Website or Magazine: www.jazzreview.com
Reviewer: Lee Prosser
Review Date: August 2002

Review: Al Garcia is a master of the bass guitar, and he uses it to great advantage on this original collection of songs he composed. The music has wide appeal and will be enjoyable by all jazz groups.

MAKE IT SO contains 12 songs. Garcia's inventive twists and turns on J.S. Bach's "Menuet" makes it uniquely his own, and the other original Garcia songs such as "On Cloud Ten," "Make It So," "Natural Knowledge," "Journey to the Center of the Earth," "Once Upon a Dream," among others, makes for an entertaining listening experience with this gifted jazz guitarist. Al Garcia is a master of many musical moods and many jazz guitar techniques, each showcased in this CD collection. I liked all of the songs. "The Heart of the Matter" and "Journey to the Center of the Earth" had great personal appeal for me, and it was a learning journey visualizing how perfectly attuned Garcia is to the harmonics and melody in each of his songs. His technique for playing is flawless, and he makes every note soar with beauty. If you want something new in contemporary jazz sounds, take several listens to Al Garcia's performances in the collection MAKE IT SO. Top performances by one of the fine young guitars now performing. Likeable. Unique.