Ken
Ross - Caught In The Current
Ken
Ross is one of these artists, his modesty hinders his knowledge-degree.
Insiders knows that Ken is a young trumpet player from LA, who already
played with Scott Wilkie, Greg Karukas, Alec Milstein or Daniel Ho.
It's 
rather
difficult to find out anything about this artist. His website www.kenrossmusic.com
only contains the most necessary. On several occasions I asked him for
a bio, no chance. Well, that's no offending position, because I know
gentle caracter personally by several meetings. First time I had the opportunity
to observe his skills at the Wave
Music Festival in Düsseldorf in Kaiserwerth in 2000, where he
played together with Scott Wilkie.
When Michael van
Droff informed me about the dates of the new gigs in 2002, I gave Ken
a tip and he was onstage again in the Nachtresidenz in Düsseldorf and
later in Hamburg. One day before the first gig I met him together with
Anthony Weedon and
Christian Babl (Wave Music) and had a long talk during a nice dinner.
On this occassion he gave me his new album "Caught In The
Current", which is still exclusively available over his website.
If you like to listen to his music, check out this link:
Besides this I recommend you all
albums of Soul Ballet, on which Ken plays trumpet and flugelhorn.
Ken's debut album was created with
the support of many musicians Ken plays with. While Ken was the
producer, the album was co-produced by Scott Wilkie and engineered by
Ken Ross, Scott Wilkie and Gregg Karukas. First of all this album is
an album of a trumpet player and Ken's trumpet is the lead instrument.
Caught In
The Current is a funky tune. Alec Milstein plays a propulsing
slap bass. Ken pushed in some tones before he develops his main
melody. I would compare his playing with Herb Alpert's style (Second
Winds, Colors).
Ken Ross' measured trumpet melody
contrasts with the staccato play of the other instruments on Gemini
Rising. A very dynamic piece.
A nice brass section is added on Midnight
Motion, which is played in the film noir mood. Gene Burk plays
sax and Louis Bonilla trombone.
Sticks and
Stones is an interesting mixture of modern smooth jazz added
with some Latin jazz and fusion jazz elements. Engaging, agreeable but
sophisticated enough by some raw music parts.
Sometimes a title of a piece
elucidates the imagination, which a musician combines with his tune. I
don't know, if Montuno Beach is really an
existing location. But I know that for example Montuno is a style of
popular dance music that originated in the Oriente province of Cuba.
It is the foundation of modern salsa. Ken and Dean Fransen transform
attitude and vibrating heat of the south into this tune.
Show Me The
Way is featuring the smooth voice of Robbyn Kirmesse
accompanied by Ken's mellow trumpet. Some R'n B, some smooth jazz are
melting to a sensual song.
Ken's muted trumpet, Michael
Fash's piano and Andy Suzuki's sax are developing a dreamy atmosphere
on the slowtempo contemplative After Hours.
Congas and bongos are the right
frame for the Latin flavored Your Arms,
on which Byron Motley shows
his loud-voiced power. A
sought after session singer, Byron can be heard on several jingles and
recordings throughout the United States, Japan & Europe. He has
performed and recorded with such luminaries as Natalie Cole, Dionne
Warwick, Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand, Mellissa Ethridge and Joe
Cocker. He performed on Broadway alongside Patti LuPone in the
acclaimed show "Patti LuPone On Broadway", and, toured with
Barry Manilow.
Watercolors
marks Ken's straight ahead position. Listen to Daniel Ho's pure piano,
David Owen's jazz brushs instead of drum programming and Trey Henry's
acoustic bass instead a fender bass.
The final Bop
Chops is a straight ahead going, well-mooded tune. A good
platform for jamming solos at a live stage.
Michael Patches Stewart, Rick
Braun, Chris Botti are trumpists immediately coming into mind
recalling the contemporary jazz style. Now you can add a further name:
Ken Ross. Trust me, this guy will have a great career.
