Monday, March 12, 2012

Seth Macfarlane - Swingin' In Concert' Comes To Los Angeles' Club Nokia Saturday, March 26. 2011 - With Special Guest Sara Bareilles


Los Angeles, CA (Top40 Charts/ Universal Republic / Club Nokia) Emmy-winning "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane  performed live at CLUB NOKIA with a 36-piece orchestra Saturday, March 26. Grammy nominated artist, Sara Bareilles,  joined MacFarlane performing their duet "Love Won't Let You Get Away." 

The album, titled Music Is Better Than Words, is a crisp sounding orchestral/ big band record that features MacFarlane singing some of the hidden musical gems of the '40s and '50s. Introducing this rich sound and classic integrity to a new audience, the album features duets with beloved artists Norah Jones and Sara Bareilles, and was arranged, conducted, and produced by accomplished film and television composer Joel McNeely, who will conduct the orchestra at the event. Universal Republic Records, who signed MacFarlane in 2010, the album has been release in stores and online platforms last September 2011.

MacFarlane has been a fan of music from this era for as long as he can remember, and has even trained with vocal coaches Lee, Sally, and Steve Sweetland. Lee and Sally coached many great singers throughout their careers, including Frank Sinatra. MacFarlane has featured countless musical numbers on his television shows, and has garnered multiple Emmy nominations as well as a win for Outstanding Music and Lyrics on "Family Guy."

Recorded at the legendary Capitol Records, the album was made with MacFarlane singing live in the same room as the orchestra, just as they did in 50's. Additionally, Frank Sinatra's original microphone "nicknamed The Frank", on loan from the Smithsonian, was used to record the album. All songs were recorded to analog tape, to match the warm sound of the historic records of that era.

MacFarlane's voice has been celebrated for it's perfect phrasing, richness, and consistency. He is an experienced live performer, having played to sold out audiences at London's Royal Albert Hall and New York's Carnegie Hall.

This performance was recorded by Network LIVE in high definition and multi track audio for the HDTV, online, mobile and cinema released in September 2011.

About Seth MacFarlane: Seth MacFarlane is the creative force behind "Family Guy," "American Dad!" and "The Cleveland Show." "Family Guy" has garnered four Emmys and seven Emmy nominations, including one in the Outstanding Comedy Series category. MacFarlane is in pre-production on his directorial feature film debut, TED, which he co-wrote with "Family Guy" writers Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild.


                                        

Thursday, March 01, 2012

Gary Burton and Chick Corea - Live in Burghausen, Germany - 2011-03-23



40 years of Jazz Duets - Chick and Gary Burton perform material from their new album Hot House, exploring their unique takes on “standards” — by composers from Kurt Weill and Antonio Carlos Jobim to Thelonious Monk and Lennon & McCartney. The multiple Grammy-winning duo exploring each others talent and expanding their legendary chamber-jazz repertoire on Chick’s composition “Mozart Goes Dancing” and classic Chick & Gary tunes.Chick Corea and Gary Burton played in Burghausen promoting their latest album Hot House.

They played over two hours including two encores. The audience liked all their songs. It was a great experience looking and listening to two masters. 



Joe Jackson - AVO Session, Basel, Switzerland, 2010-10-31


Joe Jackson is an English musician and singer-songwriter now living in Berlin, whose five Grammy Award nominations span from 1979 to 2001. He is probably best known for the 1979 hit song and first single "Is She Really Going Out with Him?", which still gets extensive FM radio airplay; for his 1982 hit, "Steppin' Out"; and for his 1984 success with "You Can't Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want)". He was popular for his pop/rock and new wave music early on before moving to more eclectic, though less commercially successful, pop/jazz/classical hybrids.

In this very rare appearance of Joe in AVO Session, Basel, Switzerland. He  played mostly his old popular songs and the audience loved it.  Last time he made an album was still 2001 entitled "Stranger than You" Surprisingly, he is still popular in Europe. Lately, this very talented jazz vocalist and pianist has become mellow in his musical career. More often, artist like Joe become victims of their popularity. Fame can conquer anybody and artists easily ends up bankrupt for no reason at all. 


Gaining back popularity is a hard thing to do specially when the artist got lost of  his tracks.  Joe discovered something about this concert and found out  that playing his popular song like"Is She Really Going Out with Him?", "Can you be my no. 2" were still familiar to these 2011 audience here in AVO Session concert.   It has been 32 years ago? People were all chanting to the melody and they still loves it!  

Lat

Randy Crawford & Joe Sample Trio - Leverkusener Jazztage - Germany - 2011



Legendary jazz pianist JOE SAMPLE and soul vocal icon RANDY CRAWFORD performed their latest concert in Leverkusener, Jazzstage in Germany last year of 2011.

Their music is like a mixture of soul, jazz, gospel, pop, and of course a little bit of the blues, Crawford's performances underscore her position as one of the premier songstresses in contemporary music. “All Night Long" tears hearts out, and “But Beautiful" couldn't be more so. Sample's piano playing and arrangements envelop Crawford's voice, and capture the essence of each song.

Sample and Crawford first met 30 years ago when she was recording her debut album, Everything Must Change, on which he played. So you could say Feeling Good has been a long time coming. Shortly after that debut album, while writing songs for his band, The Crusaders, Sample invited Crawford to appear as a guest, and wrote “Street Life" especially for her. This international hit record for the Crusaders launched her on her own phenomenally successful career.

Their continued collaboration saw Sample playing on Crawford's own albums and writing many of her biggest hit songs, including “One Day I'll Fly Away," “When Your Life Was Low," and “Last Night At Danceland." The seed for Feeling Good took root when all-star producer Tommy LiPuma (two-time Grammy winner for Album of The Year and recipient of over 30 Grammy nominations and awards) came on board as producer of Crawford's own break through album, Secret Combination.

When Sample asked Crawford if she'd record a new album with him, it was a natural to ask Tommy LiPuma as well, and Al Schmitt (15-time Grammy Award winner as 'Recording Engineer/Mixer'), who had recorded and mixed all the early success with LiPuma and the two performers. The incomparable Steve Gadd on drums, and Christian McBride, today's master of the acoustic bass, round out Sample's trio, adding their own special genius.

Starting from that time and on they've been inseprable.  Performing every Jazz events yearly in Europe.