JAZZ CHILL : Blake Aaron

Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Blake Aaron | "Dreamland"

Guitarist Blake Aaron is living the dream. Writing, producing, recording and performing music all over the world at the highest level, he just notched his fifth Billboard number one single as a solo artist. The scintillating summer smash that he wrote with chart-topper Adam Hawley, “Dreamland” went number one on five national charts simultaneously: Billboard, Groove Jazz Music, Mediabase, Radiowave and Smooth Jazz Network. The Innervision Records single is the second consecutive release to go number one from Aaron’s forthcoming seventh album, “Love and Rhythm.”

“I set out to create a song that captures the imagination, excitement, fun and unbridled curiosity of a dream come true," said Aaron whose dexterous electric jazz guitar was accompanied on the energizing track by Hawley (rhythm guitar and keyboards), drummer Eric Valentine (who recently topped the Billboard chart with his own single), bassist Mel Brown, saxophonist and horn arranger David Mann, and trumpeter Trevor Neumann.

Together, Aaron and Hawley scored a number one last year with Aaron’s single “Sunday Strut,” which topped four charts, including Billboard. Although Aaron has produced number one singles for himself as well as for other artists, he realizes the benefits of teaming with Hawley, a consistent chart-topper both as a solo artist and as a producer.

“Working with another Billboard number one producer inspired ideas and concepts that I may not have thought of on my own. Having a writing and production partner whom I respect but has a different style than mine opens up new musical and creative doors through different approaches and compromises. Utilizing a producer to challenge an artist to go to another level with an idea they may have thought was already ‘making the cut’ or conversely, encouraging the artist to run with an idea they were ready to throw out, can take the song in a whole new direction,” said Aaron.

Aaron hopes to continue the success that he and Hawley share by collaborating. In May, they locked themselves away in Hawley’s studio and didn’t emerge until they recorded rough mixes for two more singles.

“In the internet age when most artists are collaborating online, Adam and I have found a certain magic of writing ‘old school’ by actually meeting in the studio, locking the door and not leaving until we have a fully recorded rough mix of a hit single,” said Aaron who plans to drop the next single crafted during their recent session on September 19.

Aaron has a proven track record of recording more than a handful of hit singles before bundling them as an album. Initially, it was an approach that came out of necessity for the time crunched artist – he’s also a first-call studio musician who has composed and produced music for television and film – but as the music industry has changed and evolved, now it’s a chosen path that helps him reach more listeners via Spotify. The coronavirus quarantine allowed him time to finish and release his last album, “Color and Passion,” in 2020, which spawned three Billboard number one singles.

“We’ll probably have enough music ready to release ‘Love and Rhythm’ next year.”

Catch Blake Aaron on tour in the following cities (additional dates may be added):