Soul/Jazz and Brazilian Party w/ special guest Ricardo Silveira- Fall dates

New Soul/Jazz Brazilian Party shows w/ special guest Ricardo Silveira announced:

October 12- Blues Alley, Washington, DC, Rehoboth Jazz Fest. October 14, Spaghettini October 28, Seal Beach,CA, The Grape November 5.

MD/DC native and Grammy winning keyboardist and composer Gregg Karukas teams with his long- time collaborator, Brazilian guitarist Ricardo Silveira for a brief US tour on both coasts. Their Soul/Jazz and Brazilian Party highlights music from their solo projects as well as tributes to Milton Nascimento, Herbie Mann, Jimmy Smith and other Soul/Jazz greats. Gregg made his first appearances at Blues Alley as the original keyboardist with Tim Eyermann and East Coast Offering and Natural Bridge, and has returned over the last 30+ years with his own shows and stints with guitarist Peter White. Gregg was a founding member of The Rippingtons in 1986 and has toured with Boney James, Dave Koz, Larry Carlton, Rick Braun, Shelby Flint, Melissa Manchester, Alphonse Mouzon, Brenda Russell and Jeffrey Osborne.

Gregg and Ricardo first toured together with Dori Caymmi and Sergio Mendes in the 1990's; Gregg then joined Ricardo for his 1991 tour with Brazilian masters Nico Assumcao and Carlos Bala.

Ricardo could be considered the "Larry Carlton of Brazil", and is a veteran of tours and hundreds of recordings with great Brazilian artists like João Bosco, Milton Nascimento, Ivan Lins, Elis Regina, Gilberto Gil, João Donato, Emílio Santiago, Hermeto Paschoal, Márcio Montarroyos, etc. Ricardo's first sessions in LA were on Gregg's "Key Witness" CD in 1990 and his distinctive guitar touch has been featured on almost all of Karukas' subsequent chart topping projects. Ricardo's CD's "Amazon Secrets" and "Small World" featured Gregg on keys, and all were among the top five played on the radio, with "Sky Light" and "Amazon Secrets" hitting #1.

......."Gregg Karukas’ music is the epitome of class and elegance…he’s got such a nuanced touch on the piano, and his compositions are always so satisfying. Add in a great ability to communicate live, and you have an all-around great talent."  Dave Koz


www.karukas.com

For interviews. contact 510-893-4705

https://youtu.be/PdLXf78Jrr8
https://youtu.be/o4gjpz3oTd0?t=137


www.ricardosilveira.com

https://youtu.be/Tk8L5rssqBs


RICARDO SILVEIRA:
Ricardo Silveira is one of the main voices of the Brazilian guitar. With a peculiar and sophisticated language, he shows a lot of personality in his compositions and has released many CD's between Brazil and the USA. His refined touch can be heard in hundreds of recordings and shows with great Brazilian artists like João Bosco, Milton Nascimento, Ivan Lins, Elis Regina, Gilberto Gil, João Donato,Luís Melodia, Emílio Santiago, Hermeto Paschoal, Ney Matogrosso, Márcio Montarroyos, etc.

In his international career, he worked with Herbie Mann, played and recorded with several musicians from the world/instrumental scene such as Hubert Laws, Randy Brecker, Pat Metheny, Wayne Shorter, Don and Dave Grusin, Gregg Karukas, John Patitucci, Lionel  Hampton, Jason Miles, L. Shankar, among others.

More on Ricardo: He has more than 20 releases and a Grammy Awards nomination. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Ricardo Silveira studied classical guitar, music theory and attended the National School of Music in Rio de Janeiro. After a year at Berklee, he returned to Brazil, where he spent two months doing shows with Márcio Montarroyos. Back in Boston, on the recommendation of guitarist Bill Frisell, he started working with a salsa band, Latin Stars, one of his first professional jobs in the United States.On weekends, Ricardo left Boston on his way to New York, where he played with the Brazilian group Astra Carnival. Recommended by trumpeter Claudio Roditi, Silveira was invited to join the group of flutist Herbie Mann, with whom he toured the United States for two years. At that time, living in New York, he also started working in studios participating in recordings alongside great musicians such as Steve Gadd, Richard Tee, Marcus Miller, Michael Brecker, Jason Miles, Nana Vasconcelos, L. Shankar.


Despite four years working abroad, Ricardo maintained contact with Brazilian music. In fact, most of the invitations to play abroad came also because he is a Brazilian musician and is fluent in different languages and musical styles. At the recommendation of producer and musician Liminha, when they met in the United States, he was invited to tour the album "Aquela Mulher" with the renowned singer Elis Regina. In the same period he began to work intensively on recordings of jingles and records by various artists. After touring with Elis Regina, Ricardo started playing with other big names in MPB such as Hermeto Pascoal, Maria Bethânia, Gilberto Gil, Milton Nascimento, João Bosco, Ivan Lins, Nana Caymmi and Ney Matogrosso, with whom he also made arrangements and musical direction .

Between shows and recordings of great names in Brazilian music, Ricardo began to develop his solo project. His first album was "Bom de Tocar" ("Good to Play" Polygram), released in 1984. The song was so successful that it became a theme for Rádio Globo FM, remaining on the air for 10 years, and immortalizing his guitar solos in the title song.

Due to the impact, the guitarist was invited to play at the first Free Jazz Festival in 1985. For the show, he invited talented friends: bassist Nico Assumpção, pianist Luiz Avellar, drummer Carlos Bala and New York saxophonist Steve Slagle.The result was so good on stage that the quartet promoted the recording of the album "High Life", released in 1986 by the Elektra Musician label. The second solo album, "Ricardo Silveira" came in 1987. In the United States, it was named "Long Distance" by the Verve Forecast label, which launched in addition to this, the titles "Sky Light", "Amazon Secrets" and "Small World" which featured Gregg Karukas on keys. All were among the top five American jazz artists played on the radio, with Sky Light and Amazon Secrets hitting #1.

In the United States, in addition to touring with Herbie Mann, he played with names such as Sergio Mendes, Don Grusin, Dave Grusin, Oscar Castro Neves, Dori Caymmi, Nathan East, Vanessa Williams, El Debarge, Diana Ross, Brenda Russel, Justo Almario, Toots Tiellemans , Baby Face, John Pisano, Kevin Lethau, Ronnie Foster, Harvey Mason, Paty Austin, David Sanborn, Pat Metheny, Phil Perry, Ernie Watts, Gregg Karukas and Abe Laboriel. With Matt Bianco, Silveira was in Europe and Japan twice, where he also made eight trips with Sadao Watanabe and Don Grusin.

In 1995 he recorded “Storyteller” for the Kokopelli label, which was also among the top five most played.

In 2001, the CD "Noite Clara" was released in Brazil by MPB and in 2003 in the USA by Adventure Music. This work was nominated for a Latin Grammy in 2004 in the Best Instrumental CD category.

In 2003, in partnership with pianist Luiz Avellar, both with experience touring alongside Milton Nascimento, they recorded the CD "Ricardo Silveira and Luiz Avelar live playing Milton Nascimento".

From 2006 to 2009, he was host of the TV show "Studio 66" at Canal Brasil, in more than 70 programs that received several artists for a chat and musical improvisations. Several names went through the program, such as Egberto Gismonti, João Donato, Paulo Moura, Carlos Malta, João Bosco, Yamandú Costa, Chico Pinheiro, Hélio Delmiro and Guinga.

In July 2007, “Outro Rio”, his tenth work, was released in the United States, and in February 2008 in Brazil, respectively, on the labels Adventure Music and MPB. In 2008 he produced the CD “In a different way” by singer Emilio Santiago who won TIM as "Best album of the year MPB". Ricardo participated in the CD "Randy in Brasil" by trumpeter Randy Brecker, who won a Grammy in 2009 for Best Contemporary Jazz Album.  

Still in 2009, he signed the musical direction for the work of singer and composer João Bosco "I am not going to heaven, but I no longer live on the ground", which in 2010 was nominated for the Brazilian Music Award and the Latin Grammy for Best MPB Album. In 2010, he released the CD “até Amanhã”. In this album, Ricardo gathers his best known songs with new arrangements signed by Ricardo himself, Vittor Santos, Jessé Sadoc and Marcelo Martins.

2013 was a year of intense musical production. In addition to concerts and recordings, Ricardo released two works, for the time being only in the USA: “RSVC”, a double album with Vinicius Cantuária and “Atlânticos”, duo with guitarist Roberto Tauffic. Not to mention the relaunch of “Storyteller” by Adventure Music in the North American market. With this same fast pace, in 2014 it was the turn of the double CD “Ricardo Silveira Organ Trio”, released in the USA, an old dream of Ricardo's to explore the sounds of a jazz trio based on the sound of a Hammond B3 Organ.

In 2016, two works were released: Cd “Cosmos” Ricardo Silveira & John Leftwich, inviting Hubert Laws and Kiko Freitas and the CD / DVD Ricardo Silveira Quartet “Live in Jericoacoara”, recorded during the Choro Jazz Festival. In 2017, he launched the trio work on digital platforms: “Simbora”.The years of 2018 and 2019 were permeated by international shows and tours alongside João Bosco, Banda Zil, concerts of his authorial work and didactic events such as seminars and workshops in Brazil and abroad.In 2020 he produced a solo guitar work that will be released in 2021, as well as 2 online courses.

"Talking about Ricardo Silveira is a very easy thing for me, because in addition to being a great friend for many years, he plays extremely well, always has a special sensitivity in arrangements, execution, improvisations and accompaniment. After I came to the United States, we met many times and did some shows with two guitars and it was always great to be with him, with great joy!"   Romero Lubambo

“When I was at Polygram, I met Ricardinho and I realized that he was a guitarist who did something easy to hear, with higher quality. We weren't doing things like that, instrumental, but it made me want to have it in the cast right away. The recordings of Bom de Tocar went easily, Ricardo with darn good taste and this record was very remarkable. I feel happy to have participated in this kickoff and then to see it playing all over the world!"  Roberto Menescal

GREGG KARUKAS:

Grammy winning keyboardist Gregg Karukas adds another ultra-cool Live Performance project to his melodic, piano centered career as he tames the vintage "beast", the Hammond B3, playing  Soul/Jazz and Brazilian for the 21st century with a rotating cast of all-stars. Fans of all things groovy will love The GK Soul Jazz Party as Gregg invites listeners to recall classic songs - tributes to the masters, Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff, Charles Earland, Lou Donaldson and some of our recently departed favorite contemporary artists.


 "Trying new things is what it's all about..", says Gregg. "Most all of my recordings have featured grand piano or Fender Rhodes; but recently, I have had so much fun jamming on my vintage Hammond organ, and have made it a personal challenge to develop my own sound on this beast while holding down the bass parts with my left hand and pedals."  

Organic, funky, and melodic: the essential qualities that have defined Grammy winning keyboardist/composer/producer Gregg Karukas’ 13 solo CD's over a three decade career, with many #1 radio hits, both sophisticated and accessible. A prolific, genre-crossing veteran of the Contemporary Jazz scene, Gregg was a founding member of The Rippingtons in 1986 and has toured with Boney James, Dave Koz, Larry Carlton, Sergio Mendes, Dori Caymmi, Ricardo Silveira, Peter White, Rick Braun, Shelby Flint, Melissa Manchester, Alphonse Mouzon, Brenda Russell and Jeffrey Osborne.

Gregg recently released his 1st ever solo piano project, "Serenata - Piano Impressions of Milton Nascimento, Clube da Esquina and Dori Caymmi".

"With his first solo piano album, Grammy winner Gregg Karukas dazzles, not with piano pyrotechnics, but with subtle nuance and a deep love for this music. A mix of original compositions along with piano impressions of Brazilian artists Milton Nascimento, 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. Serenata is sure to be one of the best and most honored albums of 2021 !"   Kathy Parsons - MainlyPiano.com  


“Serenata” is the definition of solo piano heaven.  It is easy to tell that this is an artist on the very top of his game. The music goes straight to the heart - and stays there.  It has moved me deeply, and several of the pieces here will be included in our permanent playlist, to play for years and years. Fantastic work."    BT Fasmer   New Age Music Guide  

"People say my music sounds romantic and uplifting - and I look so happy on stage,” Gregg says. “It's totally true. For me, the best music comes out of an inner feeling of either intense happiness or sadness. I always try to stay faithful to that original inspiration, because that is where the true ‘sound of emotion’ comes from.” That uplifting attitude shows in his concerts, as Karukas has emerged over the years as one of the genre's most dynamic and inspiring live performers. We can expect to hear a little of everything from this ultra-melodic keyboard artist and his all-star band.

Gregg honed his multi-keyboard, synth programming, songwriting and album production skills in the studios and clubs of Washington, DC, paying dues thru the early '80's with Jazz/Fusion groups Tim Eyermann and East Coast Offering and Natural Bridge. Since moving to Los Angeles in late 1982, his first major sessions were playing synthesizers and bass lines for Rockwell's Motown Gold Album "Somebody's Watching Me", then arranging and playing the theme songs to Disney's Ducktales and Chip and Dale's Rescue Rangers. While doing lots of TV/Film music sessions, (Cheers, Stand and Deliver, Life Goes On, Mr. Wrong) Gregg kept developing his own original contemporary jazz catalog on the LA club scene and The Gregg Karukas Group became the house band for It's Garry Shandling's Show on Showtime.

- Gregg just headlined the Berks Jazz Festival in April 2022, and Algarve Portugal Smooth Jazz Fest. May 2022; Catalina Island Jazztrax Festival Oct 16, 2021 (co / bill with Jeffrey Osborne).
- Gregg charted 2 - #1 hits from his recent CD: "Soul Secrets". "Rio Drive" was the #1 song of 2015.
- Gregg won the Grammy in 2013 for producing, composing, playing all keyboards, arranging the Best New Age Album ("Echoes of Love").
- Gregg helped launch Dave Koz Music Cruises in 2011-2013 as Musical Director.
- Gregg co-wrote Jessy J.'s smash hit "Tropical Rain". 12+ weeks at #1.
- Gregg's group was the house band for It's Garry Shandling's Show on Showtime.
- Gregg arranged and played the theme songs to Disney's Ducktales and Chip and Dale's Rescue Rangers; played keys on Rockwell's Gold Album "Somebody's Watching Me".

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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