Larry Steelman

Primavera Records proudly presents Free Zone, the debut album from Los Angeles jazz composer Larry Steelman. His new CD aims squarely at the intelligent adult listener of contemporary jazz and instrumental music.

Pianist Larry Steelman, who has played with such notables as Dianne Schur and Natalie Cole, provides a zesty yet sensitive set of all-original compositions. Alphonso Johnson (Weather Report, Miles Davis) offers his support on bass, Ralph Humphrey (Don Ellis, Free Flight) handles the drums, and Carl Verheyen (Supertramp) sizzles on guitar. The record also features guest performances by Rob Lockart on sax and the late Jim "Fingers" Lacefield on bass.

Larry says that he set out "to create a jazz record with more focus on songs than on solos." Thus, the heart of the record is a melodic compositional strategy which fuses the band into a tight unit. Many of the tunes are celebratory pieces written for friends and family, drawn from life experiences and interpreted emotionally by the players.

Soundsamples at

http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/210/larry_steelman.html