Gabriel Mark Hasselbach

Well, PROPULSION, the first single off my new CD Open Invitation is heading into orbit! 

After 8 weeks of bubbling under as a 'New and Active', PROPULSION debuted on Billboard Feb 17 at #24! Then moved up again on Billboard and SmoothJazz.com the following week.

I should mention that my co-producer Lew Laing Jr also produced Melina in the #23 spot- Lew seems to have it all sewn up!

I seem to be getting lots of love these days, and just today two from Southern Ontario's (and arguably all of Canada's) hotspot for contemporary jazz, Wave.fm.

Comments like : " ....an album that raises the bar for coolness, style, chicness, and a compelling elegant vibe", and "...this Vancouver-based musical master plays with the big boys because he can. Whether trumpet, flute or fluglehorn (oh how I love that word!) GMH proves time and time again that he is worthy of every accolade"  kind of make the hair on the back of my neck stand up, but I'll do what I can to live up to the high marks I have been given .... :-)

Check out both reviews from the program Director, Stu Berketo, and the Morning Host, Vickie VanDyke. (more reviews below)

http://www.wave.fm/…/gabriel-mark-hasselbach-open-invitiati…

From the USA:

"Gabriel Mark Hasselbach's new CD Open Invitation, on which he wrote all the tunes and plays trumpet, flugel, alto and C flutes, valve bone, and EVI, is a tour de force of arranging and production..... Gabriel sounds great on everything.... no easy task, and should be really proud of this one! You'll find yourself humming these tunes when you least expect it!" ~ Randy Brecker -multiple Grammy winning trumpeter (Brecker Bros, etc)

Gabriel Mark Hasselbach - Open Invitation   4/4

"Canadian trumpeter Gabriel Mark Hasselbach returns on Open Invitation with his proven formula for success: a cadre of talented guest artists, fresh, funky rhythms and at least one soulful vocal track. "Lovelight" spotlights Hasselbach with vocals from Dee & Brittani Cole. Bob Baldwin (p) shines on "Charmed Life"; Bob Mintzer (sax) adds spice on "Let It Slide" and Cory Weeds (sax) stars on "Carte Blanche". These are a few of the highlights in yet another winning set from GMH." ~ D. Oscar  Groomes, O's Place Jazz Newsletter

".....Riveting sound ......solid groove-packed ..... loaded with both soothing and searingly funky jazz just like we C-jazzers like it. After his scorching 2012 Kissed By the Sun release, who could expect anything less from this prolific trumpeter who not only cranks out his own quality albums but is featured on albums by other top-notch artists, as well. ....Hasselbach also has some straight-ahead work under his belt – and you may be able to detect some of that influence ....much to the delight of the C-jazzers of the world.This album, which also features him on flugelhorn and flutes, has some cool contributors like keyboardists Greg Manning, Cal Harris Jr., and Bob Baldwin, and saxman Bob Mintzer of Yellowjackets fame. They all make this one cool, flowing party. Suffice it to say that Hasselbach not only consistently has a handle on the C-jazz groove but again works it to perfection here on Open Invitation. ~ Ronald Jackson-  TheSmoothJazzRide.com    read full review here

A review  from Canada:

"I recently received trumpeter Gabriel Hasselbach's new cd Open Invitation and I highly recommend it!  It's fast, classy and progressive and full of great all-star guest performers. I can see why the first single release, Propulsion, with special guest Greg Manning is sweeping the jazz world - it's just great music! I guarantee months of repeat playing of Gabriel's new music on my jazz program! Keep up the good work and great music Gabriel!"  ~ Bill Sharpe, host of Newfoundland's only jazz program Cool Jazz On The Coast  

From Switzerland:

Gabriel - Open Invitation (2014)
Trumpet player Gabriel Mark Hasselbach - currently calling himself just Gabriel - comes up with an awesome album full of memorable tracks and tons of first-rate guest players, like Bob Mintzer, Bob Baldwin, Greg Manning and many others. The music is groovy and offers a lot of variety, the musicianship is on a high level, and the smooth trumpet and flugelhorn playing of the leader holds it all together. Great stuff!  ~  Peter Boehi Smoothvibes.com Switzerland

From Germany:

"With Open Invitation it becomes apparent that Gabriel needn't shy away from comparison with any other trumpeter in the world."  

~ Hans-Bernd Hülsmann- Smooth Jazz Daily

Just launched! Propulsion video (official) 

" ... comparisons with any other trumpeter in the world...." Smooth Jazz Daily (Germany)

"... an awesome album full of memorable tracks and tons of first-rate guest players...... a lot of variety, the musicianship is on a high level, and the smooth trumpet and flugelhorn playing of the leader holds it all together. Great stuff!"  Peter Boehi Smoothvibes.com (Switzerland)

We don't sweat the small stuff, and we can all sleep when we are dead.... let's make life's moment's count!

OK, so the weather has just been 'meh', but it could easily be 'argghhh!' if Vancouver wasn't at the foot of that Pineapple Express.... let's all count our blessings, and breathe a sigh of relief that we aren't digging out from snow and that Fukashimi hasn't propogated three eyed fish (yet)...

That brings me to this weekend, arguably one of the romantic signposts in our culture, well spaced between other holidays to allow Hallmark time to restock all the shelves with current product.... of course, I am referring to Valentine's Day. He may have been a Saint, I am not sure anymore because his friends just call him Val.... 

Music is our lifeblood (which is certainly the right color for this holiday), and even before Valentine's festivities get underway, there is a ramp-up of great music (and art) options. I will share:

I am not superstitious, so it bothers me not in the least that it is Friday the 13th! So here is what's shakin':

I have swapped my regular Saturday night at Ten Ten Tapas (1010 Beach Ave, on the seawall) with Friday's romantic stalwart Rossi (on spanish guitar), and I will be holding court there Friday with my funky and classic brand of jazz. Start time 6:30 pm, make a rezzie!

Now, Saturday is PACKED!

First off, I'll be heading to renowned artist Raymond Chow's farewell sendoff at The Archer and Horseman Gallery at 1 pm (208 E 16th Ave); then at 2 pm I head to the Vancouver Public Library where I will be performing with the Urbana Big Band from 3 - 4:30 in the Alice McKay Room downstairs; after that I race outta there to Steveston where I am performing a special Valentines Day event at Shady Island Bar and Grill, right on the waterfront! It is not strictly a couples oriented event, and it goes early (6 - 9 pm), so you can still get your romance in later if you like. Great food and drink, and lots of special guests including Linda Szentes' Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald and more...... make a rezzie!

Hope you can make it!!!

This guy can play! Check him out at www.robtardik.com

Considering this is Throwback Thursday, I thought I would share some recently unearthed footage from a show I did with George Benson, back a few years when I was living and working on Maui. I was just a part of a concert for the Music for Youth Benefit, a fundraiser for young, fledging, musicians on Maui, and the star attraction was GB himself. The benefit was organized by Bryant Neal, one very nice, empowering person. Here is a link to show some of what he does on Maui/Lahaina: http://www.aecg.org

George has a place there and was a proactive proponent of paying it forward (even before the term was coined) - and even while touring he has also been a practicing door-to-door Jehovah's Witness which is a tremendous and humble show of his faith. I have had the chance to hang with him a few times and he is a very down to earth cat. Check out his Benson Burner recordings and his rise in the pop world, and you have one heck of a career by a very fleet fingered individual.

I only recall a few of the players on this show, apologies to the plethora of talent there that night (I can add it to this post later if you reach out). A fantastic drummer Guy Russo was on board, and guitarist vocalist Joe Cano was rocking the house. Charlie Haynes was on flute and I played trumpet and flute. Professor Ed on bass, Hector Serrano on congas, Tom Conway on guitar..... etc...

MORE TO CONSIDER FOR TODAY! 

Your support is appreciated for my new recording Open Invitation. Music is so readily available everywhere that people often don't bother to buy any of it, but I'm telling you, it is not easy or free to create music and get it out there! The reviews and chart action alone make it worth the ten bucks to have and enjoy- so pick up a copy - there are a lot of layers to it and special guests, that makes the project worthy of repeated listening.

That being said, I have a little promotion for you! 

Although many of my recordings are available at the usual download outlets, only WindtunnelRecords.com has my complete catalogue, including hard copies of nearly out of print recordings of mine and one-offs. As a Valentine's Day promotion I am offering, with purchase of any full album download or hard cd, a FREE DOWNLOAD of an UNRELEASED track I recorded with the late, great British guitarist Ronny Jordan - shortly before his death - a track called Way After 8, originally intended to go on an album of mine. I am on flugelhorn and flute....

If you are not aware of Ronny Jordan, check him out. Although he died of a suspected overdose Jan 2014 at a relatively young age (51), his Grammy winning music will live on.

The OPEN INVITATION  two day CD release concert event was a smash, and there was some great video culled from it, below.

OPEN INVITATION features Greg Manning, Bob Mintzer, Bob Baldwin, Cal Harris Jr., Rock Hendricks, Adam Rohrlick, Olaf deShield, Dameian Walsh, and more...

Please pick up a copy, digital or disc, and support an artist you know!

Open Invitation review quotes: