New York, NY (Top40 Charts) After a decade and a half of #1 Billboard Jazz chart hits, Steve
Oliver (www.steveolivermusic.com) is scoring big with his first-ever vocal single, the reflective, easy flowing "Why." The infectious track is the Most Added on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz
National Airplay chart for the week ending April 28, 2016.
With its thoughtful chorus "We keep on asking, Why?/Hey, I don't know/I wanna know," the song provokes a spirit of universal questioning - something that was heavily on the multi-talented singer, songwriter and guitarist's mind when he performed at Spaghettini in Seal Beach, CA on April 23, two days after Prince's sudden passing.
"We're always asking questions, and we're always asking why, and one day it hit me like a ton of bricks and the lyrics came to me," says the Southern California based musician. "The song asks a lot of questions, but from a positive, not self critical or 'life sucks' point of view. It's addressing the life we live every day and questioning what's going on, and wondering why certain things are happening.
"Losing so many of our musical legends this year, including Prince,
David Bowie,
Glenn Frey, Maurice White and Keith Emerson, gives new meaning to the song, and this poignant sense of wonder I have,"
Oliver adds. "It's a theme everyone can relate to. We're always trying to figure out the big picture, and just as we think we're getting an answer, another thing happens and we're overwhelmed with new questions."
"Why" is the lead single from Oliver's first ever all-vocal album
Pictures & Frames, his first official venture into the pop format after nine albums and over 15 years of dominance on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz chart.
Recorded at the legendary Capitol Studios in Hollywood, John Mayer,
Sting and
Steely Dan influenced
Pictures and
Frames features the all star rhythm section of bassist Lee Sklar (whose 2,000 studio sessions include albums with
James Taylor,
Phil Collins and
Linda Ronstadt) and legendary jazz/rock drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, known for his work with Sting, Frank Zappa,
Eric Clapton and Herbie Hancock.
