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I Hope this finds you all in good health, and high spirits.
I know I am jumping the gun a little by talking up spring, but I can't help looking forward to the warmer days, cool evenings, and bright colors to come - especially after the winter we had this year! So with spring around the corner it seems like a good time to fill you in on what's been happening and what's coming up.
I am writing this newsletter while on a 20 plus hour flight back from Jakarta, Indonesia - having just finished a fantastic weekend at The Java Jazz Festival. It was part of a two week Asia trip with Fourplay that included shows in Manila, Philippines, and Seoul, Korea. It was my first time playing in Manila and Seoul, and my second time in Jakarta, and all the places we visited were filled with unique and priceless experiences, sharing our music with the fans, and discovering the beautiful culture of each city.
One amazing thing that we all took note of was the amount of young fans in attendance - not only grooving to the music, but singing along with all the melodies and showing up with amazing energy. It was an inspiration for us, without a doubt.
In Jakarta I also did a Chuck Loeb Band show featuring Eric Marienthal, as well as a set with David Garfield's group at about 1:00 in the morning! The hang at both the festivals in Manila and Jakarta included so many musicians: George Duke, George Benson, Carlos Santana (with my buddy Dennis Chambers on drums) Everette Harp, Hubert Laws, Tierny Sutton, Kirk Whalum, New York Voices, and many more.... just walking through the lobby of the hotel was a musical adventure. What a blast!
Check out the great pics of the tour on my Facebook page as well as Fourplay's.
This week Carmen and I start out a series of gigs introducing her new CD "Mi Bossa Nova" which is all set for a March 8th release in stores and online at iTunes, Amazon and all your favorite Internet stores. The gigs start this Thursday, March 10th at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston. Then we hit New York at The Blue Note on Monday, March 21st and will be spread over the rest of the year. One show we are particularly psyched about is the Capetown Jazz Festival in South Africa on March 25th. The band features two new friends from Brazil: Itaiguarra Brandao on bass, and Mauricio Zotarelli on drums, and of course our great pianist Matt King.
March and April is always a special time for me because it means The Berks Jazz Festival is coming up - which by this time feels like home to me. This year I will have a full schedule there as usual. I'll be doing a Be Bop Night at The Jazz Base Wednesday March 29th with Gerald Albright, Rick Braun, Brian Bromberg, Lionel Cordew and Philippe Saisse. Then I'm bringing back the String Training guitar clinic/workshop with my Guitarzzz buddy Chieli Minucci, and the fantastic jazz maestro Frank Vignola. It takes place on Thursday afternoon, March 30. Then that same night I'll be helping to lead the All-Star Jam session with Rick Braun and a host of awesome talent. AND -- as if that wasn't a three-course meal already -- dessert will be my first show at the Fest with Fourplay on Saturday April 2nd. What a week!!!
That Fourplay gig is part of an East Coast run that includes stops in Washington DC, Boston, New Haven and Anapolis MD.
Please check my website, Fourplayjazz.com and the Festival and club websites for tickets, schedules and directions for all the gigs I mentioned above.
The latest recording projects at Tweety Song Studios (my new studio name) include finishing up producing tracks for Michael Franks' latest. After all the years I have been playing and working with Michael, the new songs on this CD are already some of my favorites, and that ain't easy to say, 'cause I LOVE all his tunes! It should hit the stores and airwaves early summertime. In addition to that - I am in full pre-production mode for my next CD. It is going in a jazzy/funky organ band direction a lá Jimmy Smith and Wes Montgomery's Dynamic Duo stuff, and the early George Benson Cookbook vibe. All the new material is written, and it will include some classics and surprises. The sessions with Harvey Mason and Pat Bianchi will take place in early April and I hope to release it by July. Very excited about it! The working title is "Straight Ahead" but that could change.... feel free to lodge your thoughts on the title on Facebook, Twitter and emails.
That is probably enough info for now - so I hope to see you at one of these shows and hear from you on The Internet.
Thanks so much for all the love and support, and best wishes to everyone,
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