Still hanging in there on the Billboard charts at #31 expecting a leg up soon, moving from New and Active to solid ground!
Open Invitation is available now, and if you order download or disc directly from WINDTUNNEL RECORDS, you will receive a free download of an unreleased Gabriel track with the late, great Grammy winning UK guitarist Ronny Jordan. Just use coupon at checkout!
" .... a tour de force of arranging and production .... You'll find yourself humming these tunes when you least expect it!" Randy Brecker
" ... 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!
This Saturday at Ten Ten Tapas (in Vancouver) will be extra exciting as my special guest performer will be Rob Tardik, an award winning latin jazz guitarist from Toronto.
Rob has had a number of highlights in his career including Billboard chart hits.... Rob and I have recorded together on my albums and me on his.... very simpatico!
I'll be on my usual arsenal of horns, trumpet, flute, flugelhorn, and we will start at 7 pm and wind up around 10.
Don't let the weather deter you from a rare chance to see and hear this cat.... watch:
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.
Please pick up a copy, digital or disc, and support an artist you know!
Open Invitation review quotes:
" ...a tour de force of arranging and production. ... You'll find yourself humming these tunes when you least expect it!" Randy Brecker
"You might expect a cat with the name Gabriel to blow trumpet. But Gabriel Mark Hasselbach also displays his mastery on flugelhorn, alto and c melody flutes, valve trombone, and electronic valve instrument. Having sharpened his skills on stages alongside everyone from Michael Bublé, Jeff Lorber and Chuck Loeb to Little Richard, George Benson and John Lee Hooker, Hasselbach has a vast tonal palette from which to draw and his trumpet, flugelhorn, and flute lines drift enticingly over and around the laid-back groove." JAZZIZ Magazine
"It's fast, classy and progressive and full of great all-star guest performers.... 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
" ...fresh, funky rhythms .... another winning set from GMH." ~ D. Oscar Groomes, O's Place Jazz Newsletter
"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
" ...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
" .... fiery trumpet and spacious flute.... abriel blows a laidback groove..... while romance is in the air on the ballad ‘Lovelight’..... indeed a nice melodic album, that shows Gabriel’s versatility. There’s not a bad track here!"
An exciting two hour show on the Blue Frog Concert Stage, edited into a crisp highlights reel. Gabriel plays trumpet, flute, flugelhorn and evi, and is backed by Tilden Webb (keys), Adam Rohrlick (guitar), Laurence Mollerup (bass), and Don Powrie (drums). Tunes are from many of his dozen or so albums, including the new release Open Invitation (which features Bob Mintzer, Bob Baldwin, Greg Manning, Cal Harris Jr., etc...
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!
Well, things are moving right along for my new release Open Invitation....
Just launched! Propulsion video (official)
A new review came in today 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 (see more)
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 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
From Germany:
"With Open Invitation it becomes apparent that Gabriel needn't shy away from comparison with any other trumpeter in the world."
My spins are strong in areas like Missouri, Alabama, Florida, Maine, N. Carolina, and New Mexico, as well as Australia, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, and even a Number One in Canada!
Radio has given it a leg up again after its first foray into Billboard-land in December, as a New and Active re-entry.
and making big gains on the SmoothJazz.com charts, both Main (+20) @ #25
I am thrilled that a trumpeter of the stature and skill as Randy Brecker took the time to drop me a note. We first met in the 80's when I was touring the same circuit in the US with Powder Blues and he was with the Jaco Pastorius Word of Mouth Big Band. We'd see each other at festivals and back to back gigs. He once asked what mouthpiece I used, which made me feel pretty cool at the time that he reached out to l'il ol' me!
If you don't know of his immense body of work, check out his website! Today he sent me this quote:
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. Each tune also features a famous guest artist, all of whom fit perfectly into the picture. 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
Here we are at Jazz Alley in Seattle, he's such a great dude! He test drove my trumpet in the dressing room, and even his warm-ups make you feel like a novice!
BTW, I had a fantastic two night cd release event that went swimmingly, a full house both nights. The crack team of Tilden Webb (keys), Laurence Mollerup (bass), Adam Rorhlick (guitar), and Don Powrie (drums) rocked the house and made me look good! Thanks to all the familiar friends and fans in attendance....
Please get yourself a copy or download of Open Invitation! Listen to the Sampler:
2015 has already started gaining momentum, and I'm looking forward to a very Propulsive year. My gift to you: two free extended play downloads- see below!
I hope you can make my two day CD Release Event Jan 10 and 11, 2015. Two cool shows with two distinct flavors, both debuting tunes from the new album as well as performances of several of my prior Billboard Top 20 charting hits. If you are in the Vancouver/White Rock area, please make a special effort to be a part of it!
Blue Frog Studios show Jan 11 will be full band, in a real concert theatre environment, with video and audio recording. definitely more bang for the buck! Click for Jan 11 ticket info:http://www.bluefrogstudios.ca/newshows.html#gmh
The new release Open Invitation features my best funky and smooth work to date (on flugelhorn, flute, trumpet, valve 'bone, and evi), and includes stellar guests like Bob Mintzer, Greg Manning, Bob Baldwin, Cal Harris Jr, and more. It looks like this release will have some pretty good 'legs', judging from the early responses. I look forward to sharing it with you live and in product form. Support a hard working artist and get yourself a copy, download or physical!
Gabriel Mark Hasselbach - Open Invitation 4/4(4 out of 4 for playing and audio fidelity) O's Notes: 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.
