“Hertzog’s musicianship shines through and bright walking riffs on tracks such as “Star Drops” and “Traces of You” evoke images of devoted researchers working through vast amounts of data in pursuit of knowledge”
— James Dacey, Physics World
“Randomness and stability are both stakeholders in the suite, contributing to this unique complex of sound sculptures. This is a one-of-a-kind album bent on focusing large scale thought on the smallest bits of matter, and focusing on a single track would just take away from the beautiful big picture.”
— Dan Bilawsky, All About Jazz
“Jake has a very personal, post-modern harmonic conception, and there is a very palpable, discernible, almost classically inflected acoustic-electric quality (like Bill Frisell and Julian Bream meet Arnold Schoenberg) which makes his compositions and variations very centered and acoustically engaging. Jake Hertzog is one of the most gifted, disciplined and original of a new generation of young guitarists coming on fast”
— Chip Stern, renown jazz critic and author
“ [Hertzog] manages to evoke feeling in the purely logical world of physics and particle collisions through exquisite, emotive music. That’s quite a feat.”
— Carol Banks Weber, AXS.com
“[a] deeply original, thought provoking set of nu acoustic instrumental music that can’t be defined yet but it is a cut above””
— Chris Spector, Midwest Record
Previous Press
“Jake Hertzog is one of the finest young jazz guitarists on the scene”
— Barry Cleveland, Guitar Player Magazine
“An unapologetic brand of jazz-rock guitar that does not look back...Evolution is easily one of the best jazz-rock guitar CDs of 2011.”
— Mark Redlefsen, All About Jazz
“Hertzog is a force to be reckoned with, only born a few decades too late to have otherwise competed with the names time has forced him to call his “influences.”
— Rachel Margaritas Concertblogger (Live Review)
“Hertzog keeps listeners constantly on their toes, zigging when you might expect him to zag, and blazing through unorthodox intervallic maneuvers with an ease that would likely give players twice his age pause.”
— Barry Cleveland, Guitar Player Magazine (Artist Feature)
“Jake has a long, talented career ahead of him...Some musicians just have it all. Jake Hertzog easily fits in that grouping.”
— George Maida, The Electric Croude, WCVE Public Radio
“Hertzog succeeds in seducing on both a visceral and cerebral level...his is a fine recording which will go some way towards building—over time—his very own legend.”
— Ian Patterson, All About Jazz
“...undeniably killing. Guitar aficionados, take note of this stellar six-stringer.”
— Bill Milkowski, Jazz Critic & Author (Jaco: The Extraordinary and Tragic Life of Jaco Pastorius)
“He’s well on his way to being the Coltrane of guitar, and this latest set [Evolution] really blows the ears wide open. ”
— Chris Spector, Midwest Records
“Hertzog’s new album Evolution demonstrates his prowess as a pivotal guitarist on fusion’s landscape. Guitarist Jake Hertzog is one of a kind.”
— Susan Frances, Associated Content
“It’s not just the high-energy & talent… it’s [Jake’s] VISION for where the music of the 21st Century needs to move to… critics & listeners alike will be listening to this 20 years from now & hailing it as a CLASSIC!”
— Dick Metcalf, Rotcod Zzaj
“One of the very few prolific young guitarists to convincingly embrace the potential of blending a jazz and rock style of performing.”
— John Barron, thejazzword.blogspot.com
“Jake Hertzog is a unique voice in jazz with potential to be able to reach out to a jazz sensibility for a new audience for the music.”
— 100 Greatest Jazz Albums.com
“Hertzog is the real deal on many levels...one of the most original I have heard.”
— Ralph A. Miriello, Jazz.com
“Guitarist Jake Hertzog is carrying the flag high and making his mark on the [Jazz-Rock] style on Evolution.”
— Robert Lannapollo, CODA Magazine
“At his age Jake already belongs among the great jazzy guitar players like Pat Metheny, Al Di Meola, John Mclaughlin to name but a few.”
— Gert Hulshof, Dutch Progressive Rock Page
“Jake Hertzog is a risk-taker and a mind-blowing guitarist. There is nothing else like it.”
— Susan Frances, JazzReview.Com
“Echoes of Metheny, Stern, and Breau (among others) surface in Hertzog’s playing, but his dazzlingly adventurous approach puts him in a jazz league all his own.”
— Art Thompson, Guitar Player Magazine
“It’s almost safe to say that this sounds like nothing you’ve heard before. This is the guitar record {Patterns] you play when you absolutely, positively need to have your mind melted.”
— Chris Spector, Midwest Records
“There is something here that hasn’t been heard before! Hertzog plays confident, even blistering solos... Certainly a must-buy for fans of great fusion and jazz guitar!”
