Spring/Summer 2022 Newsletter

Hi All, Here is a quick note about some upcoming events.

I'll be back east at The Berks Jazz Festival in Reading, PA April 2. (Ok, it alredy happened) This is the first full show with my new, fun live project, The GK Soul/Jazz Organ Party. I've been having a blast working stuff out on the Hammond B3 organ and playing a few local gigs with a rotating cast of all-stars. Also joining me in Reading are Brad Collins, Dan Leonard and Terence Arnett; and.....more groovy energy from the Berks Horns.

It will be the 20th Anniversary of GK and the Berks Horns! It all started when I put out the call to see if there were some local horn players to play my Berks concert in 2002, and they have backed me and many artists in the years since. Back then, songs like Back on the Boardwalk, Barracuda Bob, Snakey Shoes, I Meant What I Said and Club Havana would come to life with the addition of the horn section. This time, with Michael Anderson on sax, Rob Diener (our original trumpeter) and John Loos (our bone player for more than 10 years) we will play many classic Soul/Jazz songs and tributes to a few of our departed artist friends. A grooving, fun show.

Then in May I went to Portugal for the first time to play the Algarve Festival at the beautiful Pine Cliffs Resort. Always a great time with Christian Bossner, Sandra and the Euro gang. Great photos from Christian Nordstrom.

The new Stowaway Bar Downtown is featuring a great lineup of organ and piano players. I dropped by after the Namm show and sat in on piano with Carey Frank on organ, Vince Fossett and Jimmy Vivino from the Conan Show Band on guitar.

Lastly, I have two dates at the Laguna Festival of the Arts: July 14 with the GK Soul/Jazz Organ Party, and August 7 "Unplugged" where I will perform songs from Serenata on solo piano, and some jazz and special arrangements of my originals with jazz trio.

I've done a few guest spots on my friends' projects that are climbing up the charts now. Thom Rotella's song "Say Hey" features me on organ, and Keith McKelly's song "Don't Give Up" features me on Fender Rhodes.

We have Thom's show this Saturday June 18 at Spaghettini, Seal Beach, CA https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/Spaghettini/4030/event/1263260

Thom Rotella "Say Hey" featuring GK on organ.

Keith McKelly "Don't Give Up" featuring GK on electric piano.

We lost one of the most soulful, versatile and talented guitarists in the world recently to Covid. Ramon Stagnaro, originally from Peru, had a varied career with everyone from Gino Vanelli, Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, Dianna Ross, Yanni and countless film scores. Mostly known for his Spanish guitar, he also burned on jazz.

We first played together with Dori Caymmi in the '90's and Ramon was in the core band for my Jam Night at Cafe Cordiale with Eric Valentine, Stan Sargeant and Luis Conte. Ramon is also featured heavily on my more "world music" Grammy winning productions. We played our last organ trio gig together in December and it was such a shock to hear of his passing. A wonderful guy and musician. Here below are a couple of samples of Ramon's beautiful playing.

Ramon's solo

Ramon's solo on the Grammy winning CD in 2013. Echoes of Love. Produced, co-written and arranged by GK. Also featuring Charlie Bisharat on violin.

I also pulled out my old 1972 Fender Rhodes that had been in the case in storage for quite a while. Besides being my main ax for decades, it was used by Bob James for a couple of his CD's many years ago. I got inspired to restore it. I was originally going to sell it, but now I like how it turned out, and it has such a unique sound, so I'll probably keep it. Before and after pics.

Organ OG Ronnie Foster (Center), Mike O'Neill, Chris Foster and new friends at Vibrato....

Right: Ron Boustead, GK, Bart Samolis, Lori Andrews at the Westin Palm Desert.

2022 performance dates, so far:

April 2 - Reading, PA Berks Jazz Festival 4:30 PM Ballroom show - GK Soul/Jazz Organ Party w/ the Berks Horns

April 28 - Ventura, CA GK Soul/Jazz Organ Party at The Grape only LA area show

May 4-8 ​ ​Portugal Algarve Festival - GK show

June 16 - Ventura, CA The Twist on Main - GK on organ, Davey Miller drums/vocals, Brad Rabuchin guitar.

June 18 - Spaghettini - Gregg guests with Thom Rotella

June 25 - Temecula, CA Thornton Winery - Gregg guests with Peter White

July 14 - Laguna, CA Festival of the Arts - GK Soul/Jazz Organ Party with Thom Rotella, Keith McKelly, Tyler Hammond 5:30-7pm

July 16 - Ventura, CA GK Soul/Jazz Organ Party at The Grape with Thom Rotella, Keith McKelly, Tyler Hammond

July 24 - Temecula, CA 7PM South Coast Winery - GK with Jazmin Ghent, Darryl Williams

Aug 7 - Laguna, CA Festival of the Arts Gregg performs on grand piano; solo and with acoustic trio. 5:30-7pm

Aug 10 - Richmond. VA Tin Pan GK and Paul Brown-TOGETHER

Aug 12 Elmira, NY - GK and Paul Brown-TOGETHER....More east coast dates TBA

Aug 14 Boca Raton, FL - Funky Biscuit GK Show

October 14 Milton, DE Rehoboth Jazz Fest. Sydney’s

October 16 Rehoboth Jazz Fest. Grand Jam

November 19 Los Angeles, CA Private Event

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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