“On this record I really let the compositions take me wherever they would go,” said Kasper. “I have been feeling less compromising in my writing, more able to follow that thread of inspiration where it may lead, and not trying to consciously fit any one style. The songs on the CD are thematically related, however, where I did use certain harmonic motifs in several songs. And, of course, there is another common thread in the grooves.”... read more of this article at "The Patriot Ledger" website

"... Julien is very approachable and a number of people, myself included, had him sign our copies. Backed up solidly with Zac Casher on drums and Jesse Williams on bass he played every song from the new album as well as some older tunes. Trance Groove is a nine song CD that covers a wide range of musical styles from rock to jazz to blues.  ...The music is rich and complex, demonstrating quite resoundingly Julien’s abilities across the spectrum of guitar playing..."  read more of Dave Owczarek's review of the Trance Groove release party

"I have been spinning music made by Julien Kasper for many years now and I am once again struck with the sounds put forth on his latest release Trance Groove... The nine tracks are filled with personality where needed and some rock as desired. There are some extra jams on the Hammond B-3 Organ by Matt Jenson & T Lavitz that add a certain warmth to their respected tracks making me gravitate to The Reverend & Riff 53 (featuring Jenson) as well as Chupacabra and the soft spoken Carolina Rosa... There are two tracks that are the heavier hitters on the album for my radio ear, Trash Day & Milk Truck have edges that cut a path right into my ear-ways paved and rolled by Julien on guitar, Zac Casher on drums and Jesse Williams on electric/acoustic upright bass. As always, it is a thrill to listen to..."
— The Green Arrow Radio blog

"The New Imperial" was recorded at Chris Rival's Middleville Studio in North Reading, Massachusetts. It is an amazing studio that he built himself in an ancient colonial barn. The band tracked to a 24 track A820 Studer tape machine and did some overdubs and the solo guitar pieces on an Otari Radar hard disc system (so I could improvise non-stop all day without running out of tape).

Once again Chris distinguished himself with his great ears and ability to capture extraordinarily natural sounds. The CD sounds huge, woody, and organic. We chose the unusual arrangement of playing in the spacious control room while keeping the amps in the live room. This enabled me to crank Marshalls without hurting anyone...   read more of Julien's notes about the writing and recording of "The New Imperial"

"Julien Kasper again proves he is one of the finer rock guitar instrumentalists around. He's got great chops and feel and unquestionable tone. In fact, the sounds of the guitars are damn near perfect. And best of all, the compositions here are well-written. That's usually a major problem for records like this - without good songs it doesn’t matter how good you play.

This disc covers a lot of musical ground. The JB Groove delivers as per its title with slinky chord work a la Jimmy Nolan mixed with biting leads and fat tone in the solos. All of the Years is a jazz-tinged ballad with a hint of Jeff Beck. The changes are just a little off kilter (in a good way) and volume swells add to the atmosphere. Jacket Full of Bees is a fusion tune in the best sense of the word, with elastic solos and a composition that’s both hummable and memorable. The title cut is a walking blues that gets a unique take, while I am a Centuar should get an award for Goofiest Song Title of the Year. The tune itself is a marvel - a light, bluesy funk laced with chimey rhythm guitars and and well-placed wah. After a couple of minutes Kasper enters with tone that would make Eric Johnson smile before it comes back down. A surefire frontrunner on this year’s instrumental list".
— John Heidt, Vintage Guitar Magazine , Sept. 2006