Bios:

Percy Jones

Percy Jones has inspired bass players across the world with his unique sound and fearless approach to the fretless bass. He has been hailed by Bass Player Magazine as one of the best bassists in the world. A native of Wales, Mr. Jones began his career as a notable bass player with the Liverpool Scene, and the Scaffold in the U.K. He is also a founding member of BRAND X, a pioneer jazz- rock fusion outfit, working alongside John Goodsall, Robin Lumley and Phil Collins. He has also collaborated with numerous other musicians in performances and sessions; Brian Eno, Suzanne Vega, Bill Frisell, Roy Harper, Nova, Elliot Sharpe, and Bobby Previte, just to name a few. He has toured extensively in the United States, Europe and Japan as a solo artist as well as a bass player in various bands.

Marc Wagnon

Swiss born vibraphonist, Marc Wagnon is a strong leader and composer who has recorded with such notable figures as Mike Clark, Paul Jackson and Mark Feldman. Wagnon studied classical percussion at the Geneva Conservatory in Switzerland while performing as a drummer in several jazz-rock formations. After moving to the United States he studied at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he specialized on the vibraphone and percussion. In New York City, he co-founded the band Dr. Nerve with guitarist Nick Didkowski, which recorded 7 albums and toured extensively throughout Europe. During this period, he also founded his own band, Shadowlines, whose members included Dave Kikoski, Ray Anderson, and Dave Douglas. Since the early 90's Wagnon has worked with the group Tunnels, turning out critically acclaimed CDs and taking several tours.

Walker Adams

Heralded as “a young and very impressive drummer” by Louisville Music News, Walker has been exploring the subtleties and complexities inherent in the art of modern drumming since the age of twelve. His versatility, sensitivity, and impressive technical ability made him stand out at Berklee College of Music, from which he graduated magna cum laude in 2004. A change of pace from his rustic upbringing in rural Vermont, Walker now lives in New York City where, in the words of legendary drummer Kenwood Dennard, he “brings a fresh, new funk to the music scene”.

John O'reilly

John O'Reilly Jr. grew up in Los Angeles, CA and started playing piano at a very young age. In 3rd grade, he began his rigorous study of the violin, which lasted well into his years at Arizona State University. While a set of drums was always around the house (his father is a drummer), John didn't begin serious study on the instrument until his second year of college. During the seven years that John lived in Arizona, he honed his craft both in and out of school, and played in every musical situation he could find. The highlight of these years was spent with a band called One, which signed to Mercury Records and began John's recording career. When it came time to move on, John left Arizona for Boston, MA. He lived there for two years, playing with the pop/rock/electronica group Jigawattica and freelancing around the Northeast.
John currently plays drums with Western Tread Recordings artists Reubens Accomplice and freelances on various touring and recording projects throughout the US and abroad.

Lance Carter visit Lance's memorial page

Lance Carter has been a drummer/percussionist for over thirty years, touring the world with various major label artists. He appears on the Grammy nominated release "Blue Light 'Till Dawn" with Grammy Award winning jazz artist, Cassandra Wilson, as well as "Highlife," the final recording of jazz guitarist icon, Sonny Sharrock. Lance also appears with Sonny Sharrock on the theme song to the hit Cartoon Network series, "Space Ghost: Coast to Coast." He has collaborated with a number of other notable artists including jazz great Junior Mance, bassists Percy Jones and Eric Mingus, guitarists Mark Ribot, Chris Haskett and Robert Musso, Grammy nominee Joan Osborne, and producer Bill Laswell with whom he appears on the soundtrack to the 1999 film "Broken Vessels" and the 1999 release "Permutation." Lance's most recent recordings include Elliot Sharp's 2003 Intakt Records release, "Raw Meet", with Melvin Gibbs on bass; and the November 2003 release from MAROON, the Brooklyn based avant-jazz duo of Hillary Maroon and Benjamin Lackner called, "Who the Sky Betrays". Lance attended the Berklee College of Music and has studied privately with percussion masters Freddie Waits and Peter Erskine. Lance is the latest member of Tunnels (going on one year strong) and makes his first recorded appearance with the band on "Bad American Dream the 43rd", off of the 2004 release, "The Art of Living Dangerously".

Frank Katz

According to drummer Mike Clark:"Frank Katz is one of the most exciting discoveries since Jack Dejohnette and Tony Williams."Frank started playing drums at the age of six and appeared onhis first album at the age of seventeen. Two years later Frank joined the faculty of the Drummers Collective, the internationally renowned school for drums and percussion in NYC. Frank has toured extensively with Brand X and appears on their 1992 release X Communication and their latest album Manifest Destiny.

John Goodsall (Progressivity and The Art of Living Dangerously)

John began playing guitar at age 7 and at 15 he started his first band, Babylon, with members that would later become Joe Cocker's Grease Band. He then began touring extensively, first with Alan Brown, then with its chart topping band Atomic Rooster. While only recording one album with Rooster "Nice 'n' Greasy", John was no stranger to the studio. In London, his session work would eventually cross path with Rob Lumley and Pete Bonas, the players that would become Brand X. After Brand X's World tour (the last with Phil Collins), John came to L.A. and reemerged into the session scene. His session experience includes such name as: Bill Bruford, Peter Gabriel, Billy Idol, Bryan Adams, Toni Basil, Mark Isham...and release to albums with his solo band Fire Merchants, before reforming with Brand X and recording X-communication and Manifest Destiny.

Van Manakas ('with Percy jones, Painted Rock and The Art of Living Dangerously)

Van has recieved widespread critical acclaim for his solo albums "Xompa" (physical) and "Love Songs" (Rounder), and from the coproduction of Scott Cossu's last two releases on Windham Hill Records, "Switchback" and "Stained Glass". In 2000, he released an instrumental album entitled "American Guitars", which coinsided with his move to Nashville, TN and led to countless gigs in the country music scene. He was a finalist in the 1991 New York Fulm Festival for his film score of "Mountain", which was also released on CD tjrough Windham Hull and stayed several weeks on the New Age charts. Van is also the author of two series of tapes about the guitar techniques of jazz and fusion. Van has toured the world extensively. He has peformed in Europe, Rusiia, Japan and South America with his own band and others, among them: Gil Evans, Carla Bley, Bob Moses, Miroslav Vitous.

Mark Feldman (Progressivity and The Art of Living Dangerously)

His unique style opens a new range of emotion in the music of the group. In 1994, 95, 99,2000 and 2001 violinist and composer Mark received the First Place award for "Talent Deserving Wider Recognition" in Down Beat magazine's critics poll. He has been recorded as a soloist on over 100 recordings, including his own release, Music for Violin Alone, (Tzadik) and his duo recording with pianist and composer Sylvie Courvoisier, Music for Violin and Piano,(Avant), as well as his music for string quartet, "Book of Tells" (Enja).

Julien Feltin (The Art of Living Dangerously)

Up and coming guitarist from Switzerland, Julien tpoured with Sarah Pillow in the Fall of 2003 and got to join in with Tunnels in a fewof the gigs. Julien has his onw trio called "Les Vautours" and plays with sony recording artist singer songwriter Malia, with whom he tour frequently around the world.

Mark Feldman (Progressivity and The Art of Living Dangerously)

His unique style opens a new range of emotion in the music of the group. In 1994, 95, 99,2000 and 2001 violinist and composer Mark received the First Place award for "Talent Deserving Wider Recognition" in Down Beat magazine's critics poll. He has been recorded as a soloist on over 100 recordings, including his own release, Music for Violin Alone, (Tzadik) and his duo recording with pianist and composer Sylvie Courvoisier, Music for Violin and Piano,(Avant), as well as his music for string quartet, "Book of Tells" (Enja).

Quotes For 'Natural Selection':

This is the stuff.

After a slightly meandering start, Tunnels' newest quickly takes hold and moves with deliberate fluidity into new but familiar and welcome territory. I was going nuts trying to place the sound until I remembered the classic album Marscape. A glance at the credits confirms my suspicions. Bassist Percy Jones, of Brand X and Marscape fame, is all over this. Jones shares compositional credit with MIDI vibes player Marc Wagon, ex of Dr. Nerve and Shadowline. The result is great music.
This is Tunnels' fifth album. In an effort to redefine itself musically, the band has pared down to the instrumental trio format. And it works. Track two, "Run By Time," has a hook that would be at home on Brand X's best album. The interplay of Jones and Wagon with drummer John o'Reilly shimmers here. Jones' bass is pure fire on "Soliton."
All three have standout moments. But the melding of styles is an aural delight. This is not the classic Marscape is, but it's very close.—Diana Green Progression Magazine

"Tunnels digs in with locked, organic grooves that underpin galactic explorations rich in melodic content." -Chris Jisi Bass Player Magazine

I first experienced Tunnels during a live performance of their Natural Selection CD at the Jazz Factory in Louisville, Kentucky.  The New York based avant-garde fusion trio is driven by renowned bassist Percy Jones and vibraphone/percussionist Marc Wagnon. Combining their equally impressive artistic backgrounds, Jones and Wagnon transport the fusion of jazz and rock to another dimension-- creating imaginative soundscapes that awaken the senses.
Tunnels has their own musical vision, suggesting no comparisons, I offer two groups that demonstrate the artistry and force that drives this trio's music -- the days of King Crimson's 21st Century Schizold Man, and also, the heyday of John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra.
For music that moves the listener beyond conventional boundaries... check out Natural Selection.
2006 Mark's Online Music Source

Natural Selections is the 5th release for Tunnels and we find them returning to the classic trio format with the "new guy" John O'Reilly Jr. on a very heavy rockin' drums. O'Reilly must have been a "natural selection" for this trio, as he fits in perfectly with bassist Percy Jones and his slappin' and poppin' and down right funkin'-it-up style. Jones could work within any funk, hard rock group and be a welcomed asset. Percy's wide range and immense talent has already taken the artist through different bands, such as Brand X, Phil Collins, Brian Eno and Suzanne Vega to name just a few. Together, Jones and O'Reilly make a rock-solid rhythm section that maybe more comparable to John Paul Jones and Bohnam than Ron Carter and Tony Williams, but I am sure Tunnels is not concerned with being a "standard" jazz group.
Marc Wagnon is somewhat of an enigma of sorts. I would personally consider him the "Jimi Hendrix of the midi vibes." I was a bit skeptical at first about a jazz trio without a piano or even a saxophone, but Wagnon somehow takes care of it all. Wagnons' style is refreshingly new, innovative to the point of pure brilliance. He has a technique and a dead-on feeling that can be described best in the words of Chuck Berry, "just like ringing a bell."
...All I can say is thank you Tunnels. Savon Edwards jazzreview.com

Whether Tunnels will surge to the top of the current prog-rock/fusion renaissance remains to be seen, but the late 90's addition of the legendary British bassist Percy Jones hasn't hurt their standing.
Ted Drozdowski The Boston Phoenix

They open with "Devil's Staircase" written by and featuring Jones. Their music has a mysterious air with lots of syncopated beats and improvisation. Behind the adventure is a sense of order allowing the listener to engage. Jones and Wagon are the composers on the nine selections and we frequently find Percy out front as on "Soliton". But John steps up on "Enigma" and " Io's Dream" with funky prominent beats. Tunnels is focused on bringing us fresh sounds and Natural Selection continues on that path.
D. Oscar  Groomes O's Place Jazz Newsletter

The Band's new, fifth album "Natural Selection", is a collection of six- to eight-minute instrumentals that wander far afield, but seldom seem lost or aimless, with element of progressive rock, world music and ambient sound. Scott Hall Nuvo, Indianapolis

...So if it is indeed "tricky to rock a rhyme," perhaps it's even more awkward, nigh impossible even, to rock some jazz. you're left with some kind of unique, but nonetheless irreconcilable, aesthetic mulatto. And yet despite more than half a century of recorded evidence to support this fact, progressive rockers and forward-looking jazzers still persevere at this futile alchemy... But let's be honest some are just better at it than others. And along with the artists like Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, Frank Zappa, and the inimitable Miles Davis, you can count Tunnels among the more successful practitioners of the endeavor.
Logan K. Young Free Time Columbia SC

The cornerstone of modern biology, natural selection holds that evolution is the result of favorable traits being more likely to survive and reproduce. In the case of Tunnels' fifth release, it's evident that this talented trio's exploratory powers continue to produce exciting, new, "genetic variations."
Evolving from a latter generation of Brand X, Tunnels plays a peculiar mutation of jazz-rock. This latest CD is no exception with its progressive synthesis of the fusion genre. As always, the Tunnels sound finds strength in the superhuman stylings of the unmatched Percy Jones, fretless bassist extraordinaire, and the hyperkinetic harmonics of mallet-wielding Marc Wagnon, expert Midi vibes practitioner. Natural Selection introduces new drummer John o'Reilly Jr., who has performed with Tunnels since the fall of 20O4 and whose deft touch fits nicely within the band's improvisational context.
Every elaborately constructed composition on Natural Selection merits classification as a tour de force. In a world wher survival of the fittest dictates eventual disappearance of the weak, Tunnels stands reinforced.—Mark Newman Progression Magazine

By wide request, we will track more the forthcoming Tunnels CD titled Natural Selection. Percy Jones, Marc Wagnon, and John O'Reilly pack a punch on this excellent release. Thomas Gagliardi Host/Producer The Gagliarchives

If there’s a better bassist on the planet than Percy Jones, the fact has yet to announce itself in the general consciousness. From the moment he splashed onto the scene in Brand X. After playing for Brian Eno, Jon Hassell, and a passel of prog luminaries and second-stringers, he went on to press solo CDs, all to critical acclaim, then returned to making gigs with Brand X and formed this unusual trio. Marc Wagnon wields the mallets here on a set of midi’ed vibes, allowing him a keyboard’s palette of tones and modes, taking the trad instrument’s abilities well beyond norms. However, he’s superior to many a pro ivory tickler (beats, f’rinstance, Tom Coster black and blue in short order), so the singularity is neither gimmickry nor novelty. Wagnon’s, in fact, establishing a new inroad. Normally, such triggered hybrids are dubious propositions, as in most guitar outboards, but the vibes player has crafted a curious new dynamism and wrings it for all its worth, such that one is reminded alternatingly of Joe Zawinul, Alan Holdsworth’s experimentations, the aforementioned Lumley (who must be lured back into the music scene firmly, dammit!!!), and a panoply of zenith synth players. John O’Reilly rounds out the threesome on a set of skins that never overwhelms, finding the perfect slot, acting as a one-man rhythm unit, sometimes companioned by Jones, who’s just too fiery to relax into a passive mode for more than half a minute.
by Mark S. Tucker opednews.com

With progressive jazz/rock coming back into fashion, Tunnels might well be poised to be in the right place at the right time. Tunnels continues to push the boundaries with their chops and sound as the earth mover that powers it all. A tasty workout where everyone sweats and no one slacks, jazz/rock fans can turn out for this with their heads held high. A high octane outing where everything fits right in." Chris Spector Midwest Record Recap

What instantly moved me about this album was its highly fresh sound, which can hardly be subjected to direct comparisons even with "Progressivity", let alone the band's first two studio outings. Well, it's still somewhat extraordinary to hear Tunnels without electric guitar ("Progressivity" features guitarist John Goodsall, but he only plays on three tracks there), but this their new effort clearly indicates that the veterans not only have well adopted to the change, but also seem to be better prepared for the searching out of undiscovered musical realms than ever before. Unlike many outfits working in the trio format, Tunnels aren't short of extra sounds - whether they work in the studio or do a live performance - which is in many ways thanks to Marc Wagnon's ability to use his virtual ensemble, MIDI-Vibes, in a really effective way, providing the group's overall sound with plenty of additional musical voices related to different instruments. Apart from drums, fretless bass and vibraphone itself, this album's sonic palette includes sounds of synthesizer, piano, harp, electric guitar and some woodwinds, let alone those uniquely unrecognizable and, hence, indescribable. Tunnels always were a tightly rehearsed unit playing mainly composed music with some essential impromptus (at least they were never keen on lengthy joint jams demanding spur-of-the-moment improvisations from everybody), but on this album their principal credo is reflected especially vividly. The structured Space Fusion they applied for the first time on "Progressivity" in receiving further development here has actually been carried to perfection, having found a somewhat restrained, yet still expressive and perceptible Gothic-like feeling. This way, Tunnels have invented a new musical language within the Jazz-Fusion genre. Lacking a better definition, I would call it Gothic Space-Fusion. Vitaly Menshikov Acid Dragon/Progressor.net

It seems I will always have a place in my heart for Tunnels, simply because of Percy Jone's bass playing, what legacy he left on the prog/fusion scene with Brand X is legendary. As a member of Tunnels, he, and his cohorts are one of few bands that are seriously moving the demanding music of the progressive/fusion forward. I have been impressed by some of the bands' recordings thus far, but this one seems to have even taken them furthur along in the process of originality. Largely in part because of Marc Wagnon's development of synth voices that he employs on his unique Midi-Vibes instrument. He is a rare musician, in the league of Corea, Fleck, Ponty, etc, in that he has taken a traditional instrument, and modernized it's voicings, and has a constant inventive genious to his compositional and improvisational sense. He is able to provide depth, color, imageing, personality, structure, melody, and just about everything else for this trio. It's hard to believe I am listening to a three piece with all he contributes to the overall sound. MJ Brady Prognosis

With only three members, Tunnels create a huge sound, that doesn’t dominate, but does a good job of filling the ear. There is not any fill or substandard tracks here. This is a band that knows when to extend a theme and when to stop. Natural Selection is a fully enjoyable listen that challenges the listener. If you are into fusion and jazz tinged rock, this CD will fit right into your collection. Steve Ambrosius Sea of Tranquility

Quotes For 'The Art of Living Dangerously':

"...the band gets into some smoking grooves, and their interplay is nothing short of amazing. As live albums go this one truly captures the freewheeling and adventurous spirit of one of the best fusion bands operating today.
David Ashcraft, Exposé magazine

"The Art of Living Dangerously" is certainly what these crafty, customarily stout musicians have achieved, especially when it comes to creating such a high-spirited, uncompromising album. Those whose impressions of fusion as of late revolves around groups like The Rippingtons, Foreplay or Hiroshima will either run for the hills in shock, or seek out equally adventurous art in awe.
By Robert Kaye Abstractlogix.com

While strong themes abound, the trio feels more openly exploratory than most fusion bands, busy but not self-indulgent. And while everyone contributes strong playing, it is Jones' identifiable and compelling sound that makes The Art of Living Dangerously stand out as a fusion record well worth investigating. ~John Kelman allaboutjazz.com

these pieces are primarily centered on jam style grooves and zealously conveyed improvisations. The bandâs upbeat and at times, riveting modus operandi is centered upon the energy or aura, that often emanates from the live concert vibe. They were obviously pumped up for the occasion. Glen Astarita Jazzreview.com

Hard to describe Tunnels without referencing the great Brand X , and here, on this live cd, they are sounding even more like the X, perhaps it's in the way that Wagnon is using his midi vibe patches, as they sound altogether every bit as synthy and spacy as Lumley and Robinson ever did. Jones is always great, and delivers his outstanding performances on every song· the energy, and the sound quality are first rate,· If you are one that longs for the days of the the old Brand X music, complete with the intriguing keyboard work the were noted for, this cd will satisfy your cravings, on this cd more than any other by Tunnels, Wagnon provides a lot of interesting phrasings and effects through the use of his percussion instrument. MJBrady Prognosis.com

Thank you very much for sending me the new Tunnels Live: The Art of LivingDangerously album. I was more than pleased with the performance on this album and I played it right away on my jazz show as well. I will be charting this at CMJ and it will get multiple spins here at WRAS, Atlanta. Peter Lewman Program Director WRAS

I just wanted to thank you for sending the Tunnels disc, and this is a great album, I was very impressed. Anyway, my other reason for writing was to tell you that the 'Live/Art of Living Dangerously' disc will be featured as my Album of the Week on my prog/jazz/experimental show,
Dustin Wall Experimental/Progressive Rock Directo KCOU 88.1 FMr

"...the journey that began with Brand X is culminated in the crew's first live album ever and it's a real valentine to the fans. Tasty hot stuff that true believers will know is the real deal."
Chris Spector, Midwest Record Recap

"Overall, this album is highly recommended to fans of electric jazz". Martin Kasdan, Jr. "Jazzin'" column for Louisville Music News

Quotes For "with Percy Jones":

Mr. Jones is certainly one of the finest electric bassists the music world has ever witnessed
Jones has conspicuously carved out a signature sound and style, which is clearly his own!
"Tunnels" is a band who stylistically epitomize the best of an oft misunderstood genre.
...midi vibist Marc Wagnon, powerhouse drummer Frank Katz along with multi-talented guitarist Van Manakas perform a mini clinic on the finer points of prog-fusion, while exhibiting flair and precision.
Besides all the technical prowess, "Tunnels" aim to entertain through thoughtful and quite inspiring compositions. This is not about a band who systemically attempt to outdo one another in the chops department yet it is all about getting the most out of their musical gifts and weaving their collective sensibilities into a unified whole! While the intensity level frequently resides in the red zone, this band strive to entertain and/or induce the listener's involvement; hence, advocates of fusion and progressive rock should be elated that "BuckyBall Records" decided to release this gem. Highly Recommended! * * * * 1/2 - Glenn Astarita, All About Jazz

Another renegade bassist, Percy Jones (a charter member of the great British fusion band "Brand X") continues his uncompromising ways with "Tunnels"
...this one is teeming with a kind of gung-ho fierceness and risk taking that hasen't been heard too much since fusion heydays
Van Manakas adds some stinging guitar work, particularly on "Prisoners of the Knitting Factory Hallway...
Everyone in Jones' chops-laden quartet gets a chance to blow on this ferocious, cutting edge slamfest. - Bill Mikowski Tower Pulse

Percy Jones has been on the cutting edge for so long, it's a wonder he hasn't been sliced to ribbons by now.
Undeterred by commercial considerations, he keeps forging ahead, adding more and more weapons to his arsenal of fretless techniques and writing thick threatening fusion- J.R. Bass Player Magazine

The Tunnels debut album (as well as Marc Wagnonâs solo debut An Afterthought, though), representing a real Confluence of Jazz, Rock and Symphonic Progressive, is a true hallmark of the contemporary Jazz-Fusion movement. Actually, this band (and I hope their second album is going to be on the same quality level as the debut) is in my view one of the Top-5 bands that ever existed in the history of (real) Jazz-Fusion, beginning with Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return To Forever, the same (Tunnelsâ blood, almost a twin brother) Brand X, and Pierre Moerlinâs Gong (from Shamal, 1975, to and including Leave It Open of 1981).
I regard Tunnels as the best Jazz-Fusion band of todayâs progressive scene and their debut album a real masterpiece. VM. August 28, 2001 - Volkmar Mantei Ragazzi

Quotes for "Painted Rock":

At this juncture it is time for all parties to take a deep breath and unwind from this roller coaster ride of a journey as we regain our senses and take a stab at reality for a second or two. Painted Rock is an express train with no stops along the way as the music is pure, untainted and gets you to your destination in rapid fashion, yet the key ingredient here is the sustained and altogether gratifying entertainment value, featuring loads of impact! - * * * * *
Glenn Astarita All About Jazz

A stellar second outing by Percy's post-fusionquartet with vibist Marc Wagnon, guitarist Van Manakas, and drummer Frank Katz. Benefiting from an excellent overall and low-end bass mix - and Katz's natural backbeat - Percy packs a real groove punch, from the angular funk of the tittle track to his hard-swinging walking line on "Bad American Dream 2001."
Chris Jisi Bass Player Magazine

The mellow toned Van Manakas on guitar shares the improvisation with Wagnon as the inventive rhythm section of Frank Katz (drums) and Brand X bass legend Percy Jones explore the grooves.
There is excellent variety on this release from the intense drum driven "Neuro- Transmitter" to the floating "Quai Des Brumes."
"Boys In The Ud" goes on a Middle Eastern journey with the exotic guitar work of Manakas.
Lots of interesting rhythms, melodies,sounds and time feels are what make this release an exceptional instrumental collection that serious fusion lovers will certainly enjoy. This music moves in a fresh, new direction. - Mike Haid, Fuse Magazine

Wagnon plays "MIDI Vibes," and this allows him to use a lot of sounds that keyboard players use. Thus, one hears by turns vibes, Rhodes piano, strings, synth patches, giving the music a broader timbral range than one might expect otherwise. I came away from this recording especially impressed with the playing of guitarist Van Manakas, whose great melodicism is tasteful and whose speed is stunning. On "Boys in the Ud," Manakas's ud playing triggers a markedly Middle-Eastern jam that, while it is not representative of the style of the band's music as a whole, is a real highlight. - John Covach, Progression

...these are ferocious performers
Hot in the mix, Katz's speed-ridden grace notes and dazzling drum combinations are like a boxer in a race with the clock. Drawing on Mike Clark, Tony Williams, and Kenwood Dennard, his technique is explosive. But supported by his diamond-hard groove, Katz is truly something special in an era of progressive drummers long on flash and short on feel. Hard-knuckeld fusion without a hint of acoustic seasoning may not be for everyone's taste, but Tunnels revel in the assault - Ken Micallef Modern Drummer

The music is definitly early fusion oriented and cleverly conceived for a post-'70s Y2K era
Modern and classic jazz-rock fusion ideals congeal to offer a new music that has a stance standing solidly in both idioms with the powerful, clearly identifiable bass of Jones plopped squarely in the middle. Recommended, especially for devotees. -- Michael G. Nastos AllMusicGuide

Quotes for "Progressivity":

To call this the second coming of Brand X really does a disservice to the talents of this trlo comprising Marc Wagnon, Percy Jones and Frank Katz...
Wagnon performs on midi-vibes, which means his mallets are more than malleable when it comes to producing sonic tomfoolery of every sort imaginable. Jones really percolates on bass (good to the last bop!) and Katz is a whirling dervish on his drum kit.
"7,584,333,440 Miles Away," a 2O-minute track contained here, is definitely the most wild, whacked-out piece of jazz fusion that will blister your ears this year. "Syzygy Incident" and "orfeo's Dream" are other cuts that absolutely rip.
If you're a fan of the no-holds-barred fusion that distingulshed the best work of Mahavishnu orchestra, Weather Report, Stanley Clarke or Tony Williams' Lifetime, you're going to like Progressivity and you're going to dig Tunnels - Mark Newman, Progression Magazine

As a reviewer, some cds you just live for, and this is one of them.
Prog masters which crash and spin at a high volume rate, like something you'd expect Terry Bozzio to be involved in. This purely instrumental set sounds like infinitely more than 3 people, and is more than ordinary prog. Want to call it jazz rock, or acid jazz for a synth combo? Go ahead. But the fact that 2 of these 3 people come straight from legendary prog rock group Brand X better make you sure of your ground
...there is a seeming method to all the madness inherent in this music which takes melody and - like the best of jazz - speeds it away from tight scales and simple recognizability. It's the genre that has rightly before been called thinking man's music for the rock crowd. Leave it on for an hour and feel the IQ rise. - Ben Ohmart, MusicDish.com

Fusion fans will rejoice at the release of the third Tunnels album as it features former Brand x bassist Percy Jones reunited (on three of the ten tracks) with his former partner in crime, John Goodsall.
...what can one say about Percy Jones? How many musicians (let alone bassists) have a unique, immediately identifiable sound? Percyâs fluid,, harmonic-filled fretless approach underlies the album without stealing the show from his band mates
The band evokes Brand X or Mahavishnu at times with the high energy level, but there is also a looser, jazzier feel due to the improvisational nature of the playing.
Overall this is strong effort with a spirit of excitement and adventure that all too often has been lacking in modern fusion albums. Review by David Ashcraft ö Expose Magazine

The thing about trying to describe the band Tunnels is that there doesn't seem to be any single Tunnels sound. Even on an individual song, the band can change gears to radically that what starts out as a straight-ahead if muscular bit of fusion can soon delightfully degrade into a wonderful stew of free-form ensemble improvisation.
They have the kind of relaxed intensity that comes only from playing together often and over along period of time; that familiarity allows them to attempt stuff other outfits can't even dream about
On "Wall to Wall Sunshine," the band lets Feldman and Goodsall have the spotlight - and they wring every bit out of their time out front.
this album is full of those kinds of surprises - little musical gems that continue to delight as the CD is played over and over again ... as it will be. Jim Trageser The American Reporter

Wagnon demonstrates time and times again just how versatile and interesting MIDI vibes are. He turns in a head-turning solo on "Syzygy Incident" in the voice of an electric guitar, while on the fantastic title track he lays sheets of ambient sound, only to augment them with ebullient dancing melody lines
Disciples of Stanley Crouch, as well as anyone else who still feels that fusion is a dirty word, are advised to avoid "Progressivity." For the rest of us, however, it's an exhilarating listen. ÷By James Bickers Special to The Courier-Journal

Tunnels is a raw fusion band in the spirit of the original form, circa 1970's. That is the combination of driving rock with lots of creativity and improvisation. The core of the band is Percy Jones (b), Marc Wagnon (vibes) and Frank Katz (d), together since 1992. Their approach is fearless resulting in music with enough energy to give you a lift and to stimulate your mind and soul! -- D. Oscar Groomes O's Place Jazz Newsletter

For those who tired of fusionxs predictable formula in the 80xs, this CD would still find a way into your heart if you are a fan of jazz, creativity and experimentalism. Because the one thing this CD is NOT is predictable. Erik Feder Aquarian Magazine

listeners should focus on celebrating a musical world where great musicians doing such things can actually get a deal and sell records. These types of things are nicely balanced by truly melodic and enjoyable mainstream numbers like "Some Things Must Last." Ironically, that's probably something these guys don't want to hear about their music.
Jonathan Widran All Music Guide