Jazz Veterans Team Up As THE 'NATI 6

CINCINNATI - June 23, 2015 - PRLog -- Jazz pianist and composer Dan Karlsberg’s new album THE ‘NATI 6 is a tribute not just to his hometown’s jazz heritage, but to other composers, friends and family members who have inspired him.

For the project, Karlsberg recruited five veteran jazz artists who are based in Cincinnati, but known for their work on the national scene, having toured and/or recorded with major stars. They include:

·         Bassist Jim Anderson, who has worked with the notable Art Blakey, Ernestine Anderson, Hank Crawford and Nat Adderly.

·         Drummer Art Gore, who has performed with George Benson, Teru Nakamura and Herbie Hancock.

·         Pianist and trumpeter Kim Pensyl, who has twice been named one of Billboard’s Top -20 Contemporary Jazz Artists of the Year, and has had four Top-10 albums on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz chart.

·         Saxophonist Brent Gallaher, who has toured with the Glenn Miller Orchestra and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra.

·         Trombonist Marc Fields, who toured with the Ray Charles Orchestra, six times.

“Cincinnati has a huge jazz tradition which seems to be getting lost on the younger generation,” Karlsberg said. “I wanted to draw attention to the city’s jazz history. The members of this band are established leaders in the jazz world and they have been my mentors.”

Karlsberg, who teaches at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) and at the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan, has worked as a sideman with the likes of Tim Warfield, Donald Harrison, Ted Nash, JD Allen, and many others. THE 'NATI 6 is his third album. Though stylistically similar to his debut album "The Adventures of the Dan Karlsberg Group" and the follow-up "Mission to Mars and Other Short Stories", the new album focuses less on Karlsberg’s piano and more on the ensemble as a whole.

“It’s not about me; I wanted it to be about the group, equally,” Karlsberg said. “My presence is felt through the whole album, whether I am in the background or in the forefront, but this project is more about my composing than my playing.”

With 10 tracks, THE 'NATI 6 is unmistakably jazz, but also offers hints of classical, folk and pop. Five of the tunes are new arrangements of works by composers Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ("Tchaikovsky 1" and "Tchaikovsky 2"), Joseph-Maurice Ravel ("Pavane of Sleeping Beauty"), Stephen Foster ("Oh! Susanna") and Miles Davis ("Freddie Freeloader"). https://youtu.be/BPaqE30GDbs


The remaining tracks are Karlsberg’s original compositions, three of which were inspired by people he knew, who have passed away—his grandparents ("Ballade No. 2"), a young woman who worked at the Riddle Rd. Market, a corner store in his neighborhood near the University of Cincinnati ("Ballade No. 1"), and a high school friend ("Mr. Shands Jr.").

“Some of the tracks are complex,” Karlsberg said. “Each one is different, but most were inspired by something personal. One thing they all have in common is a beautiful melody and the fact that they are being played by some of Cincinnati’s greatest contemporary jazz musicians. It is such an honor to work with them.”

Dan Karlsberg and The ‘Nati 6 will perform an album release concert in the Listening Lounge at Urban Artifact Brewing, 1662 Blue Rock Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45223, on Saturday, June 27, 8:00 p.m.-midnight. Admission is free. For information, call Urban Artifact Brewing at 513-620-4729.

The music of Dan Karlsberg is available at:

CD Baby

https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/dankarlsberg2

iTunes

https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/dan-karlsberg/id288583237

Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Nati-6-Dan-Karlsberg/dp/B00YDME6AQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1435001094&sr=1-1&keywords=dan+karlsberg+nati+6

More information is available at www.DanKarlsberg.com.

“The ‘Nati 6” track list

1. Ballade No. 2

2. Freddie Freeloader

3. Ballade No. 1

4. Prelude

5. Oh! Susanna

6. Tchaikovsky 1

7. Pavane of Sleeping Beauty

8. Mr. Shands Jr.

9. Tchaikovsky 2

10. Modest Minor Melody