Like many highly creative artists, Dom needs a variety of contexts to express the full range of his musical vision. Already maintaining several separate groups, four duos, with pianist Michael Jefry Stevens, saxophonist Blaise Siwula, and vocalist Carol Mennie, and pianist Borah Bergman, his recording trio with Ken Filiano on bass and Jackson Krall on drums, DDT + 2 with Tomas Ulrich-cello, Ken Filiano-bass, John Bollinger-drums and vocalist Carol Mennie, his organ quartet with Mark Whitecage-alto, Kyle Koehler-organ and John Bollinger-drums and most recently The Jon Hemmersam/Dom Minasi Quartet featuring Ken Filiano and Kresten Osgood.

His 2001 release, Takin' The Duke Out, recorded Live at the Knitting Factory in New York City, featuring fresh interpretations of classic Ellington compositions, took the jazz community by storm and caused such a controversy that critics and musicians alike are still talking about it.

Goin' Out Again followed in 2002 focusing on a combination of originals and jazz classics, also receiving enormous critical acclaim.

Again in 2003, CDM released Time Will Tell, DDT + 2 (with cellist Tomas Ulrich and bassist Ken Filiano, augmented by John Bollinger on drums and vocalist Carol Mennie) which caused huge ripples in the pond of progressive music, showing the gentler, but no less provocative side of this extraordinary guitarist/composer.

Staying on top up the crest, Dom’s 2004 release, Quick Response (CDM1005) was herald as one of the best recordings of that season. Topping it off, on the same day, CDM Records released Carol Mennie’s debut album I’m Not A Sometime Thing, an exciting project very close to Dom & Carol’s heart. This record was produced and arranged by Dom and to show the expansiveness of the Minasi talent, Dom also plays on and wrote the music and lyrics to five of the songs.

Inspired by Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles, Dom Minasi’s 2006 release, and consider by many his most adventurous outing since CDM Records came into existence, The Vampire’s Revenge is a double disc set of original through composed pieces. Using his trio, with bassist Ken Filiano and drummer Jackson Krall as an anchor, this record has an amazing cast of guest artists throughout the CD. Musicians such as: Joe McPhee, Matthew Shipp, Steve Swell, Borah Bergman and Perry Robinson are among the twenty two musicians on this recording. Some of the tracks have up to thirteen musicians and are conducted by Byron Olson, a long time associate of Dom’s from his Blue Note days.

His newest release (September 2007), The Jon Hemmersam/Dom Minasi Quartet featuring Ken Filiano (bass) and Kresten Osgood (drums) is a collaboration of two guitarists from two different continents. Jon and Kresten live in Denmark. This record is a fusion of American and European original jazz played from an ‘inside–out’ approach.

Born on March 6, 1943 (sharing a birthday with legendary guitarist Wes Montgomery), Dom is a 44-year veteran of the music scene, with a history and scope of activities as varied and jam-packed as his native New York City.

Backing up top singing groups at rock 'n’ roll shows, church dances and the like while still in his early teens, Dom has maintained a jazz trio with bass and drums since he was 15 years old. But education has also played a major role in his overall musical activities.

"By the time I was 20, I had more than 100 students, but I cut it down to 95 so I could play six nights a week."

A lot of those nights were spent backing up, and providing musical direction for vocalists, something that Dom has continued to do since 1964 and almost exclusively until 1973, when his own trio began to really take shape, coming to the attention of George Butler who had taken the reins at Blue Note from the label's visionary founder and producer, Alfred Lion.

Unfortunately, a lack of direction at the immortal label caught Dom between the proverbial rock and hard place and after two records in much less than ideal circumstances, Dom forced his way out.

"I walked away. I didn’t want to be bothered."

So from 1976-1993, Dom involved himself in a variety of pursuits, freelancing and occasionally performing with the late, great pianist Dennis Moorman and his organ quartet featuring Dr. Lonnie Smith. Providing the music for a variety of off-Broadway shows, authoring three books for Sunrise Artistries, two books on jazz theory and chord substitution and one on improvising. Returning to school where he studied with Academy Award-winning (The Red Violin) composer John Corigliano at Lehman College, receiving his degree in composition in 1990.

He also composed over 300 vocal and instrumental compositions during those years, as well as creating Literacy Through Songwriting Workshops for grades one through six for the New York City Board of Ed.

Fellow musicians kept trying to get Dom more involved with the regular scene but he continued to resist. "I’m happy. I do my workshops with the kids. I’m doing great. Why do I need the aggravation?" was his general response.

But finally in 1993 he began to take an interest again, becoming principal composer for the Manhattan Improvisational Chamber Ensemble (MICE) and began to work on various projects of his own. By1996, he was in the thick of it, but entirely on his own terms.

"For the past 15 years, I've only done what I want to do," he says contentedly.

That includes his own critically acclaimed album Finishing Touches and Dialing Privileges, co-led with Blaise Siwula & John Bollinger both for CIMP; arranging all the music for the 1997 revival of Torch Song Trilogy; writing his fourth book The Singer’s Guide to Reading Rhythms (to be released 2008) and composing more than 300 children's songs for his literacy workshops.

Deciding to keep total control over his career and what he musically produces, Dom and his wife, vocalist Carol Mennie formed CDM Records and CDM, Inc. (Can Do More, Inc.) a not-for profit organization where Dom is president and Artistic Director and Carol is Vice President and Assistant Artistic Director. CDM, Inc.’s mission statement is to promote music & theatre activities within the educational systems of public schools and colleges throughout the United States.

Over his long career, Dom has worked with countless heavyweights, crossing all styles of Jazz. He’s performed in venues ranging from top jazz clubs to Carnegie Hall, The Montreal Jazz Festival to the White House for President Bill Clinton, but it’s musical expansion and personal growth that are his principal motivations.

“It’s all about expression, learning and growth, whether it be in music or in life and to share what we learn without expectations.”

And in true keeping with the most fundamental aspect of the great jazz tradition, Dom Minasi continues to explore and discover new ideas in pursuit of his true and most personal musical vision.