August 5, 2014
recording features classics by Phil Collins and James Brown, with special guest
vocalist Peabo Bryson (international release dates may vary)
“As a composer,
instrumentalist, arranger/producer/artist, he truly redefines the word
‘consummate’ and raises the bar for the meaning of the word ‘musician.’” –
Michael McDonald, from the liner notes
For four decades,
the million-selling, GRAMMY®-nominated saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist/
composer/bandleader Gerald Albright has put his serpentine-fired, solo
signature on many of the greatest hits of the latter half of the twentieth
century; from Patrice Rushen’s “Forget Me Nots,” to Quincy Jones’ “Setembro.”
And, he’s been one of the most accomplished contemporary/traditional jazz
artists on the scene, as evidenced by his fourteen records as a leader.
With the August 5,
2014 release of Slam Dunk on Heads Up, a division of Concord Music Group,
Albright continues his reign supreme as the genre’s most compelling and
consistent artist. Fans will hear his searing and soulful sax lines on this
twelve-track recording. And, they’ll be in for a surprise, as Albright shows
off his chops as a bassist, along with his ebullient tenor, baritone and
soprano saxophone arrangements on his own compositions, and his super covers of
classics by Phil Collins and James Brown, with special guest vocalist Peabo
Bryson.
“This record is
synonymous with my previous records, in that it has the direct influence of
James Brown, the Philly International sound, and the Motown sound,” Albright
says. “But what we wanted to do on this record was to take those instruments
that are normally in the background – bass, flute and horns – and bring them up
front. In terms of being a bassist, I was inspired by Louis Johnson [of the
Brothers Johnson] back in college. A lot of people don’t know that I play bass,
flute and some of the other instruments…so we decided to make it – no pun
intended – a slam dunk project, and bring all of those elements to the
forefront.”
Recorded in Denver,
Colorado and Wallingford, Connecticut (hometown of
co-producer/co-writer/keyboardist Chris “Big Dog” Davis), Albright is also
supported on this CD by drummer Jerohn Garnett, guitarist Rick Watford, and his
daughter, Selina Albright, on vocals.
“The musicians are
handpicked,” Albright says. “They’re guys I’ve known for a long time, and I
trust their artistry. Chris has been my keyboard player on and off for several
years. I like his energy. And the way he approaches both production and the
keyboards is unique. My regular drummer, Jerohn, the newest member of my
touring band, is also a dynamic multi-instrumentalist in his own right. Rick is
from Atlanta. He’s a dynamic guitarist in the gospel world, but he also plays
R&B. And my daughter, Selina, is a recording artist in her own right.”
Slam Dunk rings
with Albright’s moving and muscular alto saxophone sound, laced over some
ingenious synth shadings and his punchy, baritone, tenor and soprano sax
arrangements. The title track pulses with Albright’s funky, thunder-thumbed
basslines and his driving sax conjures the spirit of a basketball game. “Split
Decision,” which features bass and sax alternating in the lead, and the Chuckii
Booker-bounced “Sparkle in Your Eyes” are both high-energy tracks. “Because of
You” is Albright’s poignant, mid-tempo tribute to his wife of forty-two years,
Glynis, and the reverent Sunday service air of “The Gospel Interlude” and “The
Gospel” are moving elegies to his late mother-in-law. The festive Latin spirit
of “Fiesta Interlude,” which features Albright’s flute solo, is a worthy
companion piece to his earlier composition “Bobo’s Groove;” his tribute to the
great Afro-Latin drummer Willie Bobo, who hired him as a bassist and
saxophonist.
Another touching
tribute is “The Duke,” an upbeat, medium-grooved track dedicated to the late
George Duke, who tragically passed away last year. “I always called him my
Poppa G, my industry dad,” Albright says. “We used to hang out and talk about
music; talk about anything. I was blessed to spend a lot of time with him.
George was one of those wonderful, approachable brothers you felt close to. I’m
still processing his loss.”
The beautiful
ballad “Where Did We Go Wrong?” features the legendary tenor voice of
R&B/Quiet Storm icon Peabo Bryson. “We’ve been friends for a long, long
time,” Albright says. “I had the pleasure of doing a saxophone solo on his hit,
‘Show and Tell.’ We recently performed together at the Berks Jazz Fest, and his
voice was in rare form. After the show I said, ‘man, I’m doing this record, and
I have a song that you’d be ideal for. Would you be interested?’ He said,
‘absolutely.’ So we have this wonderful friendship and camaraderie, and it’s
reflected on ‘Where Did We Go Wrong?’”
What has made
Albright such an enduring artist is his genius at putting his own jazzy John
Hancock on another artist’s music, as he does with Phil Collins’ “True Colors.”
“I had the privilege of working with Phil for several years,” Albright says.
“And whenever we did this tune, I looked forward to my soprano sax solo. Even
though I loved Phil’s arrangement, we decided to do more of an R&B type of
thing and make it our own.”
Albright’s
down-home rendition of “It’s a Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World,” is the highlight of
the CD. “It’s hard for me to do a record without channeling James Brown,”
Albright says. “We didn’t want it to be like the original version. We started
with a kind of subtle, chordal thing that led up to the initial sax melody.
It’s one of my favorite tracks.”
Slam Dunk is a
testament to the musical longevity of the Los Angeles-born, Colorado-based,
Albright; which spans the entire saxophone spectrum. “My sound is a marriage
between Cannonball Adderley and Maceo Parker,” he says. “Cannonball expanded on
the improvisational side of my playing, and Maceo alluded to the rhythmic sound
of my horn. Those are the bookends of my influences, along with Grover Washington,
Jr., and Stanley Turrentine.”
The entire range of
Gerald Albright’s saxophone artistry is in full effect on Slam Dunk.
