Home is where you hang your hat, or so the old adage goes.
For Justin Kauflin, critically acclaimed and accomplished jazz pianist and
composer, the last few years home has been many places. Originally from
Virginia, Kauflin’s touring schedule, has taken him across the nation and
abroad expanding and growing the idea of home. Kauflin lost his sight when he
was 11 years old, but his travels are still a visual experience. Through the
sounds and feelings of a city or space, he can see vibrant and captivating
scenes of moving psychedelic colors. On the forthcoming album, Kauflin invites
others to experience the world from his perspective as he sonically paints the
homes he has found throughout his global travels.
Coming Home will be Kauflin’s third release, and second with
the tastemaker imprint Qwest Records. With this release he ventures into new
sonic territory bringing in more modern influences of synths, electric guitar
and bass. Kauflin said, “I’ve always loved music that had a good groove to it,
whether it was swing or funk. With Corey Fonville’s help, we got into all sorts
of great feeling grooves that I can’t wait to share.”
From the start, recording Coming Home was electric. Quincy
Jones and Derrick Hodge produced the album at Quincy Jones’ infamous Westlake
Studios (Michael Jackson, Madonna, Frank Ocean). Kauflin was joined by Chris
Smith on acoustic and electric bass, Corey Fonville on drums and percussions,
and Alan Parker on acoustic and electric guitar. The musicians had a blast
bringing the album to life. Kauflin recalls, “Derrick was in there with us
bringing such positivity and encouragement. I feel as if I was able to be more
authentically me because Derrick was there to give me that confidence. He was
an incredible catalyst for much of how the songs took shape. And if that wasn’t
enough, to have Quincy overseeing the proceedings and giving his guidance and
experience brought everything together in such a beautiful way.”
The album is 13 tracks that resonate emotions and transport
the listener across space and time. The lead single “Coming Home,” due out
August 17, opens the album and evokes Kauflin’s southern sensibilities. He
comments “This song serves as an invitation to join me as I share how I
experience the world around me through colors and vibrant ever-shifting
textures and shapes. Alan Parker’s acoustic guitar inserts that down home
feeling from my home in Virginia.” Another standout is “Lost,” Kauflin
mentions, “As exciting as traveling the world has been, there have certainly
been times where I’ve felt disconnected and out of my element. This is not just
a feeling that is connected to where I am physically. This also delves into how
I feel emotionally at times. Life itself can leave one feeling quite lost.”
The album also includes an ode to his time spent living in
Brooklyn with the cover of “John My Beloved.” An impromptu on the spot session
with Derrick Hodge created “ Something Somethin.” A tribute to Kauflin’s
favorite food, fried chicken, most famously found in his home state on the
track, “Country Fried.” “Pendulum” is about New York, and the feeling that at
times it is the greatest place on earth and at others it is overwhelming. And
“Strawberry Fields” as solo and band-accompanied tracks, Kauflin comments “I’ve
always found the idea of an imaginary place where one can find refuge to be
incredibly attractive. It is such a perfect marriage of harmony and melody and
it conjures up this barely out of reach sensation, as if the place for which
I’m looking is just right around the next corner.” He continues, “When I know
what I’m really looking for is actually inside.”
Justin Kauflin is a pianist extraordinaire and an undeniably
rare talent. He is an alumnus of the William Paterson University jazz program,
mentee, protégé, and bandmate of legendary Clark Terry (winner of the 2010
Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement in Jazz), signed to Quincy Jones’
management artist roster and label, and featured in the critically acclaimed
film “Keep On Keepin’ On” which chronicled Kauflin’s friendship, and mentorship
with Clark Terry. He has appeared on The Queen Latifah Show and the TODAY show
and he was invited to perform at the Library of Congress. Kauflin has toured
with Quincy Jones on a few world tours and is currently playing at
international jazz clubs, and festivals.
Justin Kauflin is planning a tour to support the new album.
He is excited to get back on the road and create new experiences with his
music. He comments, “We had a great time in the studio, but I’m confident that
each of the tracks will take a whole new life once we get a chance to take them
out and play them in front of audiences. What will happen on tour will be a
combination of what we created for the album and the energy we feel from the
crowd.” Check out and follow his tour dates here.
Coming Home is due out on September 14th.
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