the entire run of this CD. "Celibate Blues" and "Wienee Man" are just too much! For those of you that are looking for some lighthearted change with a different angle on rock and roll, this is a good place to start." (Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck - MusicDish.com December 3, 2000 D. Saxmo - Yesterday's Future) "Three guys from different places and backgrounds get together in the Big Apple and become a trio performing slyly unique music with thoroughly unique vocals. The music has a certain non-pretentious funk feel, kind of like the Police or J Geils in their early days. But then you have Jim Moseley, drummer and singer who throws in vocal inflections reminiscent of Tom Waits and Roger Daltry in his "Love Reign O'er Me" growl. They do throw other little surprises in, like the reggae-tinged "On Fire" or the occasional forays of guitarist Ranjeet Saxena into stylings born in his native India. Another aspect that makes for some great songs are the weird but sly humor of the lyrics, most evident in the rollicking "Celibate Blues." and the borderline x-rated "Wienee Man." The CD is fun in a, well, different sort of way. But fun and different is not a bad combo. Not bad at all!" (Music Morsel, Mark Waterbury - November 2000 issue, D. Saxmo - Yesterday's Future) "In a funky, jazzy sort of style that is not unlike that of The Police, D. Saxmo pour on their quirky charm and add a nice popish flavor to music. The musicianship in this group is awe-inspiring. I found this music to be a great diversion from the dull and pointless styles of mainstream music. This music is that of a style where music is more important than the “message” or the image. This is very good stuff and it's appeal leans toward a more sophisticated crowd. The songs are very intelligent and well written. The addition of the violin in some songs is a very nice touch and adds a certain magic to the music." (Michael Allison, TheGlobalMuse.com, October 2, 2000, D. Saxmo - Yesterday's Future) "I can't get over the fact of how much this band reminds me of The Police and some earlier Sting after he went solo. The difference is, I think that this is the direction that the Police should have went with their music. D. Saxmo take on this sophisticated style of Pop/Rock with a little more jazz and funky grooves. The music has a definite rock appeal, but with more of an intellectual song structure. There are a lot of strong funky bass lines and jazz and reggae style guitar riffs. If you listen closely, you'll find several styles of music incorporated into every song. This is songwriting at it's best and musical fusion that is pure genius. "Strapless Luggage" is one hot album that simply cooks with excitement and energy. I imagine many new music fans will be finding their groove with this amazing album." (Michael Allison, TheGlobalMuse.com, September 29, 2000 D. Saxmo - "Strapless Luggage") "D. Saxmo is a three piece bridging a range of influences on their second release that gel into a pleasing mix of blues rock with a twist. Drummer/vocalist Jim Mosely has the kind of vocal growl that pretty much defines the genre with DeWitt Nelson's funktified bass pumping energy and Ranjeet Saxena's guitar grooving. Then the band hits its stride with Saxena slicing into his violin and proving the blues has many faces. The songs are ballsy and state the average-man case with a beer glass slam to the table and the self-effacing confidence of an old best friend..." (Bryan Baker, Gajoob.com, 9/29/2000, D. Saxmo - Yesterday's Future) "Jim Moseley's vocals on the opening 'Change' sure reminds a person of Sting when Sting is singing in that angry tone. 'I live life to spite myself / I hurt the ones I love all the time / I see the display in the window on the street / and try to scheme a way to make it all mine'. This is a jazz band that can't seem to shake the rock influence. Or is it the other way around? Anyway, more rock than blues, even though there's enough bass here for a home run. 'They're hot, we're not / We lack something they've got / No money, no clue / Box of chicken, an old shoe.' And then he goes on to complain about not being able to find the right rhyme. You just gotta laugh. 'Rock & Roll' is the track where things start coming together, cause this is when Ranjeet Saxena comes in with his violin. He's also the guitar man. Oh, and Jim Moseley is the voice, but he's also on drums. Yes, only 3 guys in the band. They've been around, and it shows in their pro playing and lyrical content. I also gotta hand it to these guys: they know how to commiserate like nobody's business. Their 'Thing About Money' which proclaims the evil of cash is something we can all relate to. That's the good thing about listening to composers who have lived a little life. 20 year old multi-millionaires know how to ramble about love. But you can't diaper the baby with love, can you? The cat won't eat love. 'I bring it in / I write some checks / What the heck'. You go, D. Saxmo!" (October 17, 2000 Ben Ohmart, MusicDish.com, D. Saxmo - Yesterday's Future) "The greatest and worst thing, at the same time, about Indie Music is the artists control the work. They are not beholden to a recording company's idea of what the music should be. This has given the world some great, some good and some bad efforts. D. Saxmo falls squarely into the excellent category! This three man band hails from around the planet and takes a lot of influence from The Police. What's good is they take the influence and move beyond what The Police did. What's less than exemplary is a steady Police undercurrent running through much of the work. The band does a nice job on building on this foundation. Ranjeet Saxena on guitar and violin carries the band with string work. His Indian heritage comes through on violin on Rock and Roll as he coaxes traditional Middle Eastern/Indian sounds. The effect in the song is startling. This is the best example of the band trying to shake up the listener with some blends of styles that would normally not be joined. The fact that it works and works so well is a tribute to the band. Jim Moseley on drums and vocals is someone I'd like to see live. Drummers who are lead vocals can concentrate too hard on one effort and the other suffers. On the CD, Moseley is able to work both equally well. Whether this is his talent or a recording of the vocals and drum work at separate times, I don't know. Funk driven music needs a solid line to run on. The band blends blues and funk rock well and uses DeWitt Nelson's work like a baseball runner uses his base. Where the runner would stretch his lead, Saxena and Moseley pull away from Nelson. When the situation gets tight, the runner closes in to the base, just as his partners reach out for the bass line Nelson provides, Moseley pull away from Nelson. When the situation gets tight, the runner closes in to the base, just as his partners reach out for the bass line Nelson provides. The lyrics range from serious social commentary "Gotta virus on the hard drive/got voice mail on hold/Palm Pilots are ridin' in a cab/Got pagers and cell phones/like a monkey on my back" to a relationships and back. But you won't find any answers here, just more questions The lyrics also prove this is a man's band and a man's CD. Wienee Man is an out and out statement of manhood every male will immediately identify with. When Moseley says "I've got an extra brain in my pants" men around the world will immediately chorus "YES!" The cut Messy Kind of Guy is my favorite lyrical effort and definitely a song that's going to be with me for a while. Yesterday's Future is the band's second effort. There is a definite maturity in the tracks that is often missing from a band's first attempt. I look forward to hearing their third effort!" (June 15, 2000 Ben Baker, INDIE-MUSIC.com Artist: D. Saxmo CD: Yesterday's Future) "Jim Moseley's vocals on the opening 'Change' sure reminds a person of Sting when Sting is singing in that angry tone. 'I live life to spite myself / I hurt the ones I love all the time / I see the display in the window on the street / and try to scheme a way to make it all mine'. This is a jazz band that can'