With the June 15,
2010, release of Pushing The Envelope on Heads Up
International, a division of Concord Music Group, Albright’s super cool
side is back. With its polished soul/jazz vibe, Pushing The Envelope is
a showcase for Albright’s remarkably fine balance of songcraft and
musicianship, and features special guest appearances by Fred Wesley on
trombone, Earl Klugh on acoustic guitar and George Duke on acoustic
piano.
Produced and
arranged by Albright, Pushing The Envelope provides the perfect
opportunity for this master musician/saxophonist/songwriter to exhibit
his skills. He plays soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones,
flutes, bass guitar, and keyboards, and also handles synthesizer, EWI
and drum programming. Albright’s band on most of the album includes
keyboardists Tracy Carter and Luther “Mano” Hanes, guitarist Ricky
Watford and drummer Ricky Lawson.
The set opens
with “What Would James Do?” an irresistibly soulful Albright original
and a celebration of
the legacy of “The Godfather of Soul.” The track spotlights Albright’s
trademark strong chops on
saxophones and bass, alongside the distinctive sound of Fred Wesley of
the original J.B.’s on trombone. read
entire press release
SAX FOR STAX
(June, 2008)
2009 GRAMMY® Award Nomination - Best Pop
Instrumental Album
Consisting
of eight passionately rendered covers of Stax classics
(three with vocal guests Will Downing, Ledisi and Philip Bailey), plus
three originals written with Memphis in mind, Sax for Stax marks the
sax master's eleventh solo project and second for
Peak Records, which along with Stax, is a division of the Concord Music
Group.
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