Mack Avenue Records Proudly Welcomes
Three World-Class Artists to Critically Acclaimed Roster
Cameron Graves, Joey DeFrancesco, and Billy Childs
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From left to right: Cameron Graves (photo credit: Anna Webber)
Joey DeFrancesco (photo credit: Jay Gilbert) | Billy Childs (photo credit: Raj Naik)
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Mack Avenue Records is concluding a momentous year with the announcement of three major additions to their critically acclaimed roster. Cameron Graves, Joey DeFrancesco, and Billy Childs are
all now proud members of a record label that boasts numerous Grammy®
Award-winning artists and forward-thinking musicians, with these
illustrious additions each bringing a fresh perspective with new
releases coming in early 2017.
Visionary pianist, keyboardist, composer, and West Coast Get Down founding member Cameron Graves is eager to release his highly anticipated debut album, Planetary Prince, with Mack Avenue Records on February 24, 2017.
Upon signing, Graves' nearly released four song EP was expanded to an
eight track album that features longtime collaborators including
saxophonist Kamasi Washington, trumpeter Philip Dizack, trombonist Ryan Porter, bassist Stephen "Thundercat" Bruner, bassist Hadrien Feraud, and drummer Ronald Bruner, Jr.
Graves has lead a notable career outside of WCGD, however he credits
the bands fluidity and raw energy on this recording to their history
together. "We
all grew up listening together to hip-hop and rock and metal and jazz,
so we all know where we're going and how to complement it," he explains.
"It's just intuition."
Widely regarded as peerless on the Hammond B3 organ, Joey DeFrancesco will release his first ever quartet album in an impassioned tale of love and peace with Project Freedom on March 10, 2017.
Aside from the always prominent influence of his hometown of
Philadelphia, the album is largely inspired by the differing viewpoints
he has been exposed to from years of globetrotting and world touring. "I
always thought that as touring musicians, we were spreading peace," he
explains. "No matter what happens in the world, we keep playing. In a
lot of the so-called forbidden places too. When we're there, through war
and conflict, problems melt away through music." Joey DeFrancesco & The People, a unit he'll tour with in 2017, features guitarist Dan Wilson, saxophonist Troy Roberts, and drummer Jason Brown.
Over the years, four-time Grammy® Award-winner Billy Childs'
career has spanned into the far reaches of the musical spectrum.
Garnering critical acclaim along the way, the famed pianist is now
returning to his jazz roots with Rebirth--his first outing for Mack Avenue Records, available March 24, 2017. Joined by saxophonist Steve Wilson, bassist Hans Glawischnig, and drummer Eric Harland--along with guests including vocalists Alicia Olatuja and Claudia Acuna, trombonist Ido Meshulam, and percussionist Rogerio Boccato--the
album serves as a career retrospective and marks the 40th anniversary
of Childs' recording debut with trombone-great J.J. Johnson, while also
signaling his return to the small band jazz world and reigniting the
transcendent intimacy he recalls from ensembles early on in his career,
while updating with a more modern sensibility.
Mack
Avenue Records is ushering in the future of jazz while honoring and
preserving the past during a pivotal time for the genre. With these
additions following shortly after their acquisition of MAXJAZZ, the
record label continues to be a leader in jazz and beyond.
Cameron Graves · Planetary Prince
Release Date: February 24, 2017
Featuring: Kamasi Washington, saxophone | Philip Dizack, trumpet
Ryan Porter, trombone | Stephen "Thundercat" Bruner, bass
Hadrien Feraud, bass | Ronald Bruner, Jr., drums
Joey DeFrancesco · Project Freedom
Release Date: March 10, 2017
Featuring: Dan Wilson, guitar | Troy Roberts, saxophone | Jason Brown, drums
Billy Childs · Rebirth
Release Date: March 24, 2017
Featuring: Steve Wilson, saxophone | Hans Glawischnig, bass
Eric Harland, drums | Alicia Olatuja, vocals | Claudia Acuna, vocals
Ido Meshulam, trombone | Rogerio Boccato, percussion
For media inquiries, please contact:
DL Media Music · 610-667-0501
Maureen McFadden · maureen@
Matthew Jurasek · matthew@
Don Lucoff · don@dlmediamusic.com
For press materials on Mack Avenue artists or its family of imprints
(including album covers, promotional photos and logos), please visit media.mackavenue.com
