Spring 2024 Newsletter

Happy Spring. We're all ready for some sunshine and warm weather.  We had plenty of rain in SoCal, and I got to know my roof better- thankfully just one leak of a whirly vent that I was able to cover without too much ceiling damage. No floods, since I'm on a hill.

We had a great show in Rancho Mirage with Peter White, Michael Paulo and singer/songwriter Spencer Day. We hadn't played with Spencer in a few years, the last time was in Manila for a benefit for the typhoon victims.

My son, Alex, and his wife Courtney's LA wedding party was very cool, where they performed a whole parody of "The Bachelor".  

I have lots of fun, diverse performances coming up: piano trio, my full original band, soul/jazz organ and more. Just the way I like it.

I'm looking forward to playing a special concert of songs from the new stage musical "Flashes of Light" by Billy Larkin and Ron Boustead about the life of inventor Nikola Tesla and his muse, the goddess Electra. 

Many of you know Ron as my songwriting/singer collaborator on Sound of Emotion, Home for the Holidays, Road Back to Love, Learning to Dance, Love Like This and As good as It Gets (Deniece Williams); also Best Man at our wedding, mastering engineer and jazz/pop artist in his own right. The project is debuting ***March 27 & 28 at the El Portal Theater in North Hollywood. It will feature many great young singers, special guests Robbie Wyckoff (Pablo Cruise) and Arnold McCuller (James Taylor, Phil Collins) and a live band (with me on keyboards). 

I have been witnessing the development of this fantastic show over the last few years and I'm excited that it is now coming to the stage as a showcase for the songs....ultimately, hopefully becoming a full blown Broadway musical. It is a semi-finalist in the 2024 The Eugene O'Neill National Music Theater Conference, which proudly supports the development of all styles and genres of music theater, including musicals, song cycles, operas, and hybrid works. 

The Tale of Nikola Tesla and the Goddess Electra

What if the most brilliant inventor of all time was secretly being assisted by a powerful goddess from another realm?

Tesla, the name of the man whose genius changed the world for the better. Unfortunately, his accomplishments and dramatic place in history have been overshadowed by modern, automotive corporate branding. Most of the story is true, based on actual historical events. Behind the scenes, or I should say, above, the celestial force that inspired his genius will be revealed in this special performance.

Written by Billy Larkin and Ron Boustead, this concert of songs from the new musical FLASHES OF LIGHT brings to life the story of inventor Nikola Tesla and his muse, Electra, Goddess of the Storm Clouds.
The music is a modern blend of Jazz, Pop and Rock with haunting melodies, heartfelt lyrics and soaring vocals. This imaginative tale, told through song, promises to be an electric night of live music. 
Featuring Billy Larkin, Gregg Karukas, Ernest Tibbs, Dave Tull, Devyn Rush, Payson Lewis, Ron Boustead, ARORA, and special guests Robbie Wyckoff and Arnold McCuller.
TICKETS HERE

Here's the link for Flashes of Light to share with your musical loving friends. And if you want to donate: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/flashes-of-light#/

2024 Shows so far


March 22 - Topanga Canyon Bistro   GK piano trio with Ken Wild and Kendall Kay on drums

***March 27-28 - North Hollywood, CA El Portal Theater   "Flashes of Light" Musical concert

April 19 - Ventura, CA The Grape - GK full show w/ Woody Mankowski, Michael O'Neill, Darryl Williams and Joel Taylor

April 21 - Seal Beach, CA - SPAGHETTINI  6:30pm GK full show w/ Woody Mankowski, Michael O'Neill, Darryl Williams and Joel Taylor

April 26 - Pasadena, CA 1881 E. Washington Bl. - GK Soul/Jazz Party GK on Hammond organ with Joel Taylor and guitar TBA

June 8 - Dallas, TX Bishop Arts Jazz Series - Co-bill with Mindi Abair
June 23 - Detroit, MI   Tentative
July 21 - Temecula, CA  South Coast Winery - GK, Chris Standring and Patrick Lamb
Aug 8 - Laguna Beach, CA  Festival of the Arts GK unplugged piano trio/solo
Aug 23 - Paso Robles, CA   Libretto  GK piano trio/solo on the Steinway 9ft. concert grand
October 1-13 East Coast TBA:
October 3 - Annapolis, MD  Ramshead on Stage
Nov 9 - Austin, TX  Horseshoe Bay Resort All-Star Show with GK, Peter White, Chris Walker, Paul Brown, Michael Paulo

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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