SAN DIEGO (www.fluteguy.com) - Jazz/pop flute stylist and recording artist Bradley Leighton's CD Release Kick-off Party and concert at Humphrey's Backstage Lounge, on Sunday April 24, served up a fresh mix of new and old jazz standards for the standing room only crowd. Leighton has been called a 'straight-ahead jazzman for the smooth and contemporary set.' Just Doin' Our Thang, his new CD on San Diego-based Indie label Pacific Coast Jazz, is poised for a national release May 10, accompanied by a national retail campaign. Big Daddy
Music in New York will handle national distribution of the album, which will be available at Tower Records in mid May.
'I couldn't have been happier with the turn-out or the performance,' says Donna Nichols, founder of Pacific Coast Jazz. The event was open to the public as well as VIPs and offered San Diego locals the first chance to purchase the new record before the national release date. Leighton, a Seattle native now residing in San Diego, celebrated with enthusiastic fans and performed a first-rate set backed by some of Southern California's top jazz players. Emceed by John Phillips of KSDS Jazz 88 Radio, the concert featured Leighton on alto flute, Duncan Moore on drums, Rob Whitlock on Hammond B3 Organ and pedal bass, Bob Boss on guitar, and Thang's producer and arranger, Allan Phillips, on percussion. 'People were literally dancing in the aisles between the tables,' added Nichols, 'The music sounded great, product sales were brisk and people seemed to have a wonderful time.'
Just Doin' Our Thang is already getting regular airplay in the San Diego market on KSDS Jazz 88 and has been drawing favorable reviews from the San Diego press and jazz industry publications. 'In Bradley Leighton's gifted hands, the Panther is anything but pink…Just Doin' Our Thang includes a variation of the theme from the Pink Panther like you won't believe,' writes Marty Westlin for San Diego City Beat. SwingtoBop.com says, 'Unusual Instrumentation sets this CD apart.
Although rooted in bop, Bradley pays heed to the fluid grace of Latin music…His own compositions, of which there are three hereon, display considerable talent. Attractive music played with skill and ingenuity.' And Jim Trageser of the North County Times writes, 'The results are uniformly outstanding – it's bright, hip and so very, very cool.'
The live performance struck a perfect balance between high-energy, traditional jazz improvisation and warm, inviting sounds. With fresh arrangements by Allan Phillips and Leighton's fine alto flute in the foreground, bebop standards like Charlie Parker's 'Now's the Time' took on a graceful elegance. A party highlight was the band's performance of Santana's 'Europa,' which unlike the studio version, allowed Leighton to stretch out into the psychedelic realm with electronically enhanced flute effects. 'Lover's Chill,' a brand new tune, also was previewed for the crowd by Bradley and friends. Penned by Phillips, it will be included in Leighton's next album, already in production and scheduled for release in January of 2006.
A national tour is slated for this summer, along with jazz flute clinics by Leighton who is also an educator. Bradley Leighton can be seen and heard every Thursday night at Aurora Trattoria, 1025 Prospect Street, La Jolla, California from 8:00 – 11:00 p.m. At the same location, Leighton, Moore and Phillips will host a contemporary R&B jam the first Monday of every month from 7-10 pm.
For more information on BRADLEY, his Music Clinics, a complete listing of local performances, and other information, please visit www.bradleyleighton.com, or www.fluteguy.com, where audio and press clips are available. For interviews and booking contact: Donna Nichols at Pacific Coast Jazz, 619-405-3900.
Bradley Leighton's recordings are currently available at www.fluteguy.com or CDBaby.com.
