Long Island, New York: A440 is a band that nestles nicely on the outer borders of the jam scene. It calls it music “alternative improvisational groove,” but from what I’ve heard it’s a nice mixture of hook-laden structured songs with strong melodies and vocals and longer jam songs. Nonetheless, it is good. When the band stretches out it’s more in the classic rock fashion with solos emanating from tight songs rather than free form exploration. This is not a bad thing! They also have a distinctive and impressive vocalist in David Jensen. The band cites its influences as ranging from Ani DeFranco to Phish and from Metallica to CSNY and the Grateful Dead! Consequently there’s quite a lot of diversity in their music. Aside from playing up and down the East Coast they have released one self-titled CD since forming in early 2001. It’s a polished effort with a surprising amount of radio-friendly cuts such as the alluring opener “P.G.” with its meaty guitar work, sophisticated lyrics and infectious rhythm. Kind of Sting-meets Smashing Pumpkins! Also of note is the more muscular grind of “Posters” and the delicate acoustic instrumental “Sunflowers” which has some nice violin work that gives it added textures. In the latter part of the disc the band opens up with longer pieces such as the fluid 14 minute plus “Rising Wind” which begins as a brooding almost alternative rock song and then builds in intensity as the winds its way through some flowing improvisations that show that guitarist Rob Salzer is more than a capable player. Overall this band has huge potential with a sound that could easily find cross over appeal in the jamband genre, classic rock and alternative rock markets.