Gregg wins Grammy Award

 

  • GRAMMY AWARD:

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One of urban contemporary jazz’s most versatile and acclaimed artists over the past 25 years, keyboardist/composer Gregg Karukas is now a Grammy Award winner for producing, arranging, engineering, co-writing and playing piano and all keyboards on Echoes of Love (a collaboration with Omar Akram), which won in the New Age Album category at the 55th Grammy Awards, held in Los Angeles February 10, 2013.

In composing and arranging the majority of the music on this Grammy winning recording, Karukas employs an orchestral palette and a universe of exotic sounds in his state-of-the-art studio. He uses a Disklavier Piano and computers with highly detailed sampled instruments - from grand piano and the traditional orchestral families (strings, woodwinds, etc.) to a myriad of ethnic percussion sounds and loops from all over the globe. Some tracks start as very simple, romantic melodic ideas that develop into cinematic orchestral climaxes; others are full blown world groove adventures. On Echoes of Love, as well as on Akram’s 2007 recording Secret Journey, Karukas’ ability to seamlessly blend his own melodic writing and playing with Akram’s flowing piano style has earned the project rave reviews from fans of instrumental music worldwide, and especially on Youtube.

One the songs are "demoed", the melodies and arrangements are then transcribed and printed for the guest musicians, who are given plenty of solo room to show off their own unique talents – resulting in a project full of exciting interplay and powerful dynamics. Veteran violinist Charlie Bisharat and the late guitarist Ramon Stagnaro (renowned for their many years recording and touring with Yanni) are featured on Omar's recent releases; their work on Echoes of Love was augmented by Mark Hollingsworth on wood flutes and percussionist Brian Kilgore and tabla player Melad Youssofi.

Karukas was Akram’s producer and collaborator on his previous recordings, thanks to a recommendation from New Age pioneer and Grammy winning pianist David Lanz. Gregg produced tracks on Lanz’s smooth jazz breakthrough CD’s Finding Paradise in 2002 and The Good Life. Omar celebrates Gregg's contributions in the CD's liner notes: “Gregg: This album is the result of your creative genius. It has been an honor to work with you and call you my friend.” Karukas says, ”I have been fortunate to be involved with quite a few artists in the early stages of their careers. The challenge of presenting their raw melodies in “hi-fi stereo” with the best musicians and collaborating on different styles of music is always fun. This award is quite a surprise and an incredible honor.”

 Here are some projects 2000-2006:

  • I played keyboards on a few tunes on R&R (Rick Braun and Richard Eliott) including Wurlitzer on the #! hit " R&R".

    1. I played keyboards on the #! hit "Tequila Moon" and arranged Mas Que Nada for Jessy J's new CD with producer Paul Brown

    2. I co-produced, played, recorded and mixed Gene Burkert's new CD " Secret Passion" with Melvin Davis, Oscar Seaton, Mike O'Neill, Joe Bagg and others.

    3. I'm done co-writing and producing OMAR's 3rd CD on Real Music.

    4. I've been in the studio working on tracks for the new Rippingtons 20th Anniversary CD with Russ, Dave Koz and Brandon Fields.

    5. I'm producing singer/songwriter/pianist Christine Anderson's debut studio CD.

      • I co-wrote a song for and played/mixed Ron Boustead's cool new CD, "Blend".

      • I co-wrote a song (and did the track) with Richard Elliot for his new CD, Metro Blue.

      • I co-wrote, arranged, produced and played keyboards on the new (Patrick) Lamb and Meyer (Patsy) CD w/ Abe Laboriel, Curt Bisquera, Paul Jackson Jr. and Dave Hooper……

      • Here are some other projects I've been involved in over the past couple of years:

        • I produced, mixed and arranged four cuts for David Lanz's latest CD The Good Life.

        • I just finished producing, mixing and arranging for "new age/world music" pianist OMAR's 2nd CD on Real Music w/ Charlie Bisharat, Ramon Stagnaro and Pedro Eustache know for their work in Yanni's band.

        • We tracked Michael Furey's new project here w/Joel Taylor, Keith Jones, Daryl Curraco, Adam Cohen, and others...

        • I engineered some sessions for Rick Braun's new CD Esperanto with Kirk Whalum and Gerald Albright

        • I'm done... co-producing songs w/Dave Koz for pianist David Lanz's new CD Finding Paradise.

        • I recently recorded and mixed songs for Craig Safan's new Musical w/Broadway stars Alice Ripley (Sunset Bl., Rocky Horror), Jane Carr (Dear John TV) and Robert Gunton (Evita, Shawshank Redemption).

        • My old buddy, Drummer Shannon Ford with wife, Broadway star Alice Ripley, Alex and Stevie.

  • I'm doing pre-production and co-producing songs w/Dave Koz for pianist David Lanz's next CD.

    1. Michael Lington and I wrote a song together for his CD "Everything Must Change".

    2. Here at Nightowl I did an "all synth" track/arrangement of N'Sync's "God Must have Spent...A Little More Time On You" for Kirk Whalum for his new Warner Bros. CD Unconditional... with producer Paul Brown

    3. I mixed Phil Sheeran's new Christmas CD for Japan release

    4. I mixed trumpeter Ken Ross' new CD shopping for a label now.

    5. I played all the keyboards on a song by Brian Bromberg for Kim Waters new CD .

    6. Rick Braun and I co-wrote a song, "Borders," for Craig Chaquico's new CD. I also played keyboards on the track.

    7. We recorded five new songs for Tony Darren's next project. w/Land Richards, Keith Jones, Brian Kilgore.

    8. Here at Nightowl I did two "all synth" track/arrangements for Kirk Whalum for his new WarnerBros. CD My All and For You... with producer Paul Brown. I also did three songs live in the studio with w/ Little John Roberts, Ricky Peterson, Ricky Lawson, Alex Al, Paulinho Da Costa, and Tony Maiden... with producer Paul Brown Sunset Sound .

    9. We just finished Phil Sheeran's new project Orchid w/Harvey Mason, Will Kennedy, Keith Jones, Andy Narrel, Eric, and others here at Nightowl.

    10. I've played and arranged for Argentinian singer Gabriella Anders' new Warner Bros. CD including a cool new version of "The Girl From Impanema" with producer Paul Brown, Carlos Vega, Boney James, and Larry Kimpel. Sunset Sound.

    11. We were tracking back in June for James Taylor's and Phil Collins' background singer Arnold McCuller. His new project features Ndugu, John Nau, and Nee Sakee, with Greg Porree producing. Nightowl.

    12. I did a few tracks for Peter White's Christmas CD. I did an arrangement of Joni Mitchell's "River" with Kenny Latimore singing, and played on a jazz session with Peter, Brian Bromberg, and Peter Erskine. Nightowl and Alpha.

    13. Speaking of Peter, I arranged and played a track for his new CD, a cover of Luther Vandross' "Don't Be A Fool." Nightowl .

    14. Tony Darren's CD, which I played on and produced with Al Schmidt is out on Telarc this spring. Nightowl, Capitol.

    15. I played all the instruments (except guitar) on two cuts on Craig Chaquico's new CD, a cover of Simply Red's “Holding Back the Years,” and keyboards on "Lights Out San Diego." Nightowl, Alpha.

    16. In the winter I did five tracks with Brian Bromberg for his new CD out now on Zebra. Nightowl.

    17. I played synths with an orchestra and mixed the score to the movie “Stinkers” to be released soon. Nightowl, Capitol

    18. Ellen Degeneres' first movie “MR WRONG” is now on video (I played synths and piano solos with an 80 piece orchestra for the score). Sony

    19. I also did the music to Rhea Pearlman's show “PEARL” with film composer Craig Safan. Nightowl

    20. I'm working on a children's TV show for Australia called “Pumkin Pete” with Barry Ennis. Nightowl

    21. I produced the Long Beach TV spot, a song written and sung by Shelby Flint. Nightowl

  •  

Gregg Karukas

Serenata Review by Kathy Parsons Mainlypiano.com

With Serenata, his first solo piano album in a long and illustrious career, Gregg Karukas dazzles, not with piano pyrotechnics, but with subtle nuance and a deep love for this music.

A mix of new and re-imagined original compositions along with “piano impressions” of Brazilian artists Milton Nacimento, Clube da Esquina and Dori Caymmi, Karukas clearly demonstrates that, in the right hands, great music (and great musicianship!) defies genres and categories to enrich the ears and hearts of anyone willing to take some time to listen. Calling the project “a labor of love that came out of the isolation of the last few months,” the album was initially inspired by a rediscovered cassette tape of his live performances from the 1990’s with Dori Caymmi and Ricardo Silveira at Le Cafe in Los Angeles. One evening, Karukas sat down at the piano and played some of the pieces from memory - a deeply emotional experience that set him off on a new adventure to create this wonderful collection of 15 solo piano gems.

A Grammy Award winner, Gregg Karukas’ 30+ year career as a keyboardist/ composer/ producer has included twelve solo albums, many #1 radio hits, touring with a variety of artists that include Sergio Mendes and Melissa Manchester, being a founding member of The Rippingtons, contributing to more than 100 albums, and sessions for many films and television shows. He has recorded and played on the world’s biggest stages with many of his Brazilian musical heroes, including Montreux Jazz with Caymmi, and multiple shows at the Hollywood Bowl with Ivan Lins, Oscar Castro Neves, Tom Jobim, Toots Thielemans, Mendes and Caymmi. Serenata brings this musical "love affair" full circle - “a crossover treat from the heart, for the heart” (Karukas’ words).

The album begins with “Travessia” by Fernando Brant and Milton Nascimento - a beautifully wistful and dreamy piece that sets the tone of the album. “Ponta de Areia,” also composed by Brant and Nascimento, conveys a warm, soothing energy in a relaxed and understated style. The title track, a Karukas original, has a sweet, simple melody that floats on the flowing left hand broken chords - a favorite! “Tudo O Que Você Podia Ser” by Lô Borges and Marcio Borges combines a jazzier, more rhythmic style with a beautifully poignant melody. Karukas’ “Better Days” is another favorite - simple, direct and from the heart. “Sound of Emotion,” (Karukas) feels like an intimate conversation without words - I love it! “Paisagem da Janela” by Fernando Brant and Lô Borges is a light and breezy bit of musical sunshine. Karukas’ tender, loving “Dori’s Song” is a heartfelt tribute to a dear friend. He also composed "Para Sempre (Until Forever)," a reflective and deeply emotional soul searching at the piano, perhaps late at night by the light of a candle - my favorite piece on the album. The last two tracks were also penned by Karukas. “Lament (Final Embrace)” is a heartbreaking goodbye that goes far beyond any words to describe it, and “Long Ago” brings the album to a very peaceful, serene close.

I sincerely hope that Serenata is just the first in a long series of solo piano albums by Gregg Karukas and predict it will be one of the best and most honored albums of 2021!

Album Links Amazon(referral)Apple/iTunes/Spotify

Contemporary Fusion Reviews - Dick Metcalf

Melodic solo keyboard magic Gregg Karukas – SERENATA:   I’ve spent a lot of time with the piano; playing it (both live and in-studio) as well as reviewing 100’s of other players, so I can tell you that solo pianist Gregg Karukas’ melodic solo keyboard is pure, unadulterated, magic!  Get an intimate look at his preview trailer for the album first…

When you SUBSCRIBE to Gregg’s YouTube channel, you will experience his magic on many other instruments as well (this is his first solo piano album ever).

The thing that truly sets Gregg’s piano apart from other pianists is his sensitivity for what the listener will need to hear; nowhere is that more evident than on his original composition, “Better Days“… his “pacing” is perfect, and every note is formed with the utmost care… DJ’s of all stripes will be plugging this into their playlists for days (and months & years) to come!

Another original composition that really impressed me is Gregg’s “Para Sempre” (Until Forever)… in his own words, “For me, the best music comes out of an inner feeling of either intense happiness or sadness”, and both moods are reflected in this emotional song.

Of the fifteen fascinating songs Gregg offers up for our piano pleasure, I found one of the shorter performances (2:59), “Lament” (Final Embrace) was my choice for personal favorite… he reaches down inside his own heart to touch yours with passion and intensity… I just LOVED this song!

I give Gregg a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED rating, with an “EQ” (energy quotient) score of 4.99.  

 

JW Vibe by Jonathan Widran

“A thoughtful, reflective and ultimately joyful work. After so many years of in-the-pocket Smooth jazz hit-making, it’s wonderful to experience Karukas’ truest heart on display. To quote one of those earlier titles, that’s truly the sound of emotion coming through loud and clear.”

 Gregg Karukas’ extraordinary success over the past 30-plus years as a #1 charting smooth jazz artist and one of the genre’s busiest sidemen make it easy to overlook the deeper elements of versatile composer/keyboardist’s expansive resume – including winning a Grammy in 2013 for his work with new age pianist Omar Akram and his many years of touring with Brazilian greats Sergio Mendes, Dori Caymmi and Ricardo Silvera in the 90’s.

 Both of those extracurriculars come into play on Serenata, a thoughtful, reflective and ultimately joyful work that marks Karukas’ first-ever solo piano album, his first release in over six years and first since losing his wife Yvonne to cancer. The unique concept – captured in the album subtitle “Piano Impressions of Milton Nascimento Clube Da Esquina and Dori Caymmi “ – grew out of a recent discovery of old cassettes of some of those Brazilian shows. Listening most attentively to his shows with Caymmi at the small L.A. club Le Café, where the singer often introduced Karukas as “my orchestra,” sparked a powerful emotional reaction.

The keyboardist also re-discovered the video of his 1992 wedding where Caymmi sang “O Cantador” – a gently wistful piece that is one of the emotional centerpieces on the generous 15 track collection. Karukas also thought back to memories of his early days driving to gigs in his hometown of Washington, DC, listening to Nascimento imports. Combining all of these inspirations with the isolation of the COVID-19 lockdown created an ideal palette for him to explore his deeper piano artistry and find the kind of healing and hope that only the music of the heart can bring. That’s the sparkling magic Karukas shares throughout from the elegant, seductive Nascimento-penned opening tracks “Travessia” and “Ponta de Aeria” to the equally subtle graces of “Club da Esquina” and Caymmi’s “Historia Antga” and the playful hypnotic romp “Paisagem de Janela.”

 In a good way, Serenata’s subtitle mentioning the Brazilian influences isn’t quite accurate because nearly half the tracks are delightful ultra-melodic Karukas originals that fit in perfectly among the works of the masters. These include solo piano reworkings of two gems from his mid-90’s smooth jazz classic Sound of Emotion (including, naturally, the soulful, tender-hearted tribute “Dori’s Song”) and moody originals whose titles (“Better Days,” “Lament (Final Embrace),” “Long Ago”) capture his process of acknowledging and letting go of the sorrows of the past and embracing the grand possibilities of the road ahead.

 After so many years of in the pocket smooth jazz hit making, it’s wonderful to experience Karukas’ truest heart on display. To quote one of those earlier titles, that’s truly the sound of emotion coming through loud and clear “A thoughtful, reflective and ultimately joyful work. After so many years of in-the-pocket Smooth jazz hit-making, it’s wonderful to experience Karukas’ truest heart on display. To quote one of those earlier titles, that’s truly the sound of emotion coming through loud and clear.”  Jonathan Widran. JW Vibe https://www.jwvibe.com/single-post/gregg-karukas-serenata

Serenata By Gregg Karukas

Written by Steve Sheppard

 There are moments in time when you really need to be lifted into a better frame of mind and sometimes, just sometimes, it will be music that will help you get there, this was the case for me this sombre Monday morning in March, when the refrains of the quite tranquil, yet deeply pleasing album entitled Serenata by Gregg Karukas lifted my mood and raised my spirits.

Gregg’s slice of piano heaven is a jam packed 15 track album of beautiful layered and textured offerings, that are all undeniably lush and beautiful. The opening piece is a fine example of that charm, as we can enjoy the first footsteps of the album with the warm and all-embracing opener Travessia.

My personal favourite from the release would be the title track Serenata, the lightness of performance and the melody together for me was a touch of magic from beyond the supposed limits of brilliance, and reminded me greatly of classic David Lanz at times.

With emotive and thoughtful offerings like Better Days or the colourful refrains of pieces like O Cantador, this album was always going to be a hit from start to finish; those who love to sit and bathe within the realms of a collection of a solo piano master class will love tracks like the touching and classy Historia Antiga, or perhaps the gentle and serene offering known as Lament (Final Embrace), a piece with a sombre, but reflective and emotional composition, one that will touch the musical heart with ease.

Serenata by Gregg Karukas is a fine collection of wondrous solo piano compositions, it is a musical tale told by one, to be felt, touched and listened to by many.

No less than 15 opportunities lay within the dimension of piano heaven, and each one of them can be sampled willingly many times over, this timeless manifestation of heartfelt moments of solo piano genius, have raised the bar in the ranks of this genre by a mile, and as such should be a huge hit for the artist should there be any justice left in this musical world of ours.

Serenata
By Gregg Karukas
Buy on Amazon

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You can also order from Amazon, but no autograph.

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