It Needs To Be Rockin' and Swingin'!
There's just not enough sax music that I like out there.
Personally I'm not a big fan of "smooth" music so that
crosses off most of it. I like it rockin' and swingin' hard!
And so... it's been a busy and exciting winter putting together
a new recording called
Rock
& Roll Saxophonist
a collection of songs I've put together that rock, jump, and
swing.
Also on there, a rockin' little number called "If That Ain't
Love", which was given to me by my European friends BB
& The Blues Shacks, a great band that I have been fortunate
to work with on some recent tours over there... thanks guys!
Radio Airplay!
Radio airplay has been building with good response from Blues &
Jazz stations all over the world for Rock & Roll Saxophonist...
24 countries and counting!
Radio
Airplay List
...and speaking of radio, I'll be on the air with DJ Bob Putignano
from WFDU FM in New York. Bob does a 3-4 hour morning blues show
called "Sounds of Blue" every Monday and Wednesday (ya
gota Love that).
You can join in on the fun, June 28 around 11:30 am EST.
This is a great station which I listen to reqularly. To check it
out go here;
WFDU www.bluesandjazzsounds.com
Universal Records Europe
... have lisenced 2 of my tracks; Wine Women & Song
and Crazy 'Bout a Saxophone for "Swing Compilation"
release this summer.
A couple of great R&B saxophonist friends of mine
have recently put out a great recording of instrumental rockin'
and swingin' sax music called;
Sax Gordon & Doug James.... tenor & bari,
all new & original Thanks guys, we needed that!
These guys work with some of the biggest blues artists in America
and both have their own website; saxgordon.com and dougmrlowjames.com
where you can link to hear some of this new CD.
Also... my old friend Colin James has just told
me that his next CD will be The Little Big Band 3. This is good
news, his LBB stuff is my favorite of his CD's...YES, more rockin'
& swingin'!...... I would guess more guitar than sax on this
one but hey... the horn section will feature another of my favorite
saxophonists Greg Piccollo and Doug James on bari.
... while you're there check out a few new articles I've written
on topics of interest... Sax, Rock & Roll, Swing, some inspiring
movers & shakers like Louis Prima & Louis Jordan, even Swing
Dancing, and... Fado? Yes... Sax and Fado, they go together like
bread and butter
Speaking of Louis Prima, his long-time saxman Sam
Butera has recently retired. What a shame.
A few years ago we shared a stage at the Ascona Jazz Fesitival in
Switzerland and I was able to watch his entire set one day... man,
this guy was the epitome of entertainment!
Obviously working with the great Louis Prima rubbed something off
on Sammy. I never did see Prima live but do have all those live
recordings from the Vegas days and when you hear that band you realize
what a big part Butera played in the act... not just as a great
saxophonist but also as part of the constant pranks and comedy that
Prima was always getting into.
Watching Sammy live you got the feeling you were truly witnessing
something from the by-gone days of another era we usually just hear
about on TV. It's hard to explain, except you know that from watching
him his sole reason for being there was to entertain you... and
he really did.
Like he would always say; "It's nice to be important, but it's
more important to be nice!"
Here's an audio clip of Louis and Sammy killin' 'em in Lake Tahoe,
Vegas.
till next time
ciao
JF
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