David Diggs – David Diggs Big Band (2010)

A soulful blend of jazz and R&B creates the distinctive blue-eyed soul sound of California-based keyboardist, composer, and arranger David Diggs. Named one of three best new artists by Cash Box and Billboard in 1985, when his fourth solo album, Streetshadows, spent 26 weeks in the Top Ten of Billboard's jazz charts, Diggs has continued to make his presence felt as a producer/arranger. His resumé includes producing, arranging strings and horns, and playing on recordings by Quincy Jones, Irene Cara, Jonathan Butler, Richie Furay, the Brothers Johnson, and Pat and Debby Boone. He has produced three Grammy-nominated albums: Bob Bailey's I'm Walking, Barry McGuire, and the music for comedian Jonathan Winters' Finally Captured, Vol. 1. He has gone from listening to albums by Buffalo Springfield as a teen to producing, arranging, and touring with Richie Furay.

Diggs consistently uses top-notch, Los Angeles-based session players on his own recordings. His most successful album, Streetshadows, featured guitarist Lee Ritenour, drummer Harvey Mason, saxophonist Ernie Watts, violinist Doug Cameron, and vocalists Dianne Reeves and Bob Carlisle. ~ Craig Harris