William Staggers – Nostalgia
Gifted with the ability of an artist, musician and songwriter, William Staggers evokes the days of “Real Music.” This passionate musician is a native of Little Rock, Arkansas. William began playing piano at age 5 and by the time he was 12, he got his first job playing the piano for his church choir. By the time William entered junior high school, he joined the school’s band where he learned to play saxophone.
Though William’s first love is the piano, he is also an exceptional saxophonist today. William’s velvety smooth voice and playing abilities have enabled him to perform for many distinguished audiences. On several occasions. Despite his many accomplishments in music entertainment, William remains devoted to composing music with his own creative efforts and as a service for other artists as well. One of William’s greatest joys is helping young aspiring musicians and vocalists develop to their full potential.
William’s catalog of music has a smooth jazz influence, but he enjoys and draws from an array of musical genres. His passion for music leads him to many avenues of musical expression; including covers of classic hits. Such a precious album is Nostalgia (2020).
This album is available on all major digital platforms.
“It’s Brian’s incredibly memorable and infectious melodies that truly set him apart. I am a huge fan!” – Dave Koz
Saxophonist Dave McMurray has announced a July 16 release date for Grateful Deadication, his sophomore release for Blue Note Records. On the new full-length, McMurray takes his gritty, soulful Detroit sound and reimagines the flower empowered songs of San Francisco icons the Grateful Dead with an album as vibrant as it is unexpected. The announcement comes with the video for a transcendent version of Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter’s “Loser,” featuring Grateful Dead co-founder Bob Weir, alongside Bettye LaVette and Weir’s Wolf Bros bandmates Don Was, Jay Lane, Jeff Chimenti, and Greg Leisz.
Well-known in Swiss music circles as a guitarist in various formations, André Kunz‘s aim is to make his name heard around the world. Although stylistically his home is jazz, he feels comfortable in other musical art forms as well.
Dean Grech has played guitar from the age of 8, and became a professional musician at age 11. Dean’s guitar playing is reminiscent of Wes Montgomery, Jim Hall and Johnny Smith, blended with the more modern sounds of Peter White and Norman Brown. Vocally, he has captured the essence of Kenny Rankin, with a taste of Michael Buble, and the soulfulness of Bill Withers.
Ryan Montano is a nationally recognized trumpeter, songwriter, bandleader and recording artist. His beautiful tone, sophisticated and memorable compositions, impactful live performances and precise technique have garnered him national radio airplay and festival performances across the nation.
Evan Carydakis is an acclaimed Jazz saxophonist, residing in Tasmania. Born in Melbourne Victoria, Evan first picked up the saxophone at the age of 15. Initially inspired by Branford Marsalis’s ‘Royal garden Blues’, it was his family’s influence and love of all music that set Evan on his stylistic journey. And along the way, Evan has been lucky enough to learn from some of the greats including Joe Viola, Jerry Bergonzi and Lee Konitz, but above all else Evan holds his time with legendary jazz educator Charlie Banacos as “the most influential” on his instrumental ability.
While the coronavirus wreaked havoc to a deadly extreme, the pandemic era with its heightened quarantine measures proved to swing a double-edge sword for musicians. Many were silenced, suffering the liability of limited-to-no opportunities to perform. But on the other hand, the disease aroused many to be creative in their artistic expression. Veteran contemporary jazz pianist/keyboardist Dan Siegel took that difficult challenge during the social distancing desert to remotely assemble a group to deliver his eclectic album Faraway Place on his DSM label. It’s comprised of 11 originals that range from straight-up lyrical beauties to accordion-tinged grooves, to a baroque-like number with strings and horns. Remarkably, this is Siegel’s 22nd recording as a leader.
While Denver Colorado born trumpeter Gabriel Mark Hasselbach‘s album Open Invitation (2014) is settled in the smooth jazz genre, his albums MidCentury Modern Volume 1 (2018) and MidCentury Modern Volume 2 (2019) are walking the jazz way. With Tongue & Groove (2021) Gabriel Mark returns to the smooth jazz realm again.
Greg Kavanagh (guitar) and Peter Bleakney (bass) grew up together in Wolfville NS, started their first band in high school, moved to LA, then Detroit and ended up in Toronto to seek fame and fortune. At that point their careers took divergent paths, but with all the 2020 lockdown time on their hands the two reconnected.
