HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS FEATURING SHELBY FLINT
w/ John Leftwich and Joel Taylor
Let's get right to the special deal. For a limited time, we are offering a package of 10 Home for the Holidays CD's for $100 - including shipping to the lower 48 states. (international will be $120). $100 ensures you have plenty of last minute gifts - gifts that show you are an enlightened music connoisseur - to share as you make the rounds of your family and friends' holiday gatherings - and we guarantee they will love the music and you will be remembered as the coolest holiday guest, or gift-giver.
Gregg Karukas and Shelby Flint bring all the warmth of the season with “Home for the Holidays”, an “unplugged” Holiday Jazz concert featuring music from their CD that immediately gained massive air play on both Mainstream, and Contemporary Jazz formats upon its initial release. It features Gregg’s innovative trio arrangements of holiday classics, and four originals written or co-written by legendary singer-songwriter Shelby Flint (“Angel on my Shoulder”).
“I started out copying a girl named Shelby Flint…
”Joni Mitchell / Mirabella Magazine
The simple song she wrote and sang as a teenager still resonates as the prototype for the entire female singer/songwriter genre. Shelby Flint's "Angel on My Shoulder" became a Top 30 hit on the radio in 1960 and launched a record company (Video: Story of Valiant Records Valiant Records ). Another radio hit was “Cast Your Fate to the Wind”).
After raising a family and having worked in the company of artists such as Chick Corea, Tom Scott, and Al Jarreau, Ms. Flint’s own compositions and arrangements began to reflect the influences of jazz, latin, and R & B. In 1981, her work in the L.A. studios on albums, soundtracks such as Charlie Brown TV specials and films such as "Valley of the Dolls", “The Rescuers" "Someone's Waiting for You" which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song, "Breezy" and commercials earned her a NARAS “Most Valuable Player” nomination.
On “Home for the Holidays”, singer / songwriter Shelby Flint’s soulful, airy voice captures all the warmth of the season and brings new life to well known standards. Shelby and Gregg’s hit,“I Keep it to Myself”, from Gregg’s release, “Sound of Emotion”, was featured on the 94.7 Wave-Aid 6 compilation release which has sold over 100,000 copies nationwide. Shelby is also featured on Gregg's current #1 hit, "Rio Drive".
LA JAZZ SCENE REVIEW Home For The Holidays / Nightowl Records
Many contemporary jazz artists are criticized for their lack of inventiveness and lack of improvisation that marks a true jazz player, but even as keyboard whiz Gregg Karukas has topped the pop/jazz charts, his skill with improv and harmonic surprises has never ceased to amaze.Those looking for more of Karukas' jazz roots will find them on this lush, glorious holiday treat, which strips away the synthesizer and other electric appliances for a tender yet energetic trio date that truly captures the warmth and intimacy of the season, plus a softer side of Karukas his Positive albums only hint at.
Eased along by the rhythm section of John Leftwich and Joel Taylor, Karukas weaves freshness into well-worn standards, offering a Vince Guaraldi-like treatment of "Oh Tannenbaum," simplifying "White Christmas" to haunting effect, and saving his most spirited improvs for a swinging, mind boggingly speedy tour through "Winter Wonderland." His acoustic piano touch has never been sweeter, crisper or more emotional than these interpretations. The ultimate in "Unplugged!"
Adding passionate drama to this gem are the breathy, poignant vocal stylings of longtime cohort Shelby Flint, who displays her well-revered jazz scatting abilities on "Winter Wonderland," but shows a more restrained (though no less emotional ) side on "Have Yourself..." She also makes the four originals here (three of which she wrote or co-wrote) sound like standards we've heard for years. Perhaps one day they will be.All in all, a beautiful holiday treat for all, a jazz collection even those who favor pop can treasure. - Jonathan Widran
"I’m so happy to let you know I’ve coaxed my long-time friend and collaborator, singer/songwriter Shelby Flint, out of semi-retirement to perform some Holiday Jazz shows with my group this December. In addition to music from Home for the Holidays, I'll play some #1 hits from my solo CD's: Rio Drive, Girl in the Red Dress, and others, unplugged, and you can hear Shelby sing some of her wonderful songs such as: Angel On My Shoulder and I Keep it to Myself."
"Our history goes way back to the fall of 1982 when I relocated to Los Angeles after playing around the DC area for many years. My first call to play in LA came after no less than a few days in town. Yellowjackets keyboardist Russell Ferrante recommended me to Shelby Flint who called me to play with her band that included some of the best musicians in LA: Denny Seiwell from Paul McCartney and Wings; Bill Bodine from Joan Armatrading; Jerry Steinholtz from Lee Ritenour, Diana Ross; and Jerry Peterson from Kim Carnes and Billy Vera. My 12th day in town, I was playing 3 sets of Shelby’s sophisticated jazz/pop originals at Donte’s, the famous jazz club in North Hollywood.....with no rehearsal."
"We continued to work together for years at At My Place, Le Café, Catalina and Monterey Jazz Festivals and various fine arts theaters where, besides performing all of Shelby’s originals with her band, and my own shows, we have had an annual tradition performing music from our critically acclaimed CD, Home for the Holidays and other originals, “unplugged”, from our solo CD’s."