Alliance Monthly Newsletter - Audio Caviar
Audio Caviar on EWF’s MySpace & iTunes
By Trenz Pruca
Is the brainchild of drummer/vocalist & 34 years, original member of Earth, Wind & Fire, Mr. Ralph Johnson. He teams up with Morris Pleasure on keyboards (composer & MD for Earth Wind & Fire, currently with Janet Jackson) and Steen Kyed, guitars, on an adult contemporary & smooth jazz venture. Included on this project are: Philip Bailey (Earth Wind & Fire), Al McKay (original member of Earth Wind & Fire) on rhythm guitar, Verdine White (Earth Wind & Fire) on bass, Paulinho Da Costa on percussion, George Duke on Piano, Jonathan Butler, Howard Hewett (Shalimar), The Earth Wind & Fire Horn Section, Dori Caymmi on vocals and others.The album consists of original songs by Morris Pleasure, Ralph Johnson & Marcel East. Their collaboration as a writing team has given a lot of hit-material to numerous artists. Morris Pleasure, Ralph Johnson & Marcel East have been credited on many fine albums over the years. Their work, either individually, or together, as songwriters, composers or producers, are included on albums with Earth, Wind & Fire, The Temptations, Huey Lewis & the News, Bob James, Fourplay, David Benoit, Celine Dion, Ricardo Silveira and Najee, to mention only a few of them.Audio Caviar stands up to its name as a group, delivering smooth and silky music that can be considered contemporary music at its best. Their spectrum is adult contemporary, to contemporary smooth jazz, with the influence of ethnic moods.
Here is what Scott O’Brien of SmoothJazz.com had to say for this product:
TRANSOCEAN
  
IC is an expansive, deep album of premium-quality tracks from Earth, Wind & Fire drummer/vocalist Ralph Johnson, keyboardist/bassist Morris Pleasure, and Danish guitarist Steen Kyed, together known as Audio Caviar. Now those key points alone should be enough to pique your interest in this fascinating and extremely satisfying musical odyssey. Add Philip Bailey’s exquisite voicing on the beautiful and sensuous “Dominique” (the first radio single), George Duke’s incredible performance on the lush “The Island,” Jonathan Butler’s superb vocal work on the entrancing “Legends of Ratava,” and Howard Hewitt’s soulful reading of “Love Comes in Time” and the result is an amazingly warm and exciting package of music. The ties to Earth, Wind & Fire are unmistakable and bring a comfort level and familiarity to the whole sound and feel of this project. You can probably tell that I’m impressed with this recording. I love the depth and richness of Audio Caviar’s music, but I’m also totally into the positive, spiritual vibe that comes through clearly in every performance. The group came about from Ralph’s and Morris’ April, 2000 meeting in Copenhagen to begin a new conceptual jazz project. TRANSOCEANIC (recorded in both Copenhagen and Los Angeles) is Audio Caviar’s first release, and brings with it the promise of much more to come from this emerging super group. Their music has been described as “Smooth Jazz with an R&B edge and World Music Diversity.” I call it simply “superb.” When you hear it, I think you’ll agree!....... Scott O’Brien: smoothjazz.comBuy this amazing album here! |
