Brooklyn’s own jazz-rock explorers ALEX SKOLNICK TRIO (AST) — the group fronted by TESTAMENT guitarist Alex Skolnick — have returned with their sixth studio album, titled “Prove You’re Not A Robot”, released through Flatiron Recordings.
Showcasing bold improvisation, boundary-pushing arrangements and the unmistakable skill of the trio, Prove You’re Not A Robot finds AST operating at full creative strength. The album’s title plays on our hyper-digital everyday life, while also pointing to something more meaningful — the value of genuine human connection and the irreplaceable energy of live performance in a time increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.
The sessions feature an assortment of vintage and custom gear — including a Roger Sadowsky archtop and a 1935 Gibson L-00 acoustic — helping shape the album’s rich tonal personality. Musically, it moves from the uplifting flow of “Guiding Ethos” to the adventurous Chick Corea/Steve Howe hybrid piece “Armando’s Mood.” Skolnick’s expressive guitar leads the way, while bassist Nathan Peck and drummer Matt Zebroski deliver the dynamic interplay, shifting meters and stylistic turns that have become defining traits of the Alex Skolnick Trio sound.
Since their emergence in the early 2000s, AST has carved out a unique identity within the jazz-guitar trio format, pulling inspiration from everywhere — Wes Montgomery and Prince, BLACK SABBATH and tango, calypso grooves and Western swing. Their fearless reinterpretations of rock and metal staples have helped them stand out, earning recognition from Billboard, Downbeat, Jazziz, The Village Voice, NPR, and more. Onstage, they’ve taken their sound around the world, performing everywhere from Norway’s Larvik Guitar Festival and Paris’s legendary Olympia to New York’s own Radio City Music Hall.
With “Prove You’re Not A Robot”, the trio adds another bold chapter to their story — one that speaks equally to jazz purists and to rock listeners curious about where Skolnick’s imaginative, genre-crossing path leads next.
“I feel this album represents my strongest work as a composer,” Skolnick said in a statement. “Nathan and Matt really brought their A-game throughout. I think it’s safe to say this is the record we’re all most proud of.”
Track listing:
01. Prove You’re Not A Robot
02. Breakdown
03. Infinite Hotel
04. Armando’s Mood
05. The Polish Goodbye
06. Asking For A Friend
07. Parallel Universe
08. Guiding Ethos
