SAXAPPEAL Color Music Radio

04/03/2025

Tak už nemusíte jen vzpomínat.

02/02/2025

26/10/2024

HAPPY 79th BIRTHDAY to Ernie Watts!!!

Two-time Grammy Award winner Ernie Watts is one of the most versatile and prolific saxophone players in music.

It has been more than fifty years since he first picked up a saxophone, and from age sixteen on he has been playing professionally, initially while still attending school. Watts has been featured on over 500 recordings by artists ranging from Cannonball Adderley to Frank Zappa, always exhibiting his unforgettable trademark sound.

After 15 albums as a leader, for a variety of labels large and small, Watts started Flying Dolphin Records in 2004, in partnership with his wife Patricia. Flying Dolphin (distributed by City Hall Records in the US and Laika Records in Germany) is a new chapter for the artist’s creative expression. “Through my years of studio work, touring, and recording,” he says, “I’ve played in every kind of musical setting. I’ve reached a place in my life where I need to make music on my terms. Starting my own label provided me with a new sense of freedom.”

One way this freedom is expressed is through Flying Dolphin’s release Oasis (2011). For Ernie Watts, music has been an oasis his whole life, an oasis both wide and deep. This album contains music from many sources; three compositions from Watts, one each from Christof Saenger and Heinrich Koebberling of the Ernie Watts Quartet, “Shaw Nuff,” a bebop classic from Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, one ballad from Johnny Mandel and another from Joe Sample. Lennon/McCartney’s “Blackbird” appears, and Ernie’s major inspiration John Coltrane is represented by “Crescent.” Other releases in the Flying Dolphin catalog include Four plus Four (2009), a studio project with both the US and European Ernie Watts Quartets, recorded in Los Angeles and Cologne, Germany, including “Through My Window,” a Watts original written to showcase both quartets together. To The Point (2007) was made live with the Ernie Watts Quartet at The Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles. Analog Man (2006) is winner of the Independent Music Award for Best Jazz Album of 2007, with his European Quartet, touring together since 1999.

Spirit Song (2005) was Watts’ first studio recording as a leader since the release of Classic Moods (JVC) in 1999. Watts used a handmade cedar Spirit Flute to introduce the title track, creating the haunting folk melody which is then reprised on tenor. Flying Dolphin’s first release ALIVE (2004) was recorded live at the Backstage in Fulda, Germany. The chance to hear Watts at immediate heat in the midst of his own music had only been available before to his concert audiences. To The Point and ALIVE both vividly capture that live experience, once with each quartet.

Watts started playing saxophone at age 13 in Wilmington, Delaware. He went with a friend who was joining the local school music program, and found himself carrying home an instrument too. “I was a self-starter; no one ever had to tell me to practice,” remembers Watts. His discipline combined with natural talent began to shape his life. He won a scholarship to the Wilmington Music School where he studied classical music and technique. Though they had no jazz program, his mother provided the spark by giving him his own record player plus a record club membership, for Christmas. That first record club promotional selection turned out to be the brand-new Miles Davis album Kind of Blue.

“When I first heard John Coltrane play, it was like someone put my hand into a light socket,” Watts says. He started to learn jazz by ear, often falling asleep at night listening to a stack of Coltrane records. Although he would enroll briefly at West Chester University in music education, he soon won a Downbeat Scholarship to the Berklee College of Music in Boston, renowned for jazz.When Gene Quill quit Buddy Rich’s Big Band in Boston, trombonist Phil Wilson (a professor at Berklee), was asked to recommend a student as temporary replacement. A young Ernie Watts was referred, and left Berklee for that important spot.

The “student temporary” stayed with Rich from 1966-1968 and toured the world, also recording two albums with the band—Big Swing Face and The New One. Ernie says now, “I guess I got the job,” and laughs.Next, Watts moved to Los Angeles and began working in the big bands of Gerald Wilson and Oliver Nelson. With the Nelson band, Watts visited Africa on a U.S. State Department tour in 1969. They played in Chad, Niger, Mali, Senegal, and the Republic of the Congo, which included the opportunity to meet and jam with the local African musicians. Remembering the experience, Watts recalls Africa as “a timeless land.” “It was amazing to play a government-sponsored concert in the evening, then take a walk the next morning and see a camel caravan coming in from the desert, laden with giant salt blocks. That had been happening for thousands of years! Walking out into the desert at night, I felt the tremendous quiet there, something I had never experienced before, or since.” It was also with Oliver Nelson that Watts had the occasion to record with the legendary Thelonious Monk on Monk’s Blues (Columbia).

During the 1970s and ‘80s, Watts was immersed in the busy production scene of Los Angeles. His signature sound was heard on countless TV shows and movie scores, almost all the early West Coast Motown sessions, and with pop stars such as Aretha Franklin and Steely Dan. Though the pop music genre placed narrow confines on his performance, the studio sessions allowed Watts the chance to constantly hone and refine his tone. After years in the studios, Watts’ passion for acoustic jazz never left him. At the end of a long day of sessions, he could frequently be heard playing fiery jazz in late-night clubs around Los Angeles.

In 1983, the film composer Michel Colombier wrote an orchestral piece entitled “Nightbird” for Watts. At the work’s inaugural performance at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, Charlie Haden came backstage to introduce himself. The meeting led to Watts performing with Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra and to tours with Pat Metheny’s Special Quartet which included Haden.Watts’ tour with Metheny’s group in the late 1980s found him on a triple bill with Sun Ra and the Miles Davis Band — a turning point. “The serious energy of Pat’s music inspired me to choose work at this level of performance. Every night I also listened to Sun Ra and Miles and rejoiced in the power I was feeling in the music.” Watts’ charter membership in Haden’s critically-acclaimed Quartet West, with whom he has toured and recorded for twenty-five years, his work for the audiophile Japanese label JVC Music and his growing catalog of original music for Flying Dolphin illustrate his commitment to jazz.

His four recordings for JVC Music are some of the finest of his extensive career. For these projects, he surrounded himself with several of his favorite players; Jack DeJohnette, Arturo Sandoval, Kenny Barron, Mulgrew Miller, Eddie Gomez, Jimmy Cobb and Marc Whitfield. The music encompassed both jazz classics and new pieces by Watts. Between his stint with JVC and starting his own label Flying Dolphin, Watts recorded Reflections with Los Angeles pianist Ron Feuer, a 2003 saxophone/piano duet project of lush ballads. He also recorded duet CDs Blue Topaz and Pa Chuly with acclaimed German pianist (and member of his European quartet) Christof Saenger for Laika Records.Watts’ eclectic mix of career activities has included work with vocalist Kurt Elling in a tribute to Johnny Hartman and John Coltrane, which won Elling his first Grammy Award, and concerts with the WDR Big Band Cologne in Germany, followed by the National Radio Band of Slovenia, which played two of his compositions arranged for Watts by the celebrated Michael Abene. He has performed in Jazz at the Kennedy Center for Billy Taylor and has appeared in Australia with Billy Cobham and orchestra.

A typical year finds him touring Europe with his own European Quartet in spring and fall, in Asia as a featured guest artist with long-time collaborator and friend, pianist Jeremy Monteiro, and performing at summer festivals throughout North America and Europe, often with Charlie Haden’s Quartet West. In 2012 Watts toured with Doc Severinsen’s recently-renewed big band as featured soloist.

He gives back to the music by conducting student clinics and master classes, and soon will release his first educational video A Melodic Approach to Improvisation on Quantum Leap Ltd. Watts has also compiled a collection of orchestral arrangements for guest soloist appearances with symphonies, most recently with the National Symphony of Costa Rica. Finally, there is the occasional “hometown gig” with the Ernie Watts Quartet in California, where he is still based.

Summing it all up, Watts describes his ongoing journey. “I see music as the common bond having potential to bring all people together in peace and harmony. All things in the physical world have vibration; the music I choose to play is the energy vibration that touches a common bond in people. I believe that music is God singing through me, an energy to be used for good.”

Source: Ian Patterson, All About Jazz

17/09/2024

Remembering Cannonball Adderley on his birthday. Julian Edwin "Cannonball" Adderley (September 15, 1928 – August 8, 1975) was an American jazz alto saxophonist of the
hard bop era of the 1950s and 1960s.
Adderley is perhaps best remembered for the 1966 soul jazz single "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy which was written for him by his keyboardist Joe Zawinul and became a major crossover hit on the
pop Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts.

14/07/2024

Portrait of Dexter Gordon,
by Carol Friedman…

31/05/2024

23/05/2024

𝗧𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝘁 (born May 19, 1948) is a renowned composer, arranger, producer, music director, saxophonist and educator. As a session musician Tom has performed on over 2000 recordings by artists such as 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗝𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀, 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗿𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹 𝗠𝗰𝗖𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝘆, 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗮, 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗮 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗹𝗶𝗻, 𝗔𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗵, 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗠𝗰𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗱, 𝗝𝗼𝗻𝗶 𝗠𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗹, 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗗𝗮𝗻, 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗥𝗼𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝘁, 𝗧𝗼𝘁𝗼, 𝗝𝗶𝗺𝗺𝘆 𝗪𝗲𝗯𝗯, 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻 and so many others. His 33 solo recordings have earned him 13 Grammy nominations and 3 Grammy awards.

As a composer and conductor, his work in film and television scores includes the films 𝙎𝙩𝙞𝙧 𝘾𝙧𝙖𝙯𝙮, 𝙃𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙮 𝙋𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙮, 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙎𝙤𝙪𝙡 𝙈𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙎𝙝𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙁𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙏𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙨𝙠𝙮 & 𝙃𝙪𝙩𝙘𝙝, 𝘽𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙖, 𝘾𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙣, 𝘽𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙮 𝙅𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨, 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙊𝙛 𝙎𝙖𝙣 𝙁𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤, and numerous T.V. Movies and Specials.

He served as Musical Director for the 𝘼𝙘𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙢𝙮 𝘼𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙀𝙢𝙢𝙮 𝘼𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨 (9 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨), 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚’𝙨 𝘾𝙝𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝘼𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨, 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙘 𝙍𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙛, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙡 𝘽𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙩𝙩 𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙬, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙖𝙩 𝙎𝙖𝙟𝙖𝙠 𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙬, 𝙅𝙤𝙣𝙞 𝙈𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙡, 𝙂𝙚𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚 𝙃𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙣, 𝙊𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙖 𝙉𝙚𝙬𝙩𝙤𝙣-𝙅𝙤𝙝𝙣, and the 𝙂𝙍𝙋 𝘼𝙡𝙡-𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧 𝘽𝙞𝙜 𝘽𝙖𝙣𝙙

He currently teaches Master Classes in Woodwinds, Arranging & Film Composing, and is on the faculty of the New York University Summer Jazz program.

Here's a partial discography:

𝗝𝗶𝗺𝗺𝘆 𝗪𝗲𝗯𝗯
Words and Music (Reprise, 1970)
And So: On (Reprise, 1971)

𝗡𝗲𝗶𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗱
Tap Root Manuscript (Uni Records, 1970)
Beautiful Noise (Columbia, 1976)
I'm Glad You're Here with Me Tonight (Columbia, 1977)

𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻
Music Is My Life (A&M, 1972)

𝗝𝗼𝗻𝗶 𝗠𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗹
For the Roses (Asylum, 1972)
Court and Spark (Asylum, 1974)
Miles of Aisles (1974)
Hejira (Asylum, 1976)

𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀
Michael Franks (Brut, 1973)

𝗟𝘂𝗹𝘂
Lulu (Polydor, 1973)

𝗥𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗼 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗿
Ringo (Apple Records, 1973)

𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝗻
Essence to Essence (Epic, 1973)
Slow Down World (Epic, 1976)

𝗧𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿
Tina Turns the Country On! (United Artists, 1974)
Acid Queen (United Artists, 1975)

𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴
Fantasy (Ode Records, 1973)
Wrap Around Joy (Ode Records, 1974)
Thoroughbred (A&M Records, 1976)
Simple Things (Capitol Records, 1977)

𝗧𝗼𝗺 𝗪𝗮𝗶𝘁𝘀
The Heart of Saturday Night (Asylum, 1974)

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟.𝗔. 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀
Tom Scott and The L.A. Express (Ode, 1974)
Tom Cat (Ode, 1975)
Bluestreak (GRP, 1996)
Smokin' Section (Windham Hill, 1999)

𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻
Dark Horse (Apple Records, 1974)
Extra Texture (Read All About It) (Apple Records, 1975)
Thirty Three & 1/3 (Dark Horse, 1976)
Somewhere in England (Dark Horse, 1981)

𝗝𝗼𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝗲𝘇
Gracias a la Vida (A&M Records, 1974)
Diamonds & Rust (A&M Records, 1975)
Blowin' Away (Portrait Records, 1977)

𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗿𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗱
ButterFly (Columbia Records, 1974)
Wet (Columbia Records, 1979)
The Movie Album (Columbia Records, 2003)

𝗔𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗮 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗹𝗶𝗻
You (Atlantic, 1975)

𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗼𝗻
Adventures in Paradise (Epic, 1975)
Minnie (Capitol, 1979)
Love Lives Forever (Capitol, 1980)

𝗣𝗲𝗴𝗴𝘆 𝗟𝗲𝗲
Mirrors (A&M, 1975)

𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻𝗻𝘆 𝗥𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀
New Lovers and Old Friends (Epic, 1975)
Outside Help (Soul City, 1977)

𝗚𝗹𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹
Rhinestone Cowboy (Capitol Records, 1975)
Bloodline (Capitol Records, 1976)

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗺𝗮 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻
I've Got the Music in Me (Sheffield Lab Records, 1975)

𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝗱𝘆
Music, Music (Capitol Records, 1976)

𝗕𝗼𝘇 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗴𝗴𝘀
Silk Degrees (Columbia Records, 1976)
Fade into Light (MVP Japan, 1996)

𝗘𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗻
Boats Against the Current (Arista, 1977)

𝗘𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆
Eddie Money (Columbia Records, 1977)
Life for the Taking (Columbia Records, 1978)

𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘀
Mirage (A&M, 1977)

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗗𝗮𝗻
Aja (1977)
Gaucho (MCA Records, 1980)

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗕𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽
Bish (ABC Records, 1978)

𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗲 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶
Frankie Valli... Is the Word (Warner Bros., 1978)

𝗥𝗼𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝘁
Blondes Have More Fun (Warner Bros., 1978)
Soulbook (J, 2009)

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀
Briefcase Full of Blues (Atlantic, 1978)
Made in America (Atlantic, 1980)
Best of The Blues Brothers (Atlantic, 1981)
Dancin' wid da Blues Brothers (Atlantic, 1983)
Everybody Needs the Blues Brothers (Atlantic, 1988)
The Very Best of The Blues Brothers (Atlantic, 1995)

𝗔𝗿𝘁 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗹
Fate for Breakfast (Columbia, 1979)

𝗥𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘆 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝗺𝗮𝗻
Born Again (Reprise Records, 1979)
Bad Love (DreamWorks, 1999)

𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗲 𝗝𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀
Rickie Lee Jones (Warner Bros., 1979)
Pirates (Warner Bros., 1981)

𝗗𝗮𝗻 𝗙𝗼𝗴𝗲𝗹𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗴
Phoenix (Epic, 1979)
The Innocent Age (Epic, 1981)
Windows and Walls (Epic, 1984)
No Resemblance Whatsoever (Giant, 1995)

𝗔𝗹 𝗝𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘂
Breakin' Away (Warner Bros., 1981)

𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘄
If I Should Love Again (Arista, 1981)
Swing Street (Arista, 1987)

𝗗𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗼𝗻
Dolly, Dolly, Dolly (RCA Victor, 1981)
Heartbreak Express (RCA Records, 1982)
Real Love (RCA Records, 1985)
Rainbow (CBS, 1987)

𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗠𝗰𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗱
If That's What It Takes (Warner Bros., 1982)
Wide Open (BMG, 2017)

𝗝𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘁𝗼𝗻
Quiet Lies (Capitol Records, 1982)
Dirty Looks (Capitol Records, 1983)
Old Flame (RCA Records, 1985)
With Alphonse Mouzon
The Man Incognito (1975)
With Dalbello
Lisa Dal Bello (MCA, 1977)

𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻
Not the Boy Next Door (Arista, 1983)

𝗢𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘁𝗼𝗻-𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻
Soul Kiss (Mercury Records, 1985)

𝗗𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗰𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝘀
Hot on the Trail (Columbia, 1986)

𝗦𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗵 𝗩𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗮𝗻
Brazilian Romance (CBS, 1987)

𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗲
Everlasting (Elektra, 1987)
Good to Be Back (EMI, 1989)

𝗣𝗵𝗼𝗲𝗯𝗲 𝗦𝗻𝗼𝘄
Something Real (Elektra, 1989)

𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘅
Repeat Offender (Capitol, 1989)

𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝘂𝘂𝗿
Love Songs (GRP, 1993)

𝗢𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗮 𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗺𝘀
Evolution (Fontana, 1993)

𝗝𝗼𝘀𝗵 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗻
Awake (143 Records, 2006)

𝗝𝗼𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗿
Hymn for My Soul (EMI, 2007)

𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗻
Songs and Stories (Concord Records, 2009)

𝗦𝗮𝗿𝗮 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘀
Kaleidoscope Heart (Epic, 2010)

𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗯𝗶𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝘀
Swings Both Ways (Universal, 2013)

𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗕𝘂𝗯𝗹é
To Be Loved (Reprise Records, 2013)

19/05/2024

HAPPY 76th BIRTHDAY to Tom Scott!!!

Tom Scott is a renowned composer, arranger, producer, music director, saxophonist and educator. His 33 solo recordings have earned him 13 Grammy nominations and 3 Grammy awards. In 2013 he produced a CD for young ukulele master Brittni Paiva which won a Hawaiian Grammy for 'Ukulele Album of the Year', and in 2017 received his first Emmy Award nomination for Musical Direction of the Tony Bennett 90th Birthday TV Special on NBC.

Tom’s career as a guest artist spans more than 2000 recordings—by such diverse artists as Barbra Streisand, Quincy Jones, Thelonious Monk, the Blues Brothers, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin and Aerosmith. His numerous contributions as a player and arranger include Joni Mitchell’s Court and Spark and Miles of Aisles, Steely Dan’s Aja and Gaucho; hit singles like Carole King’s “Jazzman,” Paul McCartney’s “Listen to What the Man Said,” Rod Stewart’s “Do You Think I’m Sexy,” Blondie’s “Rapture,’ Toto’s “Rosanna,” Whitney Houston’s “Saving All My Love for You” and on countless movie soundtracks such as Taxi Driver, The Jerk, Three Days of the Condor, Heaven Can Wait, Sea of Love, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Toy Story 2, Monsters Inc. and the latest release of A Star Is Born.

Other achievements include composing film scores, among them Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, Uptown Saturday Night, Stir Crazy, Hanky Panky, The Sure Thing, Soul Man and Shakes the Clown. His television composing and conducting credits include the themes for Family Ties and Starsky & Hutch, background scores for Baretta, Cannon, Barnaby Jones, Streets Of San Francisco, numerous T.V. Movies and Specials. He has served as Musical Director for the Academy Awards, the Emmy Awards (9 times), the People’s Choice Awards, Comic Relief, the Carol Burnett Show, the Pat Sajak Show, Joni Mitchell, George Harrison, Olivia Newton-John, and the GRP All-Star Big Band, among others—and composed the score for the recent HBO documentary The Bronx, U.S.A. He teaches Master Classes in Woodwinds, Arranging & Film Composing, and is currently on the faculty of the New York University Summer Jazz program.

Source: Tom Scott Jazz

13/05/2024

It is with sad and heavy hearts that we convey to you the loss of internationally renowned, 6 time Grammy Award-winning, saxophonist, David Sanborn. Mr. Sanborn passed Sunday afternoon, May 12th, after an extended battle with prostate cancer with complications.

Mr. Sanborn had been dealing with prostate cancer since 2018, but had been able to maintain his normal schedule of concerts until just recently. Indeed he already had concerts scheduled into 2025.

David Sanborn was a seminal figure in contemporary pop and jazz music. It has been said that he "put the saxophone back into Rock ’n Roll.”