David GARFIELD "Jazz Outside The Box" featuring: Brandon Fields, Gary Novak & special guests
David Garfield has been driven by same mission statement since moving from his hometown of St. Louis to Los Angeles as a teenager in the early 70s: “I make music.” Fully living up to this vision and in more expansive ways over the past few decades, the multi-talented keyboardist, composer, arranger and recording artist has established himself an eclectic force of musical nature. At any given point during his career—and often at the same time—he has been a renowned songwriter, producer, bandleader (of Los Angeles based contemporary world jazz collectives Karizma and Los Lobotomys), arranger, recording artist, record label owner (Creatchy Records), session and touring musician, musical director and composer of various commissioned themes for global organizations.
For the multi-talented musician, the past decade has been particularly fruitful and creatively gratifying. In addition to composing songs for and performing on Perfect Harmony, the epic 2013 3-CD project for Karizma released on Creatchy, he started a songwriting partnership with Motown legend Smokey Robinson. Their co-write “One Like You” was recorded by George Benson on his 2009 album Songs & Stories. Garfield, who has done numerous stints as Benson’s musical director since 1986 (including his current run which began in 2007), also arranged, produced and performed on the legendary singer/guitarist’s 2011 release Guitar Man.
In 2015, Garfield arranged and performed on “Higher Than The World,” the track Benson recorded with Van Morrison as part of the rock/soul legend’s all-star collection Duets: Re-working the Catalogue. Garfield will be touring in the late summer/fall 2017 with Benson in a double bill tour with saxophone superstar Kenny G. He is creating the arrangement for a special duet of the classic hit “Mornin’” by the two legends that pays homage to recently departed friend and collaborator and pop/R&B/jazz great Al Jarreau.
In addition to his multi-faceted work with George Benson, Garfield continues ongoing musical relationships with numerous musical legends, including Smokey Robinson, David Sanborn and Michael McDonald. Over the years, he has recorded with Cher, Freddie Hubbard, Spinal Tap, The Rippingtons, Ratt, Larry Carlton and Hiroshima; produced for Oleta Adams and Flora Purim; and has performed live with Boz Scaggs, Michael Bolton, The Blue Brothers, Natalie Cole, Brenda Russell and Rick Braun, among others. Early in 2012, he was presented with the Hall of Fame Award from the Java Jazz Festival in Jakarta; Garfield has performed at the famed Indonesia event several times, including performances with the late Larry Coryell and most recently with saxophonist Gerald Albright and vocalist Alex Ligertwood. The same trio of musicians later performed at the Blue Note in Tokyo. Since 2016, the keyboardist has also performed spot tour dates around the U.S. with his friend and fellow St. Louis native, sax great David Sanborn.
|
|