Rarely do you find a guitarist who creates an album with such meticulousness as Blake Aaron. Love and Rhythm is his sixth album and he has once again designed it with great attention to detail.
His previous albums are With Every Touch (2001), Bringin' It Back (2003), Desire (2007), Soul Stories (2015) and Color And Passion (2020). Remarkable over this long period, all albums have been released on Innervision Records.
The credits show that an unusually large number of high professional musicians were involved. The album was produced by Adam Hawley, Greg Manning, and Blake Aaron. Blake penned the pieces in collaboration with the respective producers and the musicians involved.
The album opens with Dreamland a piece that adapts streamlined to the current smooth jazz style. There is a hint of George Benson, and everything is perfect in its realization and joy of playing.
On Feels So Right, Aaron radiates positive energy and cheerfulness, a self-starter of good mood. This is the hymn for a sunny day. She’s the One is written in the spirit of Earth, Wind & Fire. Guitar, strings and horns combine to create a perfect full-sounding but not over-arranged composition.
Crush is the popular phrase for the person you have special feelings for. Blake gives this nucleus of longing a personal musical reflection. Attractiveness is also the musical theme of Irresistible, a melody that offers a fitting equivalent to this word. He captivates the listener with skillful vibrations. Pianist Tateng Katindig skillfully picks up the phrases in turn to implement them further.
You throw a flat stone onto the surface of the water and make it jump several times. The musical guitar theme is also repeated in Big Bounce, whereby the repeated motifs are always interpreted further.
The graceful, rhythmic, or alluring motion or behavior that captivates or attracts attention Blake also implements in his next piece The Way You Sway. The guitar recital is again accompanied by a sumptuous horn and string arrangement of orchestral quality.
With Diamond In The Sun Blake hollers the person which is
exceptional, unique, and standing out among others, just like a
diamond sparkling in the sunlight. A romantic and evocative
admiration set in tones.
Rise is not a cover of
Herb Alpert's famous song but is more in the tradition of Pat
Metheny's early phase that made him immortal. Stylistically, it
sets itself apart from the previous tracks and takes on a more
complex narrative theme, in which not only Blake on guitar but
also Greg Manning shines on the keys.
The final tune Alter Ego features saxophonist Bob Mintzer in a piece that approaches fusion jazz in the style of Joe Zawinul's Weather Report. Highlights are Bob's improvisations on sax, supported by Hussain Jiffry's fast bass runs.
With his album Love And Rhythm, Blake Aaron pursues different approaches conceptually. Predominantly located in the smooth jazz genre, Blake offers jazzy alternatives at the end. So every listener will find something valuable for their personal taste.
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Album Information
Title: Love And Rhythm
Artist: Blake Aaron
Year: 2024
Genre: Smooth Jazz
Label: Innervision Records
Tracks:
1) "Dreamland" (4:27)
2) "Feels So Right" (4:42)
3) "She's the One" (4:38)
4) "Crush" (4:17)
5) "Irresistible" (5:26)
6) "Big Bounce" (4:31)
7) "The Way You Sway" (4:48)
8) "Diamond In The Sun" (4:37)
9) "Rise" (6:14)
10) "Alter Ego" (6:42)
Credits:
1) Dreamland
(Written by Blake Aaron & Adam Hawley)
BLAKE AARON MUSIC/BMI, MBFENTERTAINMENT/ASCAP
Produced by Adam Hawley
Blake Aaron: Lead Guitar
Adam Hawley: Rhythm Guitars, Synths, Programming
Eric Valentine: Drums
Mel Brown: Bass
David Mann: Horn Arrangement, Saxophones
Trevor Neumann: Trumpet
Mixed by Adam Hawley
2) Feels So Right
(Written by: Blake Aaron & Greg Manning)
BLAKE AARON MUSIC/BMI, RETHCAW MUSIC/ASCAP
Produced by Greg Manning
Blake Aaron: Lead and Rhythm Guitars
Ken Turner: Vocals
Eric Valentine: Drums
Alex Al: Bass
Greg Manning: Piano and Keyboards
Jimmy Reid: Saxophone
David Mann: Horn Arrangement, Saxophones
Trevor Neumann: Trumpet
Mixed by Greg Manning at Greg Manning Studios Las Vegas
3) She’s the One
(Written by Blake Aaron, Adam Hawley and Carnell Harrell)
BLAKE AARON MUSIC/BMI, MBFENTERTAINMENT/ASCAP,
CNOTE01 PRODUCTIONS/ASCAP
Produced by Adam Hawley
Blake Aaron: Lead Guitar
Adam Hawley: Rhythm Guitars, Synths, Programming
Eric Valentine: Drums
Mel Brown: Bass
Michael Stever: Horn Arrangement, Trumpet
Andrew Neu: Saxophone
Nick Lane: Trombone
Tyries Rolfe: String Arrangement, Strings
Mixed by Adam Hawley
4) Crush
(Written by Blake Aaron, Adam Hawley & Caleb Middleton)
BLAKE AARON MUSIC/BMI, MBFENTERTAINMENT/ASCAP,
PRODUCTIONS BY MIDDLETON PUBLISHING/BMI
Produced by Adam Hawley
Blake Aaron: Lead Guitar
Adam Hawley: Rhythm Guitars, Synths, Programming
Eric Valentine: Drums
Mel Brown: Bass
David Mann: Horn Arrangement, Saxophones
Trevor Neumann: Trumpet
Ramon Yslas: Percussion
Mixed by Adam Hawley
5) Irresistible
(Written by: Blake Aaron & Kevin Stancil)
BLAKE AARON MUSIC/BMI, GARSVEK MUSIC/BMI
Produced by Blake Aaron
Blake Aaron: Lead and Rhythm Guitars, Keyboards, Programming
Tony Moore: Drums
Mel Brown: Bass
Tateng Katindig: Piano and Keyboards
Mixed by Blake Aaron at Blake Aaron Studios, Los Angeles, CA
6) Big Bounce
(Written by Blake Aaron & Adam Hawley)
BLAKE AARON MUSIC/BMI, MBFENTERTAINMENT/ASCAP
Produced by Adam Hawley
Blake Aaron: Lead Guitar
Adam Hawley: Rhythm Guitars, Synths, Programming
Eric Valentine: Drums
Mel Brown: Bass
Donald Hayes: Saxophone
David Mann: Horn Arrangement, Saxophones
Mixed by Adam Hawley7) The Way You Sway
(Written by: Blake Aaron)
BLAKE AARON MUSIC/BMI
Produced by Blake Aaron
Blake Aaron: Lead and Rhythm Guitars, Keyboards, Programming
Tony Moore: Drums
Mel Brown: Bass
Carnell Harrell: Piano and Keyboards
Michael Stever: Horn Arrangement, Trumpet
Andrew Neu: Saxophone
Nick Lane: Trombone
Tyries Rolfe: String Arrangement, Strings
Ramon Yslas: Percussion
8) Diamond in the Sun
(Written by Blake Aaron & Adam Hawley)
BLAKE AARON MUSIC/BMI, MBFENTERTAINMENT/ASCAP
Produced by Adam Hawley
Blake Aaron: Lead Guitar
Adam Hawley: Rhythm Guitars, Synths, Programming
Eric Valentine: Drums
Mel Brown: Bass
Donald Hayes: Saxophone
David Mann: Horn Arrangement, Saxophones
Ramon Yslas: Percussion
Mixed by Adam Hawley
9) Rise
(Written by: Greg Manning & Blake Aaron)
BLAKE AARON MUSIC/BMI, RETHCAW MUSIC/ASCAP
Produced by Greg Manning & Blake Aaron
Blake Aaron: Lead and Acoustic Guitars, Mandolin
Will Kennedy: Drums
Hussain Jiffry: Bass
Greg Manning: Piano and Keyboards
Mixed by Greg Manning at Greg Manning Studios Las Vegas10) Alter Ego
(Written by: Blake Aaron)
BLAKE AARON MUSIC/BMI
Produced by Blake Aaron
Blake Aaron: Lead Guitar, Keyboards, Programming
Bob Mintzer: Tenor Saxophone
Will Kennedy: Drums
Hussain Jiffry: Bass
Tateng Katindig: Piano and Keyboards
Mixed by Blake Aaron at Blake Aaron Studios, Los Angeles, CA
All songs mastered by Steve Hall
Tony Moore’s drum tracks recorded and processed at Mike Parlett Studios, Los
Angeles, CA
Will Kennedy’s drum tracks and Hussain Jiffry’s bass tracks recorded at Herb Alpert
Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Artwork and layout by Robert McLain at the Sundial Agency
Photography by Mark Maryanovich
BlakeAaron.com Facebook.com/BlakeAaronArtist Instagram.com/BlakeAaronMusic
Twitter.com/BlakeAaronMusic TikTok@BlakeAaronMusic
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