Al Degregoris - Times and Travels (2012)

Tracklist

01. Follow Your Dreams
02. Drive Time (feat. Chieli Minucci)
03. Prelude
04. Times and Travels (feat. Chieli Minucci)
05. We Don't Do That Here (feat. Jeff Kashiwa)
06. Bamboo Forest (feat. Chris Standring)
07. Dr. Groove
08. 4 X 4 (feat. Jeff Kashiwa & Joel Rosenblatt)
09. Smooth It Out (feat. Jeff Kashiwa)
10. East 86th (feat. Eric Marienthal)
11. My Father's House


A keyboardist, composer and artist of extraordinary depth and vision, Al DeGregoris was on a mission to take his sound to the next level after the success of his debut and succeeds brilliantly by complementing his own array of keyboard sounds, melodies and grooves with key contributions by the contemporary jazz elite. Despite all the star power, DeGregoris holds his own with a multi-faceted, multi-textured vibe that Jeff Lorber and Bob James would appreciate. In a genre where many artists find their pocket and continue to mine the same safe territory, DeGregoris has a blast taking stylistics leaps across cultures and time, going back to classic funk and big band, island and culture hopping and finding a few rockin sweet spots amidst the cool retro urban flow. These are Times and Travels that people are going to love experiencing. Jonathan Widran -Jonathan Widran

A complete musician who started playing at 4 and has studied with an impressive list of musicians himself, Al DeGregoris is a welcome addition to the smooth jazz field. With a style as cool and as inventive as Joe Sample, Brian Culbertson and David Benoit, DeGregoris songs are wonderfully harmonic and toe-tappingly suited to live shows and festivals. Like any great smooth jazz CD, Times & Travels mixes moods for maximum listenability. Follow Your Dreams, a bouncy ditty with horns and vibes, leads off and is as tasty as anything on smooth-jazz radio the last couple of years. DeGregoris can do funk, as he explores with We Don t Do That Here and Drive Time, the latter capturing the essence of a great Crusaders tune. Bamboo Forest is a smooth highlight, a relaxing song whose guitar work is reminiscent of Earl Klugh. Finally, DeGregoris shows off his skills with a short, solo-piano Prelude and his jazz chops with the swinging and energetic 4 X Four. Brian Soergel, JazzTimes -Brian Soergel, JazzTimes

A keyboardist, composer and artist of extraordinary depth and vision, Al DeGregoris was on a mission to take his sound to the next level after the success of his debut and succeeds brilliantly by complementing his own array of keyboard sounds, melodies and grooves with key contributions by the contemporary jazz elite. Despite all the star power, DeGregoris holds his own with a multi-faceted, multi-textured vibe that Jeff Lorber and Bob James would appreciate. In a genre where many artists find their pocket and continue to mine the same safe territory, DeGregoris has a blast taking stylistic leaps across cultures and time, going back to classic funk and big band, island and culture hopping and finding a few rockin sweet spots amidst the cool retro urban flow. These are Times and Travels that people are going to love experiencing. -Jonathan Widran, All Music

When keyboardist/composer Al DeGregoris took his leap of faith with his 2008 debut release Three Before Midnight, I m sure he didn t expect the accolades he received from master keyboardist Jeff Lorber or the internet airplay or the number of fans he would receive for that effort. Well, he has gone one better here with his sophomore release Times and Travels, a total package of up-tempo and catchy tracks combined with mellow tracks boasting sweet and charming melodies. No stranger to the scene, DeGregoris has piled up experience since age 4. As a naturally gifted multi-instrumentalist, he d not only tackled piano at 4, but sax at six and wrote his first song and formed his first band at seven. He then performed his first paying gig at 13 all of this before his formal training, which included studying classical and jazz piano. Speaking of piling up experience, he s pulled together an array of experience with guest artists here namely, guitarists Chieli Minucci and Chris Standring, saxmen Jeff Kashiwa and Eric Marienthal, and drummer Joel Rosenblatt. A no-miss combination indeed. Formal training aside, from your first listen, you can instantly tell and feel that the keyboardist has so much soul and natural instinct for what just sounds right and promising. His fluid style and obvious innate perception of what constitutes quality is ever evident here. Striking are the original, catchy, and diverse nature of the material as displayed in the comforting melodies of all of the mid-tempo pieces, the manner in which he soars and bops through his soulful and high-steppin material, and even a peek into his classical training (check out the brief Prelude and the very first notes of the solid, magnetic, and rhythmic title track). DeGregoris clearly has a handle on the funk element, as well, as you can hear on tracks such as the slammin We Don t Do That Here, Dr. Groove, and Smooth It Out. Equally effective are the contagious and somewhat exotic track Bamboo Forest, the bluesy, bass-walkin 4 x 4, the snappy lead track Follow Your Dreams, and the two driving hit-the-dance-floor tracks, Drive Time (featuring classic Chieli Minucci chops) and East 86th (featuring classic Eric Marienthal chops). Taking it down a notch in his finale, you can simply sit and sway to the gentleness and the celestial feel of My Father s House with its quiet rhythm and caressing strings. A nice way to cool down after such a high energy workout. DeGregoris has style, charisma, and genuine creativity three ingredients necessary to capture not just the attention of the listener but the very soul of the sound and talent such a gifted artist wishes to convey. -Ronald Jackson, Then Smooth Jazz Ride

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