For Immediate Release
Award-winning hornmeister Gabriel Mark Hasselbach aims for a jazz trifecta with his new album MidCentury Modern.
Gabriel is a bit of an enigma, in that his lexicon is not limited to one style of jazz, nor one instrument. He plays trumpet, flute, flugelhorn, valve 'bone, and more 'plumbing' as well. Here he has enlisted longtime iconic colleagues such as Ernie Watts, Cory Weeds, Miles Black, and Canada's answer to Gregory Porter, Mike Taylor, to craft a highly listenable project, that incorporates hard-swinging Mainstream jazz sensibilities, succinct Contemporary jazz clarity, and rollicking New Orleans jazz panache. Trifecta accomplished!
Gabriel returns to New Orleans for three CD release concerts April 26 & 28 at the Mahogany Jazz Hall and April 27 at the New Orleans Jazz Museum. He continues his tour in Canada for a May 11 CD release show at the famed
Blue Frog Studios Concert Stage.Although Gabriel has a baker's dozen critically acclaimed releases, he is best known for Contemporary jazz projects, which have garnered him seven Billboard hits so far. The two mainstream albums in his discography have made dents in the JazzWeek charts, and with MidCentury Modern, he is aiming for a Mainstream chart bullseye. The lead-off track Mississippi Jump, a remake of a Blue Mitchell classic, jumps hard like a 'sidewinder' but has also been remixed for Contemporary radio and is included as a bonus track. As the Jazz Crusaders once said, "Put it where you want it"!
Gabriel has performed at Montreux, North Sea, JVC, Chandler, and other festivals. He has performed in Japan and in Singapore (for the President!), and even in the home of Bill Gates. He has worked with artists such as Jeff Lorber, Chuck Loeb, Paul Brown, Brian Bromberg, Warren Hill, Bob Baldwin, Cal Harris, and Bob James to name a few.
He walks a fine line between contemporary and classic idioms, incorporating both effortlessly into a smooth and seamless stage show, brimming with lyricism, color, and texture. His influences range from classic artists like Blue Mitchell and Chet Baker, to contemporaries like Chris Botti and Rick Braun.
Drop date for MidCentury Modern is April 26, and is available at all digital distributors, and physical at CD Baby and WindtunnelRecords.com.
