FREDDIE RAVEL
Los Angeles, California, United States | INDIE | AFM
Music
Press
"Continuing the day's trend toward musical eclecticism, keyboardist Freddie Ravel blended Mozart's "Turkish" Rondo and Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjuez" with a stirring set of irresistibly body-moving salsas."
- Don Heckman, Los Angeles Times
The musical diversity of Ravel, his virtuosity, flair and spirituality shine on 11 excellent compositions. Just one listen of “Freddie Ravel” will give you proof of his remarkable talent and explain why we feel this is a vital source for serious romantics and will become a classic of the genre. - Paula Edelstein, Editor, Sounds of Timeless Jazz.com
Featuring the #1 in the U.S. hit “Sunny Side Up”, with it’s smooth, sunny groove and piano styling that reveal Ravel's jazz and classical prowess , Universal's release, “Freddie Ravel" is beautiful and alive with fiery, energetic Latin dance numbers that are sure to melt the hopeless romantic in everyone. - All Music Guide
A beautifully crafted piano melody with a distinctive guitar line, Freddie Ravel’s “Sunny Side Up” is a home run. - Steve Stiles, Program Director
"Blending contemporary jazz textures, a dash of rock energy and tropical rhythms with his charismatic performance style Ravel has the look, manner and sheer confidence to impact the crossover pop-jazz market". - Los Angeles Times
"Escuche tu musica y quiero que sepas que simplemente me encanto, es el tipo de musica que yo mas disfruto. Te felicito esta sensacional!" - Mauricio Abaroa, President
"Like a blast of light, Ravel is a dramatic keyboardist with a dynamic, explosive style." - Jazz Times Magazine
“ Flat-out, one of the most euphoric concert experiences I have ever had [where] the crowd was caught between dancing in the aisles and gaping in awe at the level of musicianship. Within one set by one band we got Smooth Jazz, Traditional Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Classical, Brazilian, Salsa, Classic R&B and pure CJazz Funk. It's enough to leave you breathless. And it did!” -Shannon West - Smooth Views
“Freddie Ravel, a young Latin-funk keyboardist currently much in vogue in L.A. gives us one of the hottest Latin crossover albums of the year, a supercharged, danceable excursion loaded with funky organ, hot R&B-style horns and throbbing Afro-Caribbean rhythms. An A+ effort!”
- Hispanic Magazine
“Considered one of the most outstanding keyboard players, composers, and producers in contemporary music, Freddie Ravel has recorded and performed with many icon artists including Earth Wind & Fire, Phil Collins, Quincy Jones, Madonna, Al Jarreau, The Boston Pops and Prince.” - Universal Music Group
Discography
As a Solo Artist:
• Freddie Ravel-"Freddie Ravel"-Universal,GRP
• Freddie Ravel-"Sol to Soul"-Verve & DTS Surround
• Freddie Ravel-"Midnight Passion"-Polydor & Verve
As a Guest Artist:
• Madonna-"Evita" soundtrack album-Warner
• Earth, Wind & Fire-"The Promise"
• Earth, Wind & Fire –"Millennium"-Warner
• Al Jarreau-"Givin' it Up"-Concord
• Al Jarreau-"All I Got"-Universal
• Al Jarreau-"Tomorrow Today"
• Prince/Jacob Arman-"Drum Fever"-NPG
• Peter White-"Songs of the Season"-Columbia
• Strunz & Farah-Selva
• Richard Smith-"Souldified"
• Dori Caymmi/Quincy Jones-"Brazilian Serenade"
• Mark Winkler-"Tales from Hollywood"
• Flora Purim & Airto-"Speed of Light"
• Carl Anderson-"Why we are Here"
• Alan Holdsworth-"Truth in Shredding"
• Alan Holdsworth-"Centrifugal Funk"
• Peter Gordon-"DoublePlay"-Positive
• L. Subramaniam-"Mississippi Masala"-Soundtrack
• Frank Gambale-"Thunder from Down Under"-JVC
• Frank Gambale-"The Great Explorer"-JVC
• Frank Gambale -"Note Worke"-JVC
• Yasuko Agawa-"In Autumn"-JVC
• Ricardo Silveira-"Amazon Secrets"-Verve
• Michael O’Neill-"Never Too Late"
• Osamu Kitajima-"Sweet Chaos","Behind the Light","Mandala".
• Justo Almario-"Family Time"-MCA Universal
• Ladd Macintosh-"Energy"
• Jazz Cookbook-"You Get the Best of Me"
• Gingo Kyogoku-"Nichiren"-Toshiba/EMI
Photos
Bio
“Ravel masterfully blends jazz textures, rock energy and tropical rhythms” ~Los Angeles Times
“A brilliant keyboard artist” ~Madonna
"Freddie’s originality is fascinating and his strong Latin roots bring passion to his music!" ~Maurice White, Founder, Earth, Wind & Fire
“A thrill ride of World Beat Fire to smooth originals” ~Jazziz
ABOUT FREDDIE RAVEL:
The unprecedented invasion of Latin music into Mainstream continues to be the perfect climate for the multi-cultural excitement of Freddie Ravel. His fiery and sensuous concerts & compositions draw upon his lifelong passions for Latin, Classical and Jazz supported by his Euro-Colombian heritage and deep spirituality. Ravel says: “Today, I find the purest moments come when I’m just sitting at the piano letting all of this flow through me to make music that speaks from the heart.”
Utterly captivated by Music since age 5, Freddie began performing worldwide with Brazilian icon Sergio Mendes by age 23. Shortly thereafter, Universal Records discovered the young artist resulting in a series of solo albums, all charting Top 10 in America: “Midnight Passion”, “Sol to Soul” & “Freddie Ravel”, featuring the #1, “Sunny Side Up”. Embraced by his many fans, his songs continue to receive extensive international airplay while his live shows garner critical acclaim.
Over the past decade, Freddie’s reputation as a multi-faceted Producer, Composer & Live Performer soared to the top echelons of the music industry with the legendary Earth, Wind & Fire and Al Jarreau under Freddie’s directorship. Subsequent invitations from Madonna led to MTV appearances and featured Freddie’s sizzling piano solo in Madonna’s remix of Don’t Cry For Me Argentina. Current collaborations go on with the hottest stars and production teams in Hip Hop, Jazz, Latin and Pop including Kanye West, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, Bobby McFerrin, Quincy Jones & Sting, as well as live performances with Prince, Herbie Hancock and Carlos Santana.
Freddie's lifelong commitment to raise human potential through Music gave birth to a powerful interactive performance program in 2002, which he named Tune Up to Success® where he reveals to audiences ranging from teens to Fortune 500 Companies how MUSIC connects and empowers their personal and professional lives.
“Music is so profound that I consider it to be the very fabric of the universe. It is amazing that variations of rhythm, frequency, and harmony can have such a profound universal power to make people jump for joy, feel melancholy, or create a sense of déjà vu” says Ravel. “If I’ve contributed music that stirs, surprises and stimulates my audience, then my mission is on track.”
Cameron Smith, CEO and founder of America’s Smooth Jazz TV recently stated:
“Over the past ten years, I have come to understand just how amazing Freddie Ravel is both as a musician and humanitarian, his dedication to his craft of making meaningful music is eclipsed only by his desire to champion causes that bring out the best in all of us.”
Preparing yet another thrill ride for his many fans, the crossover keymeister is set to launch his fourth album in summer 2007, a stunning blend of Dance, Romance, Hip Hop, Flamenco and a very special surprise. Stay Tuned!
Links
