Wave.fm review of Tongue & Groove - Gabriel Mark Hasselbach

Wave.fm review of Tongue & Groove

Tongue & Groove

He's won a Juno. He's won two Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards. He's won a West Coast Music Award. And he's earned several Gold and Platinum albums throughout his career (which included a stint with the Powder Blues Band). So ... what does a boy who was born and raised in Denver, Colorado, but now calls Vancouver home, do next?

He jam-packs a fresh collection with so much talent you just know it's going to be something special. That's not to say that Gabe isn't special enough on his own. He most definitely is - whether it's trumpet, flugelhorn or flute, GMH is an unparalleled vibe-master, always discovering new ways to groove solidly in the pocket.

I'm proud to say I had a hand in picking the lead-off single "Chill@Will". Featuring Bob Baldwin - remember the guy at the Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards Saturday party whose keyboard dropped to the floor and so he dropped with it and just kept on playing? - this track is a delicious blend of funky groove and tasty textures.

Uber-producer (and guitar player) Paul Brown shows up for a spin with Gabe on "Heading North". Paul's unmistakable style (slick and smooth) melds perfectly with Gabe's urban sensibility. "Daahoud" with Chris Standring is another standout, as is "Slipstream Turbulence" featuring fellow Canadian Brian Hughes. I also absolutely adore Gabe's unique take on "Feels So Good" (extended version with Miles Black and Grant Geissman) - an old chestnut given new life with a contemporary twist.

I've known Gabe for a long time and he is not only one of the most exceptionally talented musicians in the biz, he is also a passionate and generous soul, two traits that permeate every note he plays. Tongue & Groove ramps up the maestro's mainstream/contemporary mastery at every turn. I've said it before: "What I love the most about Gabe is his utter fearlessness. Not one to ever rest on past grooves, he charts new and exciting territory with each new CD."

Tongue & Groove is no exception. Keep on grooving Gabe, and we will keep on loving you!

Vickie van Dyke

Morning Host

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From Gabriel Sent from Mobile https://goo.gl/rGW5JA

Gabriel Mark Hasselbach

This site documents my journey as an independent jazz artist in a chaotic music industry. I guess this is where I get to 'blow my own' horn, so here goes.

I consider myself rather unique, as I am a multi-wind instrumentalist, performing and recording (mostly jazz) on trumpet, flugelhorn, C and alto flutes, valve trombone, and the Akai EVI wind instrument. I was born and raised in Denver, Colorado, but followed my muse to Vancouver, Canada, where my career on the world stage started with the success of the multiplatinum Powder Blues Band. After many national, international, and world tours, I launched a solo career with my Polydor album Solar Winds, and the dozen or so albums since then seem to have withstood the test of time, steadily building up my body of work. Due to pent up demand, my entire catalog has been meticulously remastered and is now on iTunes and all digital distributors, with a limited physical pressing of each available at info@windtunnelrecords.com

I have toured world festivals in locales such as Switzerland (Montreux), Netherlands (North Sea Jazz Fest), and the UK, Japan, Singapore, Philippines, Mexico, USA, and I continue to develop my fanbase through live appearances and esome choice exposure on radio and TV. I have spent the most number of weeks of ANY Canadian artist on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Charts.

My 2010 release, ‘Told Ya So’, won ‘Album of the Year’ and ‘Instrumentalist of the Year’ at the 2011 Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards, and spawned three singles including ‘Rockin’ The Ribjoint’, my first Billboard charting track, co-written with Jeff Lorber.

‘Kissed By The Sun’, the 2012 follow-up to that home run, seems to have been a home run with three Billboard charting singles, including ‘Starpixie’ and ‘Lock It Up’; and ‘Ready When You Are’. KBTS reached #8 on the Smooth Jazz Top 50 Album Charts, and was in the top 200 on the Contemporary Groove Charts for 2012. ‘Kissed By The Sun’ was co-produced with, and features Jeff Lorber, as well as a plethora of stellar guests such as Chuck Loeb, Brian Bromberg, Rock Hendricks, and fellow Canadians Rob Tardik and Walle Larsson.

I have also had notable straight ahead jazz successes, including a relatively lengthy two month run on the Jazz Week Mainstream charts with my ‘Come Out Swingin’ album, which featured Michael Bublé (before his rise to prominence), and also made a splash with ‘Swingin’ Affair’ which featured international latin star Nancy Ruth and the legendary jazz and blues icon Dee Daniels. I try to keep the improvisational content of my playing rich but concise, drawing from the Blue Mitchell/ Donald Byrd legacy. Critics seem to support that theory, and I have mountains of reviews to attest to that fact.

However, I prefer the more rhythmically succinct domain of contemporary jazz (or smooth jazz as it is sometimes called) for the variety of color and texture that it provides. I have tried to develop a style that pleases my ear and suits my skills, and that is highly listenable to music aficionados of all stripes.

I am the recipient of a JUNO Award (Canadian equivalent of a Grammy), two JUNO/Technics ‘All Star Band’ Awards (people choice awards with Guido Basso and Maynard Ferguson also in the running), a West Coast Music Award, a Jazz In The Park ‘Best Instrumental Performance’ Award, an Ampex Golden Reel Award, and several gold and platinum album awards (with my earlier group Powder Blues and a few others), besides the aforementioned ‘Album of the Year’ and ‘Instrumentalist of the Year’ nods at the 2011 Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards. I have recorded or performed with the likes of such varied artists as Michael Bublé (I toured with him extensively, and recorded several albums with him, and even produced his album ‘Dream’ in my studio), Bob James, Ernie Watts, Little Richard, Tom Scott, George Benson, Lowell Fulsom, John Denver, The O’Jays, Ben E King, Heart, John Lee Hooker, Nikki Yanofsky, and Long John Baldry, including recent Billboard-charting records with Paul Hardcastle, Bob Baldwin and Steve Oliver.

Home Page: www.gabrieljazz.com

Webstore: http://tinyurl.com/pjcl977

Flash site: www.gabrielmarkhasselbach.com

Twitter: @gabrieljazz

Linked In: http://ca.linkedin.com/pub/gabriel-mark-hasselbach/11/55a/429

Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/GabrielsJazz

Wedge 'Gabriel' Signature Mouthpiece line: http://goo.gl/1v7OrM

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEB4D2A58A839C402

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