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Where
did you record the different tracks? Did you
meet all the guys or was it partly an "internet
production", sending the tracks by net
back and forth?
Actually
most of the recording process was through
the internet because they all got their own
studio, so I just need to send a demo, the
files and the charts and that's it !!! But
there are a few exceptions Maysa and Andy
Narell came to record in my studio in Paris
and I've recorded Paulinho in L.A..
What does Franck
Sitbon means for you and the project "Back
from the 80's"?
He's my BIG
BROTHER !!!!!! He's my partner in crime !!!!
He's an amazing songwriter, singer and keyboard
player !! He's unique !!! We know each other
for so many years ... and we've been working
on some projects together as well, some writing
or production and I use him everytime !!!
He played on my first album but this time
he was more involved as well on the writing
and a few arrangements , and both together
we're really complementary and that kind of
70s 80s music thing he was in, as he's a bit
older than me. So anyway we've already wrote
some great great songs for the next one and
obviously I won't forget to say that Franck
is playing all the Rhodes (except Street Life
) and Organ on the album as well as singing
lead and background vocals !!! I'm really
blessed to have someone like him in my life
and share so much with him !!!
With the U.K.
version comes the Bonus CD "The after
show Party"…. Some remixes of your
songs from the "Past builds the future"
album. Especially "Right here right now"
with shining vocals from Phil Perry…
The fact
is that there's not really a "smoothjazz"
market in the UK , it's more about "Soul"
and vocals so I've decided to do a few remixes,
but actually they are more NEW songs as I
redid everything !! Changed the chords, the
groove, redo the arrangements and instrumentations
!!
And the funny
thing is that I really got an unexpected success
in the UK still being high on the modern soul
charts for a long time now, some great reviews
like on "Blues and Soul Magazine";
Steve Quirk on SmoothFM said the album is
the album of the year and played some tracks
on each of his famous show "Fusion Flavours"
by the way I've played at his 17th fusion
flavors anniversary in Manchester and that
was just GREAT !!!
Your guitar
playing is first class. Do you prefer playing
or is Songwriting, producing, mixing, playing
guitar and working for other musicians - the
whole bunch the goal of your life?
Well 'til
now I've spent most of the time in studios
!! Writing, recording, producing, remixing
, doing sessions etc. and I still love that
!! But now is the time for me to play my music
live and share all this directly with my audience
!! I've started to have some shows in the
UK and actually I'll do some shows in L.A
and New York in June. I'll play the Big Bear
Jazz Festival and in October at the famous
"Catalina Jazz Festival" in L.A
with possibly an "Allstar" band.
You can find more infos and all the dates
on my [myspacepage].
But at the same time I'm finishing a side
project. It's a "Soul" project actually
called "The ONE S.O.U.L concept"
with an impressive line up of most todays
exciting "Soul" singers: Rahsaan
Patterson, Myron, Maysa, Marva King and a
few unknown. So that keeps me pretty busy
!!! Anyway that's my life but I can't wait
to play live with a great band !!!
What
are your current and future musical projects
for this year?
U-NAM
: Well, hopefully, more and more gigs, shows
and festivals in the USA! I just love to perform
live! It's always different, that's what I
like, trying things, doing different solos
than on the record and stuff like that. But,
what I really prefer is to share my music
and my emotions with the audience!
And
I could say already there's one gig, I'm really
looking forward to, is the "Dave Koz
& Friends" cruise in 2008.
I'm
on the artist line-up and what a line-up,
Dave Koz, George Duke ,Eric Benet, Rick Braun,
Jonathan Butler etc… that's gonna be
AMAZING ! And I never did a cruise in my life
so …..I'm really excited about it!
I
will also perform at the Catalina Jazz Trax
Festival ( Los Angeles ) , 3rd of october
.
Otherwise,
I'm already working on my new album! I've
got already everything written and I got lot
lot of material! I'm in the recording procees
right now. I will also include some vocals
tracks with some of my favourites Soul singers
and good friends, Rahsaan Patterson, Marva
King (from Prince's New Power Generation),
but the smooth jazz fans will not be disappointed,
because I have some great stuffs for them,
some surprises as well, about the line up,
it should the same musicians, Mike White,
Alex Al, Franck Sitbon, Denis Benarosh, the
Paris Horns, The M.A String Orchestra and
some special guests! should be out early 2009
!!!!
Furthermore,
I will appear soon on a Stevie Wonder's tribute,
it's a project called "G-Fire",
it's their third album, and the concept is
really interesting, because it is all about
guitars, there are different guitar players
from various genres (Rock, Jazz, Fusion, etc.
) and I'll be the one doing the "Smooth
Jazz" track and I'm producing it ! That's
going to be a great project, I'm really glad
to be a part of it, especially knowing that
Stevie Wonder is one of my favorite artists
and the track I've chosen is not one of his
most famous tunes, but it is an amazing "Soul
Funky" song!
and
also last but not least my label " Trippin'N'Rhythm"
will release a "Christmas" album
this year with all the artists on the label
( Greg Karukas , Paul Harcastle, Jaared, Oli
Silk & Sekou Bunch ) and obviously me
:)
I'm
producing 2 tracks ( real soulful :) and one
of them will feature all the artists !!!!!!!
so
I'm crazy busy right now !!! especially preparing
my move to the US ( los angeles ) in May !!!!!
pretty
busy 2008 !!!!!
THX so much
Frank for your interest and support, it was
a pleasure to do this once again !!! Peace
U-Nam
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