Roberto Vally | "Last Flight Home"

For a journeyman musician like bassist Roberto Vally, who has been touring for 44 years, there’s nothing like that last flight home as the sun sets at the end of a concert tour. And for Vally, that trip home could be anywhere in the world his family resides: from West Africa to Norway, from France to his Los Angeles residence. The destination really doesn’t matter. What does is re-uniting with loved ones. Vally’s new Woodward Avenue Records single, “Last Flight Home,” which began collecting playlist adds on Monday (September 11), captures the evocative emotional journey through warm melody, rich harmony and a robust groove.

Vally’s traveling companions on “Last Flight Home” are his cowriters: two-time Grammy nominated pianist David Benoit and Jeff Carruthers (Paul Brown, Boney James, Dave Koz). The bass player produced the track that features his pliable and lyrical bass lines along with scatted vocalizations. The flight team is bolstered by lush tenor sax embellishments added to the chorus by Billboard chart-topping tenor saxophonist Jeff Ryan and a nimble acoustic piano solo from Benoit, a seminal contemporary jazz artist who has a long history of collaborating with Vally. Another frequent collaborator, two-time Grammy winner Paul Brown mixed the track.

“Really everyone who plays on this track, I have extensive history of not only recording with them but having shared many chart successes together. The newest would be my labelmate, Jeff Ryan, and I just love the way he plays and knew that Jeff would bring something special to ‘Last Flight Home.’ And he did just that. I have many fond memories of playing and recording with David (Benoit). He wrote his part for this song, which really helped bring the entire thing to life,” said Vally, who will flank Benoit during the piano man’s famed “A Charlie Brown Christmas Tour” this coming holiday season.  

Brooklyn-born Vally was classically trained in the bass and music theory. He attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts (made famous in “Fame”) and The Juilliard School briefly during and after high school. His versatile repertoire spanning classical, jazz, Latin, funk, rock, hip-hop, pop, reggae and soul music was developed and honed through international touring during which he accompanied an array of jazz, R&B and pop greats. After being invited to join Spyro Gyra when he was just 27 years old, Vally then toured the globe with Michael Franks. From there, he served long tenures as musical director for Diane Shuur and Randy Crawford and spent 29 years playing in Bobby Caldwell’s band. Vally has played recording dates with George Benson, Al Jarreau, Patti Austin, Jeffrey Osborne, Boney James, and many others. 

More than a premier sideman and a first-call session player, Vally started writing songs for members of the contemporary jazz royalty who are his contemporaries. He’s penned Billboard number one hits for Brown, Bob James, Kirk Whalum and Richard Elliot. He’s also written tunes for Larry Carlton, Boney James, Rick Braun, Euge Groove, Carol Albert, Marion Meadows and Najee.