Oli Silk - In Real Life

Styles: Smooth Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 48:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 112,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:52) 1. Dare To Dream
(3:17) 2. Wait..What?
(6:12) 3. New Horizons
(4:27) 4. Looking Glass
(5:06) 5. Grass-Fed Funk
(5:01) 6. West Beach
(4:12) 7. Actually Actually
(6:37) 8. In Real Life
(4:30) 9. Slim City
(4:40) 10. A Lil' Pick Me Up

No artist from the other side of the pond has had such an impact on smooth jazz in recent times as Oli Silk. Not only is he a fan favorite on tour, but he’s also a bona fide radio darling, scoring three consecutive Billboard #1 singles with his latest album “6,” proving that his music, inspired by his life and surroundings in the UK, resonates and endures with American audiences as well. With ‘In Real Life’, his seventh album on the Trippin N Rhythm label, Silk continues to explore the middle, the sides and the edges of the genre with his signature style that has served him well over the course of his last six albums, and he doesn’t disappoint on this new collection of songs inspired by his life experiences.

As a leading member of the UK Collective, a group of London’s finest musicians, Silk has been the musical director for all the artists from the US performing in Europe, which has helped him hone his musical skills even further. On “In Real Life”, his latest musical chapter, Silk proves once again that his ability to create unique, memorable musical messages is no accident, but that his experience builds on the foundation he has laid in his previous works. It’s a unique ride through the stories he weaves, and he takes you on a satisfying journey full of feelings and moods that are sure to uplift you.https://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2024/04/27/oli-silk-in-real-life/

The following musicians supported Oli Silk during the recording: Westley Joseph (drums), Orefo Orakwue (bass), Mark James (guitar), Curtis McCain (percussion), Ilya Serov (trumpet), Rebecca Jade (vocals), Marcus Anderson (sax), PJ Spraggins (drums), Gary Honor (flute), Kim Scott (flute), Jordan Rose (drums), Carl Cox (sax) and Shannon Sangindiva Pearson.

In Real Life

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Oli Silk - 6

Styles: Smooth Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:09
Size: 124,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:01) 1. Just Can't Resist (feat. Vincent Ingala)
(4:47) 2. New Bounce
(4:34) 3. Call Patrice
(4:09) 4. U Bring Me Joy (feat. Elle Cato)
(3:56) 5. Meet Me In The Middle (feat. Chieli Minucci)
(3:44) 6. Out To Lunch
(3:57) 7. Hurry Up And Wait
(4:36) 8. Southern Hospitality
(4:40) 9. Slinky Malinki (feat. Jeff Kashiwa)
(5:54) 10. Steppin' Out (feat. Darren Rahn)
(4:21) 11. These Are The Good Old Days
(4:26) 12. Sanctuary St.

In 2006, Silk made his debut at the Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival, and later that year he was named Debut Artist of the Year by Smooth Jazz News magazine and Art Good's Jazztrax.com Also in that year, his song "Easy Does It" hit No. 19 on the Billboard Smooth Jazz chart.

In 2009 his song "Chill or Be Chilled" reached No. 3 on the Billboard Smooth Jazz chart, and No. 5 on the Top Smooth Jazz Songs 2009 chart.

In January 2014 Silk's song "At Your Service" (feat. Julian Vaughn) reached Number 1 on the Smooth Jazz chart.

Silk was nominated International Artist of the Year 2010 by the American Smooth Jazz Awards.https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Oli_Silk

6

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Oli Silk - Where I Left Off

Styles: Jazz, Smooth Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:08
Size: 131,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:36)  1. Ooh Baby!
(4:05)  2. Where I Left Off
(5:00)  3. Take Me Away
(4:09)  4. Burning up the Carnival
(4:01)  5. Seasons Change
(5:51)  6. Su Casa, Mi Casa
(4:03)  7. Catch My Breath
(5:24)  8. Cluster Funk
(5:07)  9. Rest Assured
(6:07) 10. Music Without Sound
(3:54) 11. Take Some Time Out
(4:47) 12. Suits You, Sir!

You can always count on one of our groovemasters from across the big pond to deliver the musical goods when the time is right  and the time is always right. This time, British keyboardist/composer/producer Oli Silk is the deliverer of some fine grooves as he releases Where I Left Off  which is so apropos since he does pick up the party where he left off with the tight Razor Sharp Brit album back in 2013.Silk brings in a lot of familiar mega-talent on this one, including fellow Englishman and smooth jazz guitar icon Peter White, the always dapper and super-cool guitarist Nick Colionne, songstress Katie Leone, trumpet giant Rick Braun, the lovely flutist Althea Rene, and sax virtuosos Steve Cole and Phil Denny. Here with an array of moods and feels, Silk offers the hot, funky lead track “Ohh Baby” then settles back on the tempo a tad as he delivers the mid-tempo title track before ushering in White on the hook-rich, clean, and bouncy “Take Me Away.” He then allows Katie Leone to take us to where they’re “Burning Up the Carnival.” Pick your scenario on this one: Rio, Mardi Gras, on one of our coastal beaches, or in your own backyard party with other beloved revelers. It’s all happening on this spirited charmer.

As usual, Silk dazzles with his trademark fluid style of blowing up either piano or keys. His love of this music simply dances from his fingertips and into one’s heart, which is why he remains so well regarded among jazzers. If you know Silk’s music, you know that you have much from which to choose as a favorite. Mine just happen, in addition to the lead track and “Burning Up the Carnival,” “Cluster Funk” (which, naturally, is rife with phat funk), the tender and soulful “Rest Assured” featuring the caressing flute of Althea Rene about midway through. Such a nice touch to a softly swaying tune. Then, there’s the dance-friendly funkster “Music Without the Sound” again featuring the Leone vocals. You’ll notice that, often, the album is cleverly arranged to alternately switch you from an upbeat and lively place to a sweet and reflective one. Well-produced, arranged, and performed. Signature Silk. In fact, I’d say to the keyboardist: As your finale states: “Suits You, Sir!” ~ Ronald Jackson  http://www.thesmoothjazzride.com/oli-silk-where-i-left-off/

Where I Left Off

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Danny Sugar & Oli Silk - Duality

Styles: Jazz, Smooth Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:44
Size: 118,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:17)  1. Duality
(3:36)  2. Everybody Be Cool
(4:13)  3. Real Love [feat. Paula Crawford]
(4:36)  4. Electri-City!
(6:39)  5. The Green Room
(6:05)  6. Love will Follow [feat. John Reid]
(4:57)  7. A.T.S. (Another True Story)
(5:26)  8. Oyster
(6:38)  9. Don't Give Up [feat. Jane Hamilton]
(5:12) 10. L'austin Pace

For the first time I became aware of Sugar & Silk reviewing the album "The Best of Passion Jazz - Volume 2". Sugar & Silk are presented with their tune  "Everybody Be Cool" on this collection. My attention was awaked. During my stay in London I used the opportunity to visit several big cd-shops at Picadilly Circus on the search of "Fact or Friction", Sugar & Silk's debut album. I had luck and have  unpatiently awaited their second album. After a delay of several months the album was finally released in July 2002. Sugar & Silk are Danny Sugar (bass guitar) and Oli Silk (keyboards).  Slamming groovy is the starting song Duality. Take the best of Brian Culbertson and you hit the performance point of Oli's programming and piano skills.

Everybody Be Cool adds to this laidback attitude James Vargas crazy alto sax. One theme is the starting point for several improvisations in sax and piano. Real Love is pure soulful funk with Paula Crawford 's wonderful young voice comparable to Siedah Garrett's best-known vocals. Electri-City! is an electrifying powerful Smooth Jazz tune in Richard Elliot's style. Very enjoing, very dancable. The Green Room reveals the more contemplative side of this amazing duo. A swinging bridge btween the melody strings and some jazzy improvisations showcases the background and the models of the band, which are to find in jazz history as Jaco Pastorius, Dave and Don Crusin and Charles Mingus. But they also respect the members of Fourplay and this is to hear loud and clear. Love Will Follow features John Reid's impressive vocals. Reid, who already appeared on Marsha Raven's dance album "Catch me", deserves a broader attentiveness. He could be the next Luther Vandross. A.T.S ( Another True Story) is perfectly arranged and performed. Be aware that this piece was completely made by only two musicians. It's furthermore an example for good drum-programming and Oli's piano play is UK's answer to Bob James.

James Vargas dynamic alto sax marks excentric notes on Oyster, while Oli's keyboards sounds are responsible for the luscious and impressive atmosphere.  Jane Hamilton is a new discovery on Don't Give Up. Sugar & Silk's website informs: "Jane who hails from Scotland now resides in Leicester. She is a prolific singer/songwriter and comes from a very musical family. Jane’s brother, Steve plays and tours with Bill Bruford. She gigs regularly around the Leicester area performing her self penned repertoire." L'austin Pace is the final tune, written and played for those which believe that Smooth Jazz is jazz. Is this fusion jazz piece the real face of the group?  Critics of this album are throughout positive and I am sure, JazzFM and Solar Radio will aready have tunes of this album at their playlists. Good music is always finding its way to success.http://www.smooth-jazz.de/firstview/SugarandSilk/Duality.htm

Personnel:  Danny Sugar (bass, guitar); Oli Silk (keyboards).

Duality

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Oli Silk - So Many Ways

Styles: Smooth Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:28
Size: 117,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:38)  1. Eve's Song
(4:12)  2. So Many Ways
(4:51)  3. London to L.A. Express
(4:24)  4. Deuces Wild
(3:44)  5. San Carlos Approach
(3:44)  6. Easy Does It
(4:21)  7. Hats Off
(5:44)  8. Summer Fling
(5:37)  9. Lazy Sunday Groove
(4:50) 10. Pen to Paper
(5:17) 11. Rushmoor Café

This twenty-something British composer/keyboardist who made his initial splash in the U.K. in the early 2000s as part of the duo Sugar & Silk, may have been a new face on the U.S. smooth jazz scene in 2006, but Oli Silk's solo debut perfectly summarizes what the genre is all about. He starts with a sweet blend of laid-back atmospheres and a beautiful acoustic piano melody on "Eve's Song," then goes slightly funkier and urban on "So Many Ways" (featuring the soaring chorus vocals of Yvonne John-Lewis). Like something out of the Jeff Lorber school of soulful keyboarding, the Fender Rhodes-driven "London to L.A. Express" captures the popular old school vibe the genre is often known for. And just when he's getting a bit too laid back, he grooves it up with guest saxman Jaared for the disc's most lively cut "Deuces." Sadly, that track was too adventurous for the "don't want to offend anyone" vibe of the modern format, so the lush but less remarkable "Easy Does It" was chosen as the debut single. 

Jaared makes a repeat visit on "Summer Fling," yet another song which fulfills a genre requisite, having a R&B-flavored vocal (by Bruce Parker) on the album. Ironically, while there are truly no innovations to be found and Silk seems the whole time to simply try to keep the smooth customer satisfied with stuff that goes down easy, So Many Ways is also one of the most likeable genre discs of the year and holds up after repeated listens. It'll surely give ammo to those who hate the genre, and probably won't overly excite fans of more entrenched keyboard artists (like Lorber or Silk's labelmate Gregg Karukas). But it's still a gem in its own way and, in what almost seems revolutionary in the modern smooth jazz climate it doesn't have a cover tune! ~ Jonathan Widran  http://www.allmusic.com/album/so-many-ways-mw0000735545

Personnel: Oli Silk (vocals, keyboards, programming); Yvonne John Lewis, Bruce Parker (vocals); Matt Park (guitar); Julian Crampton (bass guitar); Damon Sawyer (drums).

So Many Ways

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Oli Silk - All We Need

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:02
Size: 120,0 MB
Art: Front + Back

(3:31)  1. All We Need
(5:36)  2. Tokyo
(5:21)  3. Don't Know About Love
(5:41)  4. L.A to London: The Return Journey
(5:48)  5. Latin Haze
(4:39)  6. Ahead of The Weather
(3:29)  7. Get Out Claws
(5:12)  8. Bring Back Those Days
(6:29)  9. Just an Allusion
(6:12) 10. Lay Back and Think of England

On his third solo album, All We Need, British keyboardist Oli Silk continues to fulfill the demands of the smooth jazz genre without displaying much innovative capacity. Drummer Oscar Seaton and bassists Mark Jaimes and Dwayne Smith set up percolating rhythm tracks, over which Silk solos easily on acoustic piano and/or electric keyboards, although "pleasant noodling" would be an equally accurate description. There is the de rigueur vocal track for radio, "Didn't Know About Love," and the expected Latin variation, "Latin Haze," on which Jaimes plays acoustic guitar; someone speaks in Spanish; and Joe Beckett provides some Latin percussion. Jaimes gets to use his electric guitar on "L.A. to London: The Return Journey" and the unfortunately titled "Lay Back and Think of England," while horn players Cindy Bradley and Gary Honor get look-ins on "Tokyo" and "Ahead of the Weather." The most characteristic track may be "Bring Back Those Days," which alludes to the smooth jazz affection for ‘70s R&B, as singers Rebeca Vega Felipe and Shannon Pearson repeat a chorus beginning, "Feels like an old-school jam." Throughout, Silk tinkles along agreeably, creating a near-generic example of the smooth jazz field. ~ William Ruhlmann  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/all-we-need-mw0002022706

All We Need

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