Cool, melodic jazz/latin/brazilian-flavoured instrumentals... straight from the source.

10 MP3 Songs
JAZZ: Latin Jazz, LATIN: Brazilian Jazz



Details:
Straight From The Source 1 - cool, melodic jazz/latin/brazilian flavoured instrumentals featuring Greg Walker on guitars and Pete May on piano.

LATEST NEWS - NOVEMBER 18 2005
* SFTS1 has now occupied the No.1 spot in the mp3tunes.com Brazilian Jazz chart almost without break since summer. As of today's date, SFTS1 is also the No.1 album in the Latin Jazz chart and the No.1 album in the overall Jazz chart (all jazz categories).

In addition, it is No.2 in the overall Latin chart (all latin categories) and is in the top 25 and rising in the entire mp3tunes.com site out of almost 32,000 albums!

Check out the following links for details:

Jazz Chart (all jazz categories)
http://www.mp3tunes.com/musicchart.php?cha...um&genre_id=212

Brazilian Jazz Chart
http://www.mp3tunes.com/musicchart.php?cha...um&genre_id=149

Latin Jazz Chart
http://www.mp3tunes.com/musicchart.php?cha...bum&genre_id=74

Thanks again for all your support and feedback - much appreciated! SFTS2 is well under way and should be available on this site in the near future.


LATEST NEWS - AUGUST 05
* SFTS1 has now been at the top of the mp3tunes.com Brazilian Jazz Chart for almost a month and is still in the top ten Latin Jazz charts. It has also reached the top twenty in the overall Jazz charts (all categories).

* The results of the UK Songwriting Contest 2005 were announced on the 2nd August and one of my pieces, One Moment One Summer, reached the finals of the Jazz/Blues Category. Two other compositions, The Other Side Of Here and In Your Arms Tonight reached the semi-finals of the Instrumental and Pop (!) categories respectively.

The UK Songwriting Contest is an international songwriting competition that draws entries from around the world. The competition is dedicated to the promotion of the art of songwriting and the discovery of new talent and is supported by some of the most highly respected names in the music industry including the BRIT Trust (of BRIT Awards fame), The World Music Foundation, Music Aid, the BRIT School, the Guild of International Songwriters and Composers, The British Academy of Composers and Songwriters, Sibelius, American Songwriter Magazine, Sound Control and other leading UK and international music industry professionals and organisations. Results and further info can be found at http://www.songwritingcontest.co.uk.

LATEST NEWS - JULY 2005
* SFTS1 currently occupies the No.1 position on mp3tunes.com's Brazilian Jazz Chart and the No.2 slot in the Latin Jazz Chart. It is also climbing steadily in the overall Jazz Chart and is at No.25 - thanks to all buyers/listeners for your support!

Check it out at the following urls:

http://www.mp3tunes.com/musicchart.php?chart=album&genre_id=149

http://www.mp3tunes.com/album_details.php?album_id=7586

http://www.mp3tunes.com/index.php?genre_id=74

Infused with the subtle scent of Latino and a spray of stylish atmospherics, SFTS1 kicks off with the instantly likeable Rio Geo before transporting the listener up to the heights of Then Again..., one of the catchiest and simultaneously haunting tunes you'll hear this side of Havana. Then there's Somewhere In This World - an infectious, almost commercial, snapping-fingers-in-the-air groove, with a melody that will stay with you long after the track has finished. By contrast, there is a melancholic, wistful quality to pieces like Children of the Latin Quarter, Lee's Summit and While You're Far Away.

Never far away, though, is the brazilian influence which infuses these pieces with a slow-burning passion. Cool? Yes, but it is more than that - beguiling, intelligent and perhaps more importantly, extremely listenable - you'll want to play it again and again."


Notes from the artist
I describe the music loosely as 'ambient jazz', not to give it a label but simply to help identify where a listener might be able to place it in the ever growing panoply of musical experience. If you would prefer to call it latin jazz, smooth jazz or whatever jazz - fine, I really don't mind - the listener can decide.

And talking of listeners, some have commented that the pieces reveal different layers of interest each time - one listener said that a couple of the pieces were like 'new jazz standards' - and who am I to argue?

More specifically, the compositions on SFTS1 are at the lighter, melodic end of the jazz spectrum - my love of melody and harmony always draws me to writing pieces that have those elements at their core.

Of course, words will never be able to give more than a taste of the music - listen to the samples and if you like what you hear, buy the CD!


Some Comments/Reviews
The following are a few of the comments/reviews I've received for the music on SFTS1 over the past months:

"Liking the album very much - we've been playing it pretty much all the time over the past week or two and are really enjoying it - when's number 2 coming out?!" J Goodrich

"I've listened to your CD four or five times now - I particularly like the first cut. You're a fine player!" D Miller

"Lees Summit plays like a dream - great chords on that one." B Holden

"...I especially liked Lee's Summit, Then Again and Denouement - Good luck with all the music!" P. Clifton

"Hello Greg - after I come back from Argentina, I had a great surprise: your CD. Its a great work - are you a famous artist and I didn't know? Last 3 days, your Cd is in my computer, I'm enjoing it!" G Cides

"Then Again... CATEGORY: INSTRUMENTAL
A memorable piece that maintains interest - a strong, professional entry in this category. This will continue to higher judging stages*."
Judge's report from the 2002 UK Songwriting Contest.
*Then Again... went on to reach the top ten finals in the category - see below


Other Notes:
Children of the Latin Quarter was a top-ten finalist in the 'Instrumental' Category of the 2003 UK Songwriting Contest, sponsored and judged by a panel of miscellaneous music industry types, including The Brits, Roland Music Corporation and representatives from a number of record and publishing companies.

In the 2002 competition, Then Again... made the top-ten finals in the 'Instrumental' category. Uniquely among the contestants, I had a total of four compositions reach the top-ten finals in three separate categories: 'Jazz/Blues', 'Instrumental' and 'Miscellaneous', as well as a second place in 'Jazz/Blues' category.

Thanks for your interest - your feedback and support is appreciated.

Any questions? Please email me at music@straightfromthesource.co.uk