Gregory Goodloe | "In Paradise"

Amidst the tumult, uncertainty and loss brought on by the unprecedented times in which we live since the COVID-19 outbreak, we’ve all imagined and yearned for escape, or at least for much better days. R&B-jazz guitarist Gregory Goodloe set his optimistic vision of hope and prosperity to music, writing his new single, “In Paradise,” with producer Jeff Canady. Recently serviced for playlist adds, the midtempo soul groove featuring the cool-toned, electric jazz guitarman’s loquacious, lyrical licks debuted as the most added new single on the Billboard and Groove Jazz Music charts.

Living though this historic period, Goodloe found the fears brought on by the pandemic, civil unrest and a divided nation to be rife with life lessons, inspiring the recalibration of priorities along with a renewed sense of appreciation.

“People and life itself became more important to me than ever. I learned that life is so fragile and delicate, and how much people matter to each other. I wanted to write a song that reflects on the beauty of life and the joy of experiencing it through music. The focus during the making of ‘In Paradise’ was my concept of living life free of fear and sadness,” said Goodloe who was accompanied on the Hip Jazz Records release by Canady on drums, keyboardist Demetrius Nabors, bassist Robert Skinner and rhythm guitarist Anthony Booker.

As a devout man of faith and a US Army veteran, Goodloe focused his fantasies on the beauty surrounding us, imagining a safe haven in an exotic locale where fears are assuaged by the majesty of nature’s splendor.

“I would imagine playing music on a sandy beach in front of a beautiful ocean surrounded with tropical trees, exotic plants and animals. The imagery allowed me to forget all worries and simply focus on creating beautiful music,” said Goodloe who has returned to playing shows in the Denver area where he resides.

“In Paradise” is Goodloe’s third single issued this year, following “Step’N Out” and “Somewhere Out There,” each of which will be included on his next full-length album. He takes regular breaks from recording the collection to host his own radio show, “Mile High Smooth Jazz,” which airs on Thursday and Saturday nights on World Wide Jazz Radio. Goodloe plans to perform at the internet radio outlet’s first anniversary bash in Las Vegas on January 25.

 

A crossover artist who derives stylistic influence from George Benson and Wes Montgomery, Goodloe notched his first Billboard No. 1 single two years ago with “Stylin’,” one of many tunes on which he has collaborated with GRAMMY-nominated songwriter-producer-saxophonist Darren Rahn with this single receiving over three million streams on Spotify. Among Goodloe’s other frequent collaborators are Billboard chart-topping guitarist Adam Hawley, seminal urban-jazz keyboardist Bob Baldwin and hit-making saxophonist Elan Trotman. Having served as musical director for R&B-pop group Surface and soul-jazz singer Aysha, Goodloe is at home in R&B, jazz and gospel circles. He has performed with or opened for Howard Hewett, Tank, Ben Tankard, Norman Brown, Dave Koz, Brian Culbertson, Michael McDonald, James Ingram, Roy Ayers, Shirley Caesar, Angela Spivey, John P. Key, The Rance Allen Group and fellow Denver native Larry Dunn of Earth, Wind & Fire fame.