Trey Anastasio

For 18 years, Trey Anastasio has been the guitarist, vocalist and frontman for Phish, one of the most important and influential bands of the past two decades. Phish's music and concert tours evolved into a way of life for millions of fans and changed the way people think of live music - and they've sold a few million albums, too. Now, Trey Anastasio steps out on his own with his self-titled solo debut album. Recorded at The Barn, Trey's studio in Burlington, Vermont, the album features Trey backed by a long list of stellar musicians. Throughout, a four-member horn section dishes out punchy, stabbing counterpoint to Anastasio's ever-inventive guitar work or engages in smart, peppery exchanges among themselves. A mighty three-piece rhythm section nails down the grooves, which range from light to Latin to sweetly funky to wickedly syncopated. The variety of moods, styles, lengths and tempos - from sinewy funk to pastoral etudes to structured improv - results in a kaleidoscopic yet cohesive listening experience. It's a kind of marriage between composition and improvisation, between written songs and the spontaneous, inspired moments that erupt when talented musicians are cooking up a storm.