Freestyle
Records has announced the signing of legendary,
world-renowned, award winning organist and pianist Brian Auger.
Spring
2015 will see the release of 'Back To The Beginning - The Brian Auger
Anthology': a 24 track compilation covering 50 years of his amazing career,
followed by 'Brian Auger's Oblivion Express - Live In Los Angeles' - featuring
Alex Ligertwood, is planned for late summer, in time for two forthcoming
European tours (#1: July through August & #2: October through November).
Brian's
professional career first made headlines in 1963 when he won the #1 position in
the Melody Maker's Jazz Piano Readers' Poll. As a prodigious jazz pianist,
Brian had already amassed an amazing amount of experience in the London scene.
In 1965, after hearing jazz organist Jimmy Smith's music, Brian began his love
affair with the mighty Hammond Organ. Naturally, he totally mastered the
instrument, and then went on to break new ground on the organ – using it as his
primary tool as a pioneer of jazz-fusion.
Lauded
and loved by everybody from Herbie Hancock to Mose Allison, from the Brand New
Heavies to The Beastie Boys, his music has been sampled by Mos Def, Common, Air
and Kid Loco, plus his original compositions covered by Sarah Vaughan and The
Main Ingredient.
Brian's
career has spanned genres, continents, decades and his ground breaking,
genre-defying bands like the mid 60s mod super group The Steampacket (with a
young Rod Stewart), The Trinity with the ultimate groovy 60s chick, vocalist Julie
Driscoll, and of course Brian Auger's Oblivion Express – the band whose alumni
reads like a 'who's who' of amazing musicians (including guitarist Jim Mullen,
drummer Steve Ferrone). This group created musical history with its particular
brand of soulful fusion, when the 'Closer To It' album did the previously
unimaginable and broke into the Billboard Jazz, Rock and R&B charts
simultaneously in 1973!
Accolades
and awards have continued to accumulate throughout his career, hitting the Top
5 of the UK Pop Charts in 1968 with the jazzed up version of Bob Dylan's 'This
Wheel’s On Fire', which got Brian and vocalist Julie Driscoll onto Top Of The
Pops, receiving multiple Grammy nominations – the last one as recently as 2007.
In the same year, Brian was awarded a 'Certificate of Special Recognition' by
the US Congress for his contribution to the American art form of Jazz. It's
easier to list the musical legends he hasn't played with, but a quick glance of
his many collaborations includes names such as Sonny Boy Williamson, Van
Morrison, Paul McCartney and Jimi Hendrix.
Freestyle
A&R man, Greg Boraman, first met Brian during a trip to California in 1994,
and immediately struck up a friendship based upon Hammond organ maintenance
tips and quoting lines from The Goons: “Signing Brian to Freestyle is a
personal and professional high point. Brian’s influence on music is epic, his
blistering keyboard skills leave people speechless (as do his shirts!) and the
chance to release new recordings and some of his classic tracks from his
illustrious career is exciting and an honour.”
Of
this brand new partnership Brian stated: “I am so happy to be working with
Freestyle Records. They understand my music, and know how to market it… this
all feels most agreeable. Meanwhile, I shall sing their praises from the Horse
troughs of Edgware to the Yak-Laundering Sheds of Novosibirsk!”
"Brian
Auger is one of the best B3 artists I have ever heard in my life. He is a
tremendous talent with a wonderfully warm and compassionate personality, a
combination that is hard to beat. He deserves all the accolades." - Herbie
Hancock
"The
ferocious energy in Brian Auger's explosive playing is far greater than
virtually any other Hammondist dead or alive. His dynamic, driving live shows
take this energy through the roof time after time and are a hot ticket all over
the world. He has matured but not mellowed. Focused and visceral, his
pioneering style has set a bench mark that few have got anywhere near." -
James Taylor, The James Taylor Quartet
"Brian
Auger is not only responsible for my music education over the the years,
encompassing jazz, blues, folk, psychedelia, soul and more in a way that few
have managed to, he's also part of that rare breed of musician whose touch and
playing you instantly recognise; the mark of a true great" - The Reflex
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