By Patte Purcell
One of smooth jazz’s top hit makers is coming to the desert. Blake Aaron will be the special guest star of Darryl Fitzgerald Walker’s band at Ruth Ruiz’s party “Elements of Jazz and Soul” September 24 at the Miramonte Hotel in Indian Wells from 6-9 with artist “Meet and Great” until 9:30.
Dubbed “a genius on the guitar” by the Los Angeles Times, he launched his career as an L.A. studio musician and sideman and has recorded and/ or performed with an incredible array of jazz, pop and R&B artists. These include Philip Bailey (Earth Wind and Fire), Sheila E., Frank Stallone, Bobby Womack and Carlos Santana (Womack-Save the Children), The Gap Band, David Pack (Ambrosia), Jimmy Pankow (Chicago), Lakeside, Dynasty, The Drifters, The Coasters, Tommy Walker, Little Anthony and the Imperials, Joe Houston, Mary Wells, Billy Bass and Bernie Worell (The Funkadellics), Fish (Fishbone), producer Bill Laswell, producer Michael Lloyd, Keiko Matsui, Hiroshima, David Benoit, Najee, Eric Marienthal, Ricky Lawson, Nelson Rangell, Marion Meadows, Steve Reid’s Bamboo Forest, Kuh LaDesma, and Gloria Trevi.
Blake Aaron has already scored Top Five Billboard airplay hits with his first-ever Latin flavored single “Encantadora,” a high energy exotic funk tune featuring Najee on flute; the soulful, percussive jazz tune “You’re The One For Me,” featuring Aaron’s powerful electric lines playing off vocalist Spencer Day’s romantic storytelling; and the snappy and slamming, brass fired old school jam “Groove-O-Matic.” Aaron also released as singles the contemporary Latin dance romp “Sol Amor (A Story of Passion)” and the midtempo R&B romance “You’re My Miracle (A Story of Bliss in the Groove)” featuring cowriter Derek Bordeaux on lead vocals. Soul Stories’ latest single, the cleverly titled “Wes Side Story,” is a spirited 60’s soul jazz excursion that takes Aaron back to one of his key guitar influences, the great Wes Montgomery, and also draws inspiration from Eddie Harris, a premiere saxophonist from that era.
I’ve had the pleasure of hiring Blake for events I’ve held on several occasions. He is easy going and personable and always goes above and beyond in his performances.
He has a syndicated radio show weekly. It can be accessed through his website. www.blakeaaron.com
He has been busy producing other artist’s music as well as working on music for film and TV. His goal is to continue to wrote, produce and perform his own music as well as produce other artists. He just got back from China where he is working on setting up a tour. He found and met the love of his life, Sina, (from China) via the internet some years ago and it’s a true love story. Within 3 weeks of contact he flew there to meet her. She moved to be with him in the US a year later. They married and have 2 beautiful children, a little girl and boy, who boy speak fluent English and Chinese.
I asked him what message he’d like to give to his fans? He said he appreciates all the support and is looking forward to playing in the desert on September 24. To get tickets for this event ($25) visit www.purplepass.com and look for ‘Elements of Smooth Jazz and Soul’. See you there!
Patte Purcell – Muze Muzic
pattepurcell@yahoo.com
702-219-6777
