NEW YORK (Jazz Magazine) - Three Keys Music's R&B-jazz saxophonist
Michael Lington performed with his band at an album release benefit event held last month at Saks
Fifth Avenue Men's Store in Washington, DC. The event, which was sponsored by the department store and Esquire Magazine, raised $3500 for the Whitman-Walker Clinic, a non-profit community-based health organization serving the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Over 200 people attended, including Three Keys
Music president and recording artist Marcus Johnson and Black Entertainment Television executive Michael Lewellen.
Ten-percent of sales from the event was donated to the Whitman-Walker Clinic. Established by and for the gay and lesbian community, the Whitman-Walker Clinic is comprised of diverse volunteers and staff who provide or facilitate the delivery of high quality, comprehensive, accessible health care and community services. The clinic is especially committed to ending the suffering of all those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.
Lington's third album, "Everything Must Change," was released in October by the Silver Spring, MD- based Three Keys Music. Delving deeper into R&B than on his previous albums, the ruggedly handsome 33-year-old from Denmark produced half the album and had a hand in penning eight new compositions. The first single, "Still Thinking Of You," is climbing the smooth jazz radio charts.
Some of the finest musicians in contemporary jazz and R&B ventured into the studio with Lington to record "Everything Must Change." Brian Culbertson, Jeff Lorber, Tony Maiden, Nathan East, Greg Karukas, Paul Jackson Jr., Alex Al and Ricky Lawson lay down the grooves while Lington's horn croons with depth, passion and confidence. Lington's spirited sax sings sweet melodies over R&B, pop and Latino beats. His playing demonstrates considerable maturity and reflects an affinity for R&B, which is also shown in his selection of songs to remake (Chaka Khan's "Through The Fire" and Quincy Jones' "Everything Must Change").
Lington is a touring veteran, who has toured extensively with artists as diverse as Little Richard, Gary "U.S." Bonds, Bobby Caldwell and Randy Crawford. He released his self-titled solo debut album in 1997. That collection featured Caldwell belting out a version of "Tell It Like It Is," which propelled Lington into the Top 10 on the NAC chart and Top 20 on the Adult Contemporary chart. The 2000 release of "Vivid" spawned two hit singles, "Twice in a Lifetime" and "Sunset (Por Do Sol)," which reached #2 and #4 on the NAC chart respectively.
