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| Rick Starmer Releases Set Of Jazz Standards Rick Starmer releases a brand new 15 song set of traditional jazz standards and originals, 'No Such Thing As Time', on September 27th. This brand new, 15-song, exquisite jazz collection is comprised of standards such as the Rodgers & Hart-penned title track, Manhattan, which sets the tone for an album filled with Rick's remarkably soothing piano work and takes the listener on a great ride. With "No Such Thing As Time", Rick Starmer takes his passion for traditional jazz music to the absolute next level as a jazz music artist. Rick (Starmer) had always wanted to make an acoustic sounding jazz album, and recording the session at the historical Homer Center for The Arts in upstate New York was the perfect venue. "This was the way legendary jazz music artists used to record their albums, " says Rick Starmer about recording this brand new album set to hit stores on September 27th. He goes onto to say that "I have always had the vision to record an album of mine at this great theater and there is nothing like stained glass and high arched, old wood ceilings to feed the creative soul and resonate a nine foot Yamaha Grand piano." The 15-song jazz collection is comprised of songs produced by Grammy Winning Producer for Best Jazz Album, Rob 'Wacko!" Hunter. (Rob 'Wacko!') Hunter is an industry veteran with over 97 credited projects as producer, mixer, and engineer.(Rob) Hunter has had the opportunity to work with such popular music artists such Branford Marsalis, Harry Connick, Jr., Gov't Mule, Testament, John Brown's Body, Overkill, Mel Gibson, Flotsam & Jetsam and he did the producer and engineer work on the Men in Black Soundtrack CD (Original Soundtrack CD and Bonus CD) and the Mark Twain Soundtrack CD to name just a few projects that have helped him developed his craft in the studio. He took time, while on break from his current worldwide tour with Branford Marsalis and his band, to produce this brand new "No Such As Time" CD (In Stores next week on Sept. 27th). The production, led by Rob 'Wacko!' Hunter, on this full length CD, helps the classically trained jazz pianist spread his musical works by including songs such as the (Rick)Starmer original "Cinnamon, " along with the classic essence and tempo that come out on the Duke Ellington/Barney Bigard composed song, C-Jam Blues. Johnny Mercer is presented on the album with "I Remember You, " where Starmer illustrates the diverse confidence in his piano style as modern day jazz and traditional jazz blend together. These arrangements remind us of that fine line of providing new production to familiar favorites in jazz, even though it's been decades since the original composition . The terrific production that compliments Starmer on "No Such Thing As Time" comes from a seasoned producer and musician, the acclaimed Grammy Winner, Rob "Wacko!" Hunter. The album is produced for the New York based Sunset Jazz Recordings imprint by label head Don Lichterman. Although the physical CD will be available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders and everywhere that sells jazz music, jazz fans can also download the album on iTunes, Amazon MP3, Rhapsody, Zune, Napster, Verizon Wireless Media and any place that sells downloads, streams, ringtones and playback tunes. The process of producing No Such Thing As Time was based on a vision (Rick) Starmer has had to record in this particular theater in upstate New York. "Rick had contacted me about getting the time to work with Rob Hunter, " Don Lichterman says about the project. "The company was looking for more jazz artists and for more jazz projects, " says (Don) Lichterman, and "we had done some live stuff with a vocal artist last summer to test these waters, but getting to record these special songs, with a Grammy Winning producer (Rob "Wacko!" Hunter), is the perfect sense of direction for the label and for Rick (Starmer)." Other great tracks on this very well produced CD include the Duke Ellington classic, "Sophisticated Lady, " the Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler classic, "Stormy Weather and the Erroll Garner classic, "Misty." The SC&J label first became aware of (Rick) Starmer through his first CD, "Because I Can't Paint, " that was eventually released through Sunset Classics. (Don) Lichterman says that "though (Rick) Starmer's musical style was a bit different when we first met a few years ago, I could see that he had a resonance in his playing that would sound amazing with that old school traditional style of jazz framework." He ends the questionnaire regarding the "No Such Thing As Time" CD which is being released next week on September 27th by saying that "we tried some things with vocals at some live shows last year, realizing the logical thing for him (Rick Starmer) would be to do what he does best, and that is play piano, " and that "getting the ability to use Rob (Hunter) to produce it was over the top for us." write your comments about the article :: © 2011 Jazz News :: home page |