Neptune

"Neptune is essentially an acoustic chamber ensemble, with decidedly imaginative, adventurous leanings and - not surprisingly - a well-schooled sense of how to play jazz. It's the sort of outfit musicians love to play with, and it can be magical live; but "Thaw's" success is measured by how strong the writing is and how well it's all captured on CD."

~ Chris Rietz, Lansing State Journal

"The Neptune Quartet features acoustic bass, cello, guitar and mandolin. If you attended the Toronto convention you had the chance to hear them in concert and might also have attended their excellent workshop on Latin rhythms. In addition you might have encountered them anchoring late night jam session that were notable for their interesting choice of tunes and friendly atmosphere.

The Quartet's recording opens boldly with a beautiful rendition of Joe Zawinul's "In a Silent Way", a tune made famous by Miles Davis on the album of the same name. It's immediately apparent how important Crispin Campbell's cello is to the group's sound. The lush feeling of the first track give's way to Angelo Meli's amiable "Pencil Pushin' Blues" which feature the guitarist and cello once more. Julin doesn't even solo until the third track, his own "Dance of the Praying Mantis." Here we are able to enjoy his understated yet adventurous improvising style in the context of a fascinating composition.

Don is one of the very few mandolinists attempting to deal seriously with the language of jazz as it has developed since 1960. His compositions speak this language without sounding angry or harsh and the Neptune Quartet plays this music, along with tunes by Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Django Reinhardt and Lennon-McCartney, in a beautiful way. Glenn Wolff's rock solid bass playing lends gravity to the music while Julin's light touch often creates the sensation that the music is floating."

~ John Goodin, The Mandolin Journal

"...our region's answer to such avant garde, nationally-touring acts as the Kronos Quartet or the Turtle Island String Quartet. The Neptune Quartet is currently packing Poppycock's restaruant in downtown Traverse City on weekend nights, ripsawing the air with breadcutter string patterns that ring with a dense, crisp texture and power. It's string music on a knife's edge with a hammer swinging down swift and hard behind."

~ Robert Downes, Northern Express Weekly

For more information visit www.neptunequartet.com

Neptune

Below is a review of the Neptune Quartet "Live at Poppycocks" CD

by Robert Downes of the Northern Express.

Weekend nights at Poppycock's restaurant in downtown Traverse City have become a "must" for those seeking a cosmopolitan, bistro experience. Here, mandolinist and impresario Don Julin has created an in

timate scene for those in search of grown-up music to wrap up the night, featuring a potpourri of performers that skew toward jazz, blues and worldbeat sounds.

The flagship of that experience is Neptune Quartet, whose performances manage to sound excitingly improvisational, yet tight. The players, including Julin on effects-assisted mando, Angelo Meli on guitar, Crispin Campbell on cello, Glenn Wolff on bass, and an assist by singer Mike Gauthier, are top-drawer musicians individually; but put them together and you get a wardrobe of sounds that mix and match exotic themes. The result is far afield from what one might expect of a traditional string quartet -- this is an act of national caliber performing for a lucky few at their hideout in faraway Northern Michigan -- deserving of bigger venues such as Interlochen's summer festival.

Julin & Co. have wisely recorded a live album, underscoring the acoustic intensity that pulls in the crowds in the first place. Plus, it must be said, too much polish on a local CD tends to cut many Northern Michigan bands off at the knees. No such problem here, however, where the sound is rich and the vitality of the music is upheld. On tunes such as "The Optimist," you can even hear the crowd and the clatter of dishes in the background -- a sweet touch that adds rather than subtracts.