New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Veteran keyboardist
David Garfield entered the year with a single in the Billboard Top 10 ("Go Home") before announcing the details of his ambitious recording project, "Outside the Box." The multidisc, multi-genre series of albums trickling out over a multi-year span features high-wattage assemblages of Grammy winners, legends, hit-makers and prominent musicians including members of the Zac Brown Band, Steely Dan, Tom Petty's Heartbreakers, The Doors, Chicago, Toto, Tower of Power and The Meters.
The first two volumes, "Jazz Outside the Box" and "Jammin' Outside the Box," arrived to critical acclaim and an abundance of global airplay that launched another single into the Billboard Top 10 ("Jamming") around the same time that another song ("I Lied") that he wrote with
Smokey Robinson vaulted up the country singles and video charts. The Creatchy Records releases produced and arranged by Garfield that are being promoted to radio outlets around the world are certain to capture the attention of NARAS voters. The offerings were submitted for consideration in more than 26 categories for the Grammy ballot.
Although Garfield began his five-decade career in straight-ahead jazz as a teenager playing behind bebop trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, he never released his own session in that jazz realm prior to the March release of "Jazz Outside the Box." Among the luminaries who collaborated with Garfield on the set list comprised of originals, standards and modern classics are The Doors' John Densmore, Wallace Roney,
Poncho Sanchez, Steve Jordan. Randy Brecker, Michael McDonald, Tom Scott, Eric Marienthal, Pete Christlieb, Bennie Maupin, Jason Scheff, Brian Auger, Will Lee, Charlie Bisharat's String Quartet, an orchestra conducted by John Clayton, and farewell performances by late guitarists
Chuck Loeb and Larry Coryell.
The two Billboard Top 10 singles are part of "Jammin' Outside the Box," which dropped last month. This outing is centered on the R&B, contemporary jazz and instrumental pop genres that have been the primary focus of Garfield's accomplished career. Also spawned from this set is a star-studded version of the
Rufus hit "Stay" that features the band's former drummer, Richard "Moon" Calhoun, singing the song he wrote with Chaka Khan. Guitar legend
George Benson and saxophone icon
David Sanborn trade solos on the disc's latest single. A pair of one-of-a-kind voices, Robinson and McDonald unite on the search for "One Like You," another Garfield-Robinson original to which Sanborn's sax adds luster. Ray Parker Jr., Kirk Whalum, Rick Braun, Marcus Miller, Oleta Adams, Phil Perry, Paul Jackson Jr., Eric Marienthal, Tom Scott, Mike Campbell,
Kenya Hathaway, Bill Champlin, John Klemmer, Will Lee, Tony Maiden, and Rickey Minor also appear on the album's guest list.
While "Jazz Outside the Box" and "Jammin' Outside the Box" attract the airplay and accolades reserved for lofty recordings of this level of breadth, depth, quality, history, magnitude, prestige and star power, perhaps the biggest surprise came when the heartache ballad that Garfield wrote with Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Robinson landed on the
Music Row and Billboard Indicator charts. The accompanying video for "I Lied" sung by J. Paris was added to the
Heartland Network playlist reaching over 22 million households.
In between fronting his own band at dates supporting "Outside the Box" that included a July gig opening for McDonald and a spate of European and U.S. concerts in his familiar role as Benson's longtime music director, Garfield toils in the studio laying down tracks, crafting fresh arrangements and recording an array of music royalty for the continuing chapters of "Outside the Box," which will consist of a vocal album, a fusion excursion that includes extended versions of songs released as part of the project, and a holiday-themed "box."
Here is a sampling of what the press has said thus far about "Outside the Box":
"An ambitious and extensive multi-genre series featuring collaborations with an army of Grammy winners, legends, chart-toppers, prominent session players and musician's musicians." - Los Angeles Daily News
"A masterpiece of a project." - The Pulse of Entertainment/EUR Web
"Together with collaborators of unrivalled calibre, keyboard player
David Garfield has come up with what might just be the best pop-orientated R&B album of 2018…Make no mistake 'Jammin Outside The Box' is astounding." - Smooth Jazz Therapy
"A beautiful CD that puts old school songs in a new, fresh jazz jacket." - Keys & Chords
"Keyboardist/producer
David Garfield explores the magic of R&B/soul and pop music through the lens of imagination and quality with Jammin' Outside the Box. Like his first recording in this series, the straight-ahead-with-a-twist Jazz Outside the Box, this release is robust, full, and alive…The pristine colors that emanate from this most impressive production simply envelope one's consciousness." - The Smooth Jazz Ride
"Looking for a rather special soul and soul/jazz album... one with a stellar line up? Then look no further than
David Garfield's 'Jammin' Outside The Box.'" - Soul and Jazz and Funk
"David Garfield's Jazz Outside The Box is without no doubt worthy of a Grammy Award. Musical performance, artistic expressiveness, sophisticated arrangements down to the last detail, the overall stylistic concept, a superior grasp of the intricacies of melody, to summarize in short a reference project of contemporary music." - Smooth Jazz Daily
"Keyboardist
David Garfield does a yeoman's job as ambassador on this highly successful album that brings all eras of jazz and beyond under one accessible tent. The list of sidemen itself is all encompassing and impressive…Through it all, Garfield directs and guides, mixing soul and sizzle to each piece." - Jazz Weekly
"A beautiful potpourri of musical goodness and loaded with the melodic fabric and texture I always seek…Those of us who live in the contemporary and 'smooth' jazz realm will be pleasantly moved to absorb this work of art, and jazz purists will find it compelling. A great effort." - The Smooth Jazz Ride
"Let's just call this a dead, solid, perfect jazz adventure and flip over all the cards. Long time keyboard ace Garfield mixes tribute tracks and originals with a guest list of all time hitters playing with the chops that made them front liners in the first place. Certainly, it's kind of a beyond jazz release." - Midwest Record
"One of the best jazz albums of 2018…Jazz: Outside the Box is a fascinating and often exhilarating look at
David Garfield's vision of straight-ahead jazz." - Something Else Reviews.
For more information, please visit www.DavidGarfield.com.
