Craig Chaquico - Once In A Blue Universe

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:03
Size: 109,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:03)  1. Midnight Swim
(4:08)  2. Holding Back The Years
(5:49)  3. Dreamcatcher
(5:15)  4. Blue Universe
(4:54)  5. Trade Winds
(3:29)  6. Lights Out San Francisco
(5:03)  7. Dipsea Trail
(5:09)  8. Oceans Apart
(4:35)  9. Feelin' Alright
(3:34) 10. Indian Spring

Former Jefferson Starship guitarist Craig Chaquico is one of the most successful and reliable of the crop of rock musicians who have recently switched genres into contemporary jazz. His fourth CD, Once in a Blue Universe continues to broaden his jazz horizons while providing some very satisfying and distinctive music. Fans of Craig's first two albums ( Acoustic Planet and Acoustic Highway ) will find the same improvisational and eclectic guitar style prevalent on those albums. Those who welcomed Craig's turn toward more complex compositions and arrangements on A Thousand Pictures will enjoy the additional moods and extended saxophone presence. The first few notes of the first song ("Midnight Swim") set the beat with a funky bass line and readily identifies the artist with Craig's signature style on acoustic guitar. Dave Koz assists with a strong and funky sax line for an all-around finger-snapping tune. Craig's companion on the Guitars, Saxophones and More Tour, Richard Elliot, makes a strong guest appearance with his distinctive tenor saxophone on "Dreamcatcher," one of the first cuts to receive radio play. Another GS&M tour member, Peter White makes an appearance on "Lights Out San Francisco"; the guitar interplay between Craig and Peter makes this mellow track a winner. Other notable cuts include the romantic soft-tempo title song, subtitled "Kimberly's Eyes" featuring John Klemmer and Third Force, "Oceans Apart" and a mellow cover of pop tune "Holding Back the Years," one of the only non-original compositions on the disc. Those who saw Craig and Douglas Spotted Eagle together at the Catalina Island Jazz Festival in 1996 will recognize the diverse percussion and arrangement from Spotted Eagle on the end-cut "Indian Spring. "Produced by long-time keyboardist and producer Ozzie Ahlers, Once in a Blue Universe is a solid addition to any contemporary jazz or guitar collection, filled with tunes you will be humming days later. Highly recommended. ~ AAJ Staff https://www.allaboutjazz.com/once-in-a-blue-universe-craig-chaquico-higher-octave-music-review-by-aaj-staff.php

Musicians: Guitar-Craig Chaquico; Spanish Guitar-Peter White; Keyboards-Ozzie Ahlers, William Aura; Saxophone-Richard Elliot, John Klemmer, Dave Koz, Kevin Paladini; Drums & Percussion-Lenny Castro, Alain Eskinasi, Carlos Vega, G.G. Gonaway, Wade Olson, Douglas Spotted Eagle; Bass Guitar-Larry Kimpel, Jim Reitzel; Piano-Gregg Karukas

Once In A Blue Universe

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Brian Bromberg - You Know That Feeling

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop 
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:42
Size: 155,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:00)  1. Hero (For Zachary Breaux)
(5:36)  2. Through The Window
(4:55)  3. My Love
(5:12)  4. By The Fireplace
(5:23)  5. September
(9:23)  6. I Fell Asleep A Child And Woke Up A Man
(5:13)  7. You Know That Feeling
(6:05)  8. A Love Affair
(5:30)  9. Nananananana
(4:37) 10. Human
(5:23) 11. Joe Cool
(4:18) 12. Goodbye (For My Father)

Few are the bass players who the average music fan can name. There are simply not that many who stand out as more than a member of the rhythm section, however tight. Paul McCartney. Sting. Bootsy Collins. Tony Levin. Gene Simmons. These may be the greater part of a list that, for most, is no larger than one hand long. Shorter still is the list of bassists who can take their playing one step further. Brian Bromberg is one such bass player. Having originally begun his musical career on drums, Bromberg soon switched to classical upright bass. Though this switch was more or less his choice, Bromberg's next musical move was more demanded than decided: in order to get a gig with Stan Getz's band, Bromberg dropped the upright, picked up an electric four-string and, leaving home on his 19th birthday, started down his own musical road less taken. Since then, Bromberg has played with a long list of musical giants, from Stan Getz to James Moody, from Diane Schuur to Nancy Wilson. He has also been heard (and seen) in many popular films and programs, from The Fabulous Baker Boys to Melrose Place. As Bromberg has picked up more and more musical partners, he has also picked up more and more playing styles. In the process, however, he has been able to drop a major piece of the modern jazz ensemble as emphatically stated in the liner notes to You Know That Feeling, "THERE IS NO GUITAR ON THIS ALBUM" (sic). Instead, Bromberg uses a variety of bass bodies and tunings to match registers usually reserved for the six-string. As a result, he is able to match the high vocal line on his convincing cover of Earth, Wind & Fire's "September" and also to offer the Jobim-ish pizzicato of "A Love Affair." Though most of the album consists of programmed "smooth jazz" selections that may turn true jazz fans and aficionados off, Bromberg's versatility and talent are strong enough to command the assistance of modern day giants like Dave Grusin, Tom Scott, Ernie Watts, Joe Sample, and Everette Harp. Despite a few sappy synthesized songs, You Know That Feeling is a solid demonstration of a near unique talent. ~ Matthew Robinson https://www.allmusic.com/album/you-know-that-feeling-mw0000033226

Personnel: Brian Bromberg (strings, piccolo, acoustic bass); Lori Perri, Sean Holt (vocals); Gary Meek (soprano saxophone); Everette Harp (tenor saxophone); Rick Braun (trumpet, flugelhorn); Al Forman, Rob Mullins (piano); Gregg Karukas (keyboards, programming, keyboard programming); Jeff Lorber (keyboards, keyboard programming); John "J. R." Robinson , Joel Taylor (drums); Steve Reid (tambourine); Alex Acuña (percussion, sleigh bell)  

You Know That Feeling

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Gregg Karukas - GK

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:52
Size: 127.9 MB
Styles: Smooth jazz, Contemporary jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[4:45] 1. Manhattan
[4:17] 2. Daylight
[5:25] 3. Napa Road
[4:48] 4. Floating In Bahia
[5:26] 5. Wildwood
[4:54] 6. Walkin In Time
[4:22] 7. Soul Kisses
[6:10] 8. Jamba Samba
[5:16] 9. Mesa Moon
[4:53] 10. Coyote Party
[5:30] 11. Believe In Me

While naming an album after your initials might indicate a lack of imagination, it also may be taken as suggesting that the contents are representative of the artist. Pianist Gregg Karukas once called a CD You'll Know It's Me, and GK is another collection that's easy to identify. Although he is a smooth jazz player, Karukas doesn't go in for the most contemporary styles of the genre, preferring, for instance, a live rhythm section (here including bassists Eric Baines, Melvin Davis, and Karukas himself, drummer Oscar Seaton, and percussionist Luis Conte) over programmed rhythm tracks. And his antecedents are clear, his music recalling the mid-‘60s soul-jazz of Ramsey Lewis and Cannonball Adderley. Opening tune "Manhattan," in fact, sounds like a rewrite of the 1966 Bobby Hebb hit "Sunny." And Karukas prefers that his guest soloists, here including Rick Braun (flügelhorn, trumpet), Russ Freeman (guitar), and Jessy J (saxophone), only punctuate the proceedings for the most part; although the guests are heard here and there, Karukas' fingers are never far away from his keyboards for long. Of course, it's his playing that really defines the music, and he rolls along, coming up with endless riffs and ripples without really rocking the boat. This is music that is lighthearted and, to an extent, lightweight, relying on textures and colors more than any flashy playing. Whether it turns Brazilian ("Jamba Samba") or funky ("Napa Road"), it remains subtly swinging. ~William Ruhlmann

GK

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Gregg Karukas - Soul Secrets

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:43
Size: 161.9 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[5:13] 1. Do Watcha Love
[4:17] 2. Soul Secrets
[5:03] 3. Gk's Funky Joint
[3:50] 4. Elegant Nights
[4:44] 5. Only You
[4:53] 6. Rio Drive
[5:09] 7. Snack Shack
[5:10] 8. Cafe Agogo
[6:23] 9. Secret Smile
[5:25] 10. Above The Clouds
[5:16] 11. Walking On Air
[5:07] 12. Told You Twice
[4:58] 13. Time Alone (For Ty Malone)
[5:08] 14. Randy Heads Uptown

"Along with the privilege of being a musical artist and composer comes the realization that music is a mysterious and powerful force that can reach deep into our Souls and bring happiness. We all have unspoken Secrets there, and every song I write is my attempt to make that connection. The whole process, the journey, the wonderful feedback I get from listeners is what keeps me coming back to the piano. Revealing SOUL SECRETS".

2013 Grammy winner Gregg Karukas is back with a new collection of all-original songs featuring his signature piano touch, pristine production, and melodies that are both soulful and sophisticated. Organic, funky, and melodic is how Gregg describes his latest, long awaited 12th solo project, "Soul Secrets", due in early Fall 2014. Gregg's elegant grand piano and deep grooves are everywhere, and this time around he digs into his roots and also features the classic Fender Rhodes, Wurlie, Minimoog and Hammond B3 keyboards he grew up with quite a bit. With guest appearances along the way by friends Rick Braun, Euge Groove, Ricardo Silveira, Eric Valentine, Nate Phillips, Michael O'Neill, James Harrah, Adam Hawley, violinist Charlie Bisharat, Luis Conte, Shelby Flint, Ron Boustead and 21 year old rising sax star Vincent Ingala.

Karukas has been so consistently acclaimed for his melodic keyboard magic for so long that it might be superfluous to call “Soul Secrets” his best album ever – but there’s no doubt it’s one of contemporary jazz’s best albums of 2014.

Soul Secrets

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