Project Grand Slam - Official Website

Acid Jazz Magazine
"Project Grand Slam is a spectacular mix of jazz, fusion and rock that combines melody, groove and great improvisation!"

SmoothJazz.com
"Premiere NYC fusion jazz band Project Grand Slam celebrates the wide scope of contemporary jazz with their dazzling debut PLAY. A refreshing celebration indeed with Robert Miller on bass, Haim Cotton on keys, drummer Ron Thaler and sax man Gilad Ronen are all seasoned session guys who’ve performed with artists the likes of Bruce Hornsby, Bela Fleck, Sarah McLachlan, Alicia Keys, Taj Mahal and Herbie Hancock. Now as their own group, they’ve assembled an enticing collection of originals here, plus a compelling treatment of the 1986 pop hit by Double, “The Captain of Her Heart,” offered as both an instrumental and vocal, featuring talented U.K. phenom Judie Tzuke. This album embraces an impressive, dynamic range of moods and rhythms, all with a decidedly jazz-fusion bent, and includes a handful of tracks that totally get their groove on. Smooth Jazz doesn’t have to avoid improvisation and textural excitement to hit it out of the park. Project Grand Slam proves the point brilliantly!"

Celebritycafe.com
"The smooth, horned jazz resonates from Project Grand Slam on their album, Play, which is ready to break out into the custom sound of the Dave Matthews Band. Project Grand Slam sings over a few tracks that spice up the already impressive musical display. The tracks symphonize together in a long roller-coaster ride of winding and turning music that is so eloquent. The upbeat and liveliness brings Play to fruition as there’s a lot of pep throughout.

Play is animated on the floorboards of traditional jazz tactics as it evolves into something modern and fruitful. Project Grand Slam doesn’t stay with the same tune for too long, as they turn on a dime and keep dishing out an arcade of sounds that keeps you guessing throughout. It has its valleys of slowness, but it’s all in a day’s work to keep the variety in there. The grooves produced by Project Grand Slam are grand and reign supreme as they’re like a battering ram coming through with class and grace.

In the past, jazz stirred up a more desolate feeling, comforting your sorrows and loneliness over your drink. Play never dips, and in its brief moments of replicating those origins, it spikes out of it with force to go on a tear. Project Grand Slam is an example of modernizing a genre, inspired by its own originality, and delivering a tour de force jazz of sensations that strikes you unexpectedly. Play is a winding road leading you in every direction to doors of mystery."

MuzikReviews.com
"Project Grand Slam shows why it helps to have veterans together for a recording session on Play.

PGS’s first venture into the radio ready world of tracks is “The Captain of Her Heart”, a fine cover of Double’s 1986 chart-topper, which also closes the album out with an instrumental version of the song. Notable vocalist Judie Tzuke, takes the song’s super cool vibes and smooth undertow and takes Play to a level where many fall short when covering a successful track.

That flavor and groove does not let up due to the stellar musicians that put this project together. Project Grand Slam composed the majority of the album’s tracks with Robert Miller on bass, Haim Cotton on keyboards, Ron Thaler on drums, and Gilad Ronen on saxophone.

Each track is a foray into a combination of contemporary, fusion, jazz rock bliss. Besides “The Captain of Her Heart”, you get the full PGS instrumental treatment. The virtuosity of the musicianship on this CD is superb and it never falls short, hitting the mark regardless of the particularly difficult intricacies or style the band decides to cover.

What I found most appealing was this unit’s innate ability to provide the “quiet storm” sound with faultlessness and switch over to a much faster paced contemporary modern sound with a dash of rock and fusion to keep your senses alert and ready for changes at any moment. Quite simply this band does it all very well and the production value of Play is equal to the task giving the listener a clear and concise sound, accentuating every nuance and color of the jazz palette that you could possibly imagine with the exception of acid jazz.

If you are in a jazz mood and want to come out and Play this will give you terminal joy from start to finish."

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck
4 ½ / 5 Stars

Babysue.com
"Smooth fluid jazz from New York's Project Grand Slam. The band is the quartet consisting of Robert Miller (bass), Haim Cotton (keyboards), Ron Thaler (drums), and Gilad Ronen (saxophone). While these names may not be familiar, you have no doubt already heard these folks play. They have been involved in recordings with some major players including Bruce Hornsby, Bela Fleck, Sarah McLachlan, Alicia Keys, Taj Mahal, and Herbie Hancock...and that's just the beginning. Play is the debut album from these four musicians. It features one cover ("The Captain of Her Heart" featuring vocalist Judie Tzuke) and ten original compositions. All four of these players have already received worldwide acclaim on their own. Now their combined efforts will no doubt put them in a class all their own. Neat groove-oriented tracks include "Studio One," "Riding the Berks," "Shades of Memories," and "Doin' the Worm." (Rating: 5/5)

Smoothjazztherapy.com

"With five of its thirteen tracks already having been featured on the hit NBC series ‘Lipstick Jungle’ the debut album, ‘Play’, from contemporary jazz collective Project Grand Slam is off to a flying start. Project Grand Slam is in fact the collaboration of Robert Miller, Haim Cotton, Ron Thaler and Gilad Ronen. While individually they have performed with artists such as Sarah McLachlan, Rob Thomas, Taj Mahal, Alicia Keys, and Herbie Hancock their coming together has delivered an eclectic mix of eleven self penned tunes plus, paradoxically, one of the best cover versions of the year so far.

The album opens with the jazzy ‘Studio One’ which is thoughtful yet uplifting all in one. It is one of the tracks used on ‘Lipstick Jungle’ and in this respect is in the company of the complex ‘Out of Tahini’, the bluesy but raucous ‘Ode To Jerry’ and ‘Heat 2007’ which again gives sax-man Gilad Ronen the chance to cut loose. Perhaps the best of the ‘Lipstick’ cuts is the groovy ‘Riding The Berks’ where Ronen’s interplay with Haim Cotton on piano is a joy but truth to tell Haim’s standout playing is a feature throughout.

Because much of the collection is dominated by hard driving sax the respite that the mellow ‘Because She Said So’ brings is a delight. More of that same gentle magic comes courtesy of ‘Baal HaSulam’ and in similar vein is ‘Shades Of Memories’ where, although the bass of Robert Miller and drums from Ron Thaler keeps the entire piece superbly anchored, Ronen ultimately drives it to a stirring conclusion. Both ‘Portrait Of Katie’ and ‘Doin’ The Worm’ have that typical Project Grand Slam ‘in your face’ beat but the real gem of the collection is the band's cover version of Double’s 1986 hit ‘Captain Of Your Heart’. Delivered in both instrumental and vocal form this latter interpretation is blessed by the wonderful voice of Judie Tzuke who had an international hit with her seminal ‘Stay With Me Till Dawn’.

That said the Smooth Jazz Therapy top track is ‘Harry Knuckles’. With an intro distinctly reminiscent of ‘Inner City Blues’ from Grover Washington it quickly finds its feet as a horn infused spectacular the likes of which Jerry Hey would be proud.

Produced in the main by the legendary Frank Filipetti who garnered a Grammy Award for his work on James Taylor’s ‘Hourglass’ project, ‘Play’ is a great album for those who enjoy contemporary jazz that is not too smooth."

Robert Miller

"Robert Miller is a bass player that's drawing raves these days!" – Pulse Magazine

"Miller is a passionate and skillful bass player, writing, recording and performing some of the tightest, ear-catching contemporary jazz currently on disc." – Bruce Pilato, Gannett News Service

"Miller's original tunes are first rate…Miller also brings excellent taste to his choice of music and talent." – JazzTimes

"Miller's bass invigorates!" - Bass Player Magazine

"To the extremely hip, tight yet edgy Robert Miller Group, Child's Play involves taking live improvisational excursions over basic trios and quartets in styles ranging from pop/rock to blues and straight ahead jazz. Any ensemble just as comfy around a gritty, funk driven Hendrix cover ('Fire") as it is invoking images of Miles ("All Blues"), Chick Corea and Charles Mingus, clearly has a wild dance in mind. And yet for all the experimentation, bassist Miller and his cohorts are at their most provocative when stripping away the blowtorch and playing it ultracool and simple. As solid as Miller is, his real job is laying foundations for all the jamming. In a land where everything seems tailored for radio play, Miller's boys don't mind stretching the limits." - Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide

"Miller's edgy electric bass work is perfectly suited for a program of brisk, rhythmically turbulent pieces" - Don Heckman, Los Angeles Times

"Robert plays the bass with ease. This is just great jazz music" (Four Stars) - Strictly Jazz

"Appealing mainstream jazz from the electric bassist, joined by a stellar cast of musicians. Miller is miles ahead..." - The Music Paper

"The Robert Miller Group has acquired rave reviews from many publications. Child's Play is over 55 minutes of high quality music. This disc is packed with progressive and soulful tracks that grab your attention until the end. The band is hard driving and reminiscent of the old masters. I highly recommend Child's Play by The Robert Miller Group." - Bill Heinrichs, Polytechnic

"The Robert Miller Group is certainly worth a listen!" – Chelsea Clinton News

"Haim Cotton is a talented jazz pianist from Israel" - Bruce Pilato, Gannett News Service

"...the gifted hands of pianist Haim Cotton have been accompanying singers for 18 years" - Heidi Evans, Daily News

“Haim Cotton stands out and steals the show. Haim Cotton’s improvisations are thrilling!” – Zev Perry, Davar

“Haim Cotton is a dynamic pianist who sustained the voltage of the group and the audience both when he played the heads and throughout his improvisations. His solos demonstrate outstanding ability. His lightness was a dominant factor that swept behind it the entire group. Add to that his sense of humor and you get a superb jazz performer” - Baruch Ben Chorin, msnbc

"Music director/pianist Haim Cotton led an energetic trio that even Bobby Darin could dig" - Elizabeth Ahlfors, Cabaret Scenes

"The arrangements are artfully crafted by Haim Cotton and they lose none of the special Yemenite flavor, while incorporating some jazzy sequences" – Amazon.com CD Review - Ofra Haza At Montreux Jazz Festival

"The New School University Jazz and Contemporary Music Program in New York City has a number of talented pianists including Haim Cotton” – Dustin Garlitz, Jazztalent.com

"Israeli born saxophonist Gilad Ronen is one of the most promising young musicians in the United States. His musicality and broad perception of sound gave him a respected reputation in the Boston area, and across the U.S." - Boston Herald

"In addition to his high level of musicianship and instrumental skills Gilad also is a very original stylist, something that is not so common among younger improvisers. He brings a fresh voice to the groups he plays with, and is an able contributor when it comes to composing and organizing ensembles." - Gary Burton

"…A talented musician and a wonderful saxophonist who will one day make a major contribution in performance as well as in composition in the music world." - Julius P. Williams

"Thaler's performances leave "a lasting impression of his talent and his particular approach to music" - Drums Etc.

"Thaler has a virtuosity that touches great depth, eliciting that special emotion from his listeners well beyond the mere consideration of his technical wizardry" - Batteur