Hi everyone… HAPPY NEW YEAR 2018!!!
This years has started with lots of promising projects and plenty of great music.
A lot of people have contacted me through the years to convince me to leap into the world of On Line instruction, something I was not able to commit to due to my other activities. Last summer I am finally opened this possibility thanks to Skype, Paypal and 4 Video Lessons on the My Music Master Class platform. This year, I have added 4 more titles to this list of MMMC video lessons on some cool topics, they should be available by the end of September. …. All those seriously interested in taking Skype sessions, please send me a direct message (see contact page) and we’ll arrange the best time and rates. As I mentioned before, I still find the time to schedule students and I have managed to schedule weekly spots (Wednesdays & Fridays), while in town, for all my private students at my home studio. Feel free to contact me if you are interested in developing your skills or simply considering a new point of view to enrich your “menu” of musical options. From intermediate levels to advance, I am open to share all I know!!!. My wife Catina is also great with beginers and intermediate sudents… believe me, not only are her musical skills amazing, but also she has that special talent of patiently breaking down the fundamental drills… I admire that greatly!!!!.
A fresh arrival has brought lots of inspiration and amazing immediate returns…. my studio has now a brand new great sounding Yamaha C7!!!! . The studio is sounding great, it has the latest software & hardware upgrades, as well as the dedicated space for proper tracking and isolation of parts (great vocal/solo instrumental iso booth) as well as room for my new wonderful acoustic piano & cool Fender Rhodes. We inagurated the space with a project I produced for great Venezuelan Drummer Aaron Serfaty. It is Aaron’s first CD Project, and I finished right on time to celebrate his 50th Birthday… if you can imagine how hard it was, let me tell you that the whole project was produced as a “secret” and we surprised him with a belated B’Day party / Unveiling of the project!!!… Also, the most important project to date in our own space, Catina DeLuna and Lado B Brazilian Project Grammy Nominated CD!!!… It truly made me happy to know what a great sound we can get under our own roof!!!!
I have been writing lots of new music for my new CD project which will be a great continuation chapter to “Sojourn” from the “story telling” perspective. In addition to this material, I have also been writing LOTS of vocal compositions for 2 special projects I’d try to complete this year. One, a colaboration with my lovely partner Catina De Luna, and a second one inviting some of my favorite singers from US and Brazil… ambitious??…. YES!!… but possible!!!. In this new adventure, I have included (for the very first time in my life!!!) the creative input of a wonderful lyricist, Ms. Martine Tabilio (whose credits involve colaborations with Jazz great Tierney Sutton).
2018 also brings a brand new musical adventure, ELEMENTAL, a kick-butt Electric-Latin-Jazz-Fusion-Power Trio with the amazing talents of Jimmy Branly (dr) and Jimmy Haslip (elec bass). This new project, should see the light sometime in October, I’ll be pitching in most of the original compositions as well as diving again into the electric realm.
And…. also happy to annoounce my recent endorsement with NORD keyboards and SPECTRASONICS Products!!!!… As I have metioned so many times, I’ve never been the “give me whatever free gear” kinda guy, and I only endorse products when they really inspire me…. needless to say, the NORD STAGE 2 is one of those pieces of gear that brings a smile to my face !!!. Another couple of products that I am having lots of fun playing are KEYSCAPE and OMNISPHERE (Spectrasonics), what an amazing set of sounds!!!
SOJOURN is being sold in every major Digital Download Site, has achieved amazingly possitive reviews (please, check the “Press” page) and, if you purchase from this Website (via PayPal) you will receive the PDFs Music Charts of all the compositions. Bare in mind that I will personally make sure you receive a fast delivery comparable to any other service. In addition to selling “Sojourn”, CD BABY is also a very rare title (great musicians recorded in Live Action) LIVE: RUIZ, COLANGELO, CLATWORTHY & PAXON.
This year has also brought the opportunity to do MORE of one of my favorite activities: TOURING!!… and with two of my most admired artists/composers: Mr. Simon Phillips and Mr. Lee Ritenour. We started our World Tour with Phillips supporting his latest CD PROTOCOL IV last October 2017 and we’ve been pretty busy all over the globe. With Lee, there’s also plenty of activity Worldwide (Korea, Japan, Indonesia and USA). Performing for different audiences has to be one of my all time highs!!!! It also has allow me to interact with international students via Master Classes, since I have been away from the Academic world for the last 3 years.
The long awaited live recording with great vocalist Rhiannon, Alex Acuña and Abraham Laboriel is OUT (DON’T MISS THIS AMAZING DOCUMENT!!!…). SPONTANEUS (the title of the recording), as you might know, is a colorful trip through TRULY uncharted musical territories, and it reflects HONEST- IN THE MOMENT -music making, … even the lyrics are made up in the spot…. in order to deliver the whole emotional experience, we decided to later publish a DVD in addition to the current CD…
Seven years ago I realized a life time dream by becoming a Magician Member of the Academy of Magical Arts (mostly known for it’s Club House, the World Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood)… although passing that stressful audition (talk about being judged from all angles!!!) does not necesarily turn me into an instant super performer, it reassures my commitment and respect to this amazing art form. Now, on a not so busy night, you might see me performing close up card effects at the impromptu tables around the Castle, I am consolidating a sense of routine and flow in my presentation and, besides gaining confidence with each day and trying psicological subtleties with my audiences, I am having LOT’S OF FUN!!!!
More news later!!!…
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