Review:
DARRYL ALEXANDER SR.: TRANSITIONS
09/02/2014
If you already looked to American tv channels and programs as Saturday Night Live (NBC), Good Morning America (ABC), The Weather Channel, E Entertainment, Lifetime, Fox Business or Maury Povich views, or if you have flown with Continental, Airtran, Frontier and Jetblue, then chances are you heard music coming from the African American Darryl Alexander. During his college years was Darryl already in the band Love, Life, and Light. He gets on his new cd collaboration of Kenny Blake, Ken Karsh, Brett Williams, Pete Tokar, Wilber Krebs, Fred Ervin, Joe Graziosi, John Madgett, and Brandon Howard
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Review:
DARRYL ALEXANDER SR.: TRANSITIONS
09/02/2014
If you already looked to American tv channels and programs as Saturday Night Live (NBC), Good Morning America (ABC), The Weather Channel, E Entertainment, Lifetime, Fox Business or Maury Povich views, or if you have flown with Continental, Airtran, Frontier and Jetblue, then chances are you heard music coming from the African American Darryl Alexander. During his college years was Darryl already in the band Love, Life, and Light. He gets on his new cd collaboration of Kenny Blake, Ken Karsh, Brett Williams, Pete Tokar, Wilber Krebs, Fred Ervin, Joe Graziosi, John Madgett, and Brandon Howard. What I enjoy working with this group is there is a light heartedness in their soul, and it comes out in their performances, said Darryl. I remember Kenny Blake saying one day in the studio that EMS personnel see some pretty horrific things every day. As artists we have an opportunity to make someone's day just a little bit lighter, little bit easier, even if just for a moment. Darryl all 11 songs composed itself, and plays drums, percussion, organ and keyboards. Opener ' On e. Street ' is a cheerful and fun number, after which ' No Turning Back ' is a little more funky. ' Never Alone ', on the other hand, is very laidback, followed by the Nice samba ' Hey Senorita '. Too Late For Love ' is more the smooth jazz, and the ballad If Only You Knew ' is ideal for romantic dancing. It is very relaxed with ' Cruzin', after which the feel good song ' When Little Birds Fly ' coming. ' Remembering You ' is back nice smooth jazz, but valve ' who's Watching Who comes ' funkier about. A soulful smooth jazz cd, which gives you a good feeling. Ideal to relax.
Patrick Van De Wiele
A soulful album that gives you a good feeling. Ideal for relaxing.
www.Keysandchords.com
Review: The Smooth Jazz Ride
Apr. 14, 2014
With his latest release Transitions,
drummer/keyboardist/composer Darryl Alexander Sr. continues
his tradition of putting together very soulful and jazzy
collages of musical grooves that spell f-e-e-l-g-o-o-d all
the way through his releases.
Alive with color, poise, and sophistication, Transitions
finds Alexander assembling a strong corps of musicians to
help get this project headed for the stars. With
saxophonists Kenny Blake and Joe Graziosi on separate tracks
(except on a track called “Think About It” where they appear
together); guitarist Ken Karsh, bassists Wilbur Krebs and
Fred Ervin on separate tracks, and Pete Tokar and Brett
Williams on Rhodes and piano on separate tracks, this smells
and sounds like success to this writer for sure.
All of these fine tracks were written by Alexander and
include one from his earlier Diamond in the Sky release (the
version here has more kick than the more laid-back earlier
version). Packed to the hilt with style and charm, the
tracks here are meant for either dancing dreamily and cheek
to cheek with that special someone (“If Only You Knew” is
one good example) or for getting your groove fired up on the
dance floor (e.g., the lead track “On E. Street”). Then,
there are tracks that are just meant to place you in that
mellow place where your imagination can take you to any
exotic beach or weekend getaway haven in the world. Such a
track might be the gently flowing and appropriately titled
“Cruizin’.”
The musicianship is flawless here, from the tickling of the
ivories to the delicate and cool guitar runs to the
seductive call and caress of the sax. You can sense how
comfortably each musician interacted with the others. The
right musicians + the right material = One well-oiled
production here – Ronald Jackson
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