Justin Young
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On The Way
Detroit
born Justin Young came in young years in contact with music.
That was always, what he wanted to do. He started playing sax in
a school band. Justin's father Jim Young, also a musician, had a
great influence on Justin's development. Justin often attended his
father's rehearsals and when he was fifteen years old, he performed with
his father. With 17 years he already played in casinos in the Detroit
area. It was there, where his live performance started to grow.
On The Way is
Justin Young's debut album. The album was longtime in the making. Three years ago Justin met producer and keyboardist Noell Hall. Justin wrote
together with Hall the first track JY Funky. Justin also won
for his project Tom Schuman (Spyro Gyra), Paul Brown, Gail Jhonson,
Tim Bowman and more.
There is no doubt.
After the first tones of Sunny you know, this young musician
has an ear for music. The track is well arranged and Justin mastered
fearlessly the highest tones of his saxophone
Justin Young
performs Luve Handles with sensible intonation. Tom Schuman
co-wrote the track and adds romantic keyboard lines, guitar sound and
drum programming.
Gail Jhonson
convinced the author with her debut album
Keep The Music Playing. She paints On The Way Here with
a tropical marimba touch. Justin encloses more vivid colors and Paul
Brown delivers with his Wah guitar the final oil.
We all know Spyro
Gyra's Morning Dance and this world hit certainly inspired Tom Schuman
to the remarkable Evening Dance showcasing Justin Young in an
impressing attitude of ease and loveliness.
Gail Jhonson's second
contribution to Young's album is the hooking A Minor Groove. My
outmost respect!
JY Funky shows
Justin Young's funky side. This tune was the entrance to Justin
debut project. Less like Marceo Parker but more like Dave Koz the tune
flatters smooth jazz radio stations.
Young has a
distinctive affinity for slow smooth ballades. We heard it on Hanna.
A song featuring Tim Bowman on acoustic guitar. Young plays besides
alto and soprano sax also tenor sax like on the up-tempo New Day.
Showers is a good example for Young's expressiveness, he
masters strong and subtil whispering tones.
R&B star Gene
McFadden, best known for the smash hit Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now,
has also written the ballade Falling which got popular by Melba
Moore. Justin Young delivers a nice interpretation on tenor sax.
Probably the best and
funkiest song on this album is Expressway 94 written by Schuman
and Young. More stuff of this caliber on the next album!
Final tune is the
love ballade Just Her and I featuring Gail Jhonson on piano and
Justin Young on alto sax. Fine arrangement, performance and technique.
Justin Young is
really on the way to fame and stardom. He has a great potential.
