Sacramento, CA
June 6, 2010 is a date that I will long remember, for two reasons; I attended my first Black Music Awards show and I fell in love with jazz.
The 8th annual “Sounds of Soul” Music Awards, held at the Crest Theater in Sacramento, CA, was a thrilling event, to say the least. Musicians, vocalist, and groups from all over the country vied spectacularly . Some faces were familiar and some were not, but each and everyone gave the audience an award winning performance. From Gospel to Rap, R & B to Jazz, it was truly a melting a pot for “Soul”, an exciting whirlwind of entertainment.
It was during the performance of Larry Ellis Jr, one of the west coast’s most spectacular jazz musicians and best kept secret, that I discovered a long dormant “love” for jazz. Thank you Larry Ellis Jr. Don’t misunderstand, I have always liked jazz, respected jazz, listened to jazz, but love it? I don’t think so. But now, I know I can love it with the same passion that I’ve always applied to R&B.
Listening to the interpretations of “Ode to Billy Joe”,”Nuthin’ But a G Thing” from his latest CD “Your Favorites My Way” Ellis and his band Southwind, gave me a new out look on the soul of jazz. For the first time I felt the spirit of jazz flow from the soles of my feet to the crown of my head and it was then I knew, that from that point on, jazz and I would be lovers! It took an extraordinary master of music to bring this die hard R&B fan into the house of jazz. No wonder he won two, not one,but two, Sounds of Soul awards. Larry Ellis Jr won the Soul award for ”Best Jazz Band” and “Best Jazz Musician”. No Surprise there!
There is so much more to say about this jazz impresario, but talk is cheap, listening is better.
Get to know and enjoy Larry Ellis Jr. He’s not hard to find. Just follow the music.
http://www.jazzplaya.com/
http://myspace.com/larryellisjr
http://reverbnation/larryellisjr
http://itunes.com/larryellisjr
http://rhapsody/larryellisjr
