*Jazz keyboardist Bob Baldwin honors The Beatles with his 25th album titled “Abby Road and The Beatles” (City Sketches/Red River) featuring vocal assistance from CeCe Peniston and Lori Williams, Euge Groove on sax and Ragan Whiteside on flute. The album offers 10 Beatles originals (one, recorded twice, with a remix version) and a Bob Baldwin original, totaling 12 selections.
“I grew up with all kinds of music. My dad had Jazz…sister R&B…Soul. I liked what The Beatles did with their compositions and the songs were happy. They played guitars, bass and drums with no keyboard,” Bob said.
So on “Abby Road and The Beatles” Bob selected 10 originals and put his keyboard and Jazz twist to the world-wide hits. He includes his own original “Abbey Road” featuring vocalist Lori Williams as the cherry on the Beatle cake.
“I am known for taking original harmonies and putting my own flavor,” Baldwin pointed out. In the past his projects honored Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder. “I keep the melody intact. It’s always a challenge not really changing it…taking it to another point.”
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“Abby Road and The Beatles” is executive produced by Bob Baldwin, celebrating 30 years in the business, and Bob Frank. It also features assistance from Tony Lewis on drums, Dave Anderson on bass and Dennis Johnson and Café’ Da Silva on percussions.
“The Beatles were embrace in American and around the world,” Bob said about why he honored the popular band from London. “I tried to pick like 10 songs that felt good on piano.”
I love The Beatles like everyone else and know most of their songs so keeping the melodies are important to me too. My favorites on “Abby Road and The Beatles” include #3 John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s “And I Love Her (Real Talk)” because Bob’s sweet keyboard playing maintains the original melody to perfection; #5 John Lennon’s “Imagine” featuring Euge Groove on sax because of its simplicity; John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s “Michelle (My Girl)” featuring Ragan Whiteside on flute because I love the way Bob’s keys are popping; #7 George Harrison’s “Something (In The Way She Moves) because Bob’s sweet key playing keeps the melody and I love the Jazz flavor he brings to it; #8 Paul and Linda McCartney’s “My Love” featuring Lori Williams because again Bob brings simplicity to The Beatles hit honoring them to the utmost, and #10 John Lennon’s “Yesterday” because of how Baldwin Jazzes it up. www.BobBaldwin.com www.NewUrbanJazz.com
SYNDICATED COLUMN: Eunice Moseley, has an estimated weekly readership of over ¼ million with The Pulse of Entertainment. She is also a Public Relations Strategist and Business Management Consultant at Freelance Associates, and is Promotions Director (at-large) for The Baltimore Times. www.ThePulseofEntertainment.com. EVENT: “Uplifting Minds II” Free Entertainment Conference annually in Baltimore (Saturday April 20, 2019) in partnership with BCDSS Foster Care ‘Ready By 21’ Program and Los Angeles (October/TBD). Offering Entertainment Business panel and a talent showcase and competition (vocal, songwriting, dance and acting) with over $15,000 valued in prizes. www.UpliftingMinds2.com.
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