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Gerald Albright, Gerald Albright Kickin'

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Title: Kickin' It Up
Release date: 6 August, 2004
Record label: GRP
Single:
Official website: Gerald Albright
Wikipedia: Gerald Albright

Tracklisting

1 4 On The Floor
2 To The Max
3 Why Georgia
4 Walker's Theme
5 Condition Of My Heart
6 Throw Yo Hands (In The Air)
7 Father's Lullaby
8 On The One
9 Kickin' It Up
10 If You Don't Know Me By Now

Gerald Albright: Kickin' It Up - Kickin' It Up

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On June 8, 2004, saxophonist/composer Gerald Albright will release his sophomore outing for GRP. Co-produced by Albright with Jeff Lorber, Rex Rideout and Luther "Mano" Hanes, Kickin' It Up is the smooth jazz master's winning successor to his 2002 chart-topping label debut Groovology.

Acclaimed for his stylistic virtuosity (jazz, funk and R&B), heavily rotated for his pop-smart melodies, beloved for his mellifluous sound and warmdaddy soul, Albright has come up with a recording that's guaranteed to surpass the expectations of critics, programmers and fans alike.


Blessed by contributions from sixteen of the best singers and players catching wreck in today's smooth jazz, R&B and hip hop scenes (including Lorber, George Duke, Peter White and Chuckii Booker), Albright's interpretive skills, artistic inspiration and creative execution ascend to a whole 'nother level. As per usual, Albright's interpretations of modern pop classics either rival (Brian McKnight's "Condition Of My Heart"), transcend (Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes' "If You Don't Know Me By Now") or reinvent (John Mayer's' "Why Georgia") the originals.


No mean feat that, but it's the seven remaining originals that fully live up to the album's title boast: "4 On The Floor" is a piquant blast of R&B jazz swing. "Too The Max" is a joyous slice of southern fatback jazz funk. "Walker's Theme" is a soulfully breezy homage to the late, great Motown saxman Junior Walker. "Throw Yo' Hands (In the Air)"got a slo-burning, Saturday nite house party vibe goin' on. "On the One" is the answer to the question, "What if Maceo and Sly Stone cut a record together?". "Kickin' It Up" is EWF's "Serpentine Fire" on a cool smooth jazz tip. "Father's Lullaby" is so damn heart-tuggingly misty-eyed that you want to jump up and call your old man right now.


With Kickin' It Up, Gerald Albright once again raises smooth jazz's bar to a height that all his peers must rise to.

Albright is currently on tour with the Grooving for Grover featuring Jeff Lorber, Richard Elliot and Paul Taylor while also recording with Anita Baker on her new release.

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