Babysoul (2007)

Product Summary Label: Ryko Distribution UPC: 00851071001508 Release Date: 5/8/2007 Buy.com Sku: 204324285 Item#: M3KD35 Format:  CD Song Listing Disc 1 Song Title Sample 1. This Time Around ~ Jackiem Joyner 2. Stay With Me Tonight ~ Jackiem Joyner 3. Babysoul ~ Jackiem Joyner 4. Just Groove ~ Jackiem Joyner 5. In Love Again ~ Jackiem Joyner 6. Say Yes ~ Jackiem Joyner 7. Share My Tears ~ Jackiem Joyner 8. Lola ~ Jackiem Joyner 9. Unforgiven ~ Jackiem Joyner 10. Elevation ~ Jackiem Joyner 11. Innocence ~ Jackiem Joyner With his ARTizen Music Group debut Babysoul, 26-year-old Jackiem Joyner is the latest saxophonist in contemporary jazz history to musically chronicle the experience of emerging from the ranks of extraordinarily busy sideman to center stage on his first recording. An instantly engaging, soulful release, Babysoul will astound listeners with its musicality and accessibility. After several years of playing with keyboard greats Marcus Johnson and Bobby Lyle and saxophonist Jaared, co-headlining a 30 city tour in 2004 with Ronnie Laws and jazz and soul singers Angela Bofill and Jean Carne, and opening gigs for everyone from India Arie to Boney James, Spyro Gyra and George Benson, Joyner took a full year off to focus on writing and recording an album that marks his status as “a baby coming into the world, a new soul emerging into the music business.” Babysoul is more than just a title- it is a true description of his professional re-birthing. Jackiem's insistent and seemingly limitless invention on the thumpin’, finger snapping title track is all about the urgency of getting out there and showing everyone what he’s got. Thinking back on dealing with difficult characters on the business side of things along the way, "Elevation" finds Jackiem in a retrospective place ruminating upon his life so far in the music business while the tune's ebullient character suggests an inner resolution and dedication to move only onward and upward. The dreamy, ambient closer “Innocence” strips away the obstacles and gives him a fresh, optimistic mindset towards the future. Considering that this past New Year’s Eve, he held his own jamming onstage during the Jazz Spectacular at the Hyatt Regency in La Jolla, California with genre greats Gerald Albright, Richard Elliot, Jeff Golub and Peter White—whose graceful acoustic guitar graces Babysoul’s sensual, soprano driven first single “Stay With Me Tonight”—it’s clearly a gift that comes naturally to Joyner. “For this record, I’m really trying to communicate the soulful sound I have cultivated as much as possible,” he says, “delivering the message that I’m not only an emotionally strong player, but also technically on par. I have the best of both worlds on Babysoul, with a lot of dance groove elements up front and then the second half of the disc that slows down into a slightly more romantic mindset. Even during the time that I was growing as a sideman, it felt right for me to step up front and take solos.   "After years of playing with the big guys, Jackiem Joyner has learned what he’s about in the music world, incorporating the best in his own music. Young, yet multi-talented, Joyner has a long and bright career in front of him. Baby Soul has all the ingredients a true professional provides in a hit album. "  JazzReview.com   Album Notes and Credits Notes & Personnel Info Personnel: Jackiem Joyner (flute, saxophone, soprano saxophone, programming); Jackiem Joyner; Peter White (acoustic guitar); Louri Lonidi (electric guitar); David Dyson (bass instrument); Carlton Savage (electric guitar); Rick Braun (trumpet, flugelhorn). Audio Mixer: Rick Braun. Recording information: JCJ Productions. Photographer: Lori Stoll. Arranger: Jackiem Joyner. While it was always a challenge to debut and market hot up-and-coming saxmen into the smooth jazz genre that often ran on the success of more established artists, Richard Elliot and Rick Braun -- smoothie superstars and two of the owners of the indie label ARTizen Music Group -- were dedicated to building their label beyond just their own projects. They started with Paul "Shilts" Weimar' excellent HeadBoppin in 2006, and in 2007 got behind the very funky and contemporary, sometimes hip and often retro but always super soulful Jackiem Joyner. Joyner came to the airwaves after amassing a great r?sum? for his mid-twenty-something age: playing with Marcus Johnson, Bobby Lyle and Jaared, co-headlining a 2004 with Ronnie Laws and Angela Bofill, and opening gigs for everyone from India.Arie to Boney James. His passionate playing on the thumpin', finger snapping title track gets the party going, while "Elevation" states his forward thinking purpose. Peter White's always lovely acoustic guitar graced Joyner's sensual, soprano led first single "Stay with Me Tonight." Smooth jazz radio was unfortunately anti-flute by the early 2000s, but Joyner figured out a brilliant way to incorporate his second instrument into the mix on five songs including the whimsical "To Love Again" and the fiery, brassy Latin explosion "Lola." Joyner was off and running after this exciting debut. ~ Jonathan Widran Producer: Jackiem Joyner; Jackiem Joyner Engineer: Jackiem Joyner   Technical Info Release Date : 05/08/2007 Original Release Date : 2007 Catalog ID : 10015 Label : Mack Avenue Records Number of Discs : 1 Runtime : 48m : 47s Studio/Live : Studio Mono/Stereo : Stereo SPAR Code : n/a UPC : 00851071001508   Professional Reviews JazzTimes (p.117) - "Joyner mixes up BABYSOUL with some tempting flute playing....The 11-song CD is bound with cohesiveness, relying on mostly midtempo numbers and tight rhythm sections."    Product Image