Jamba
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Jamba

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"Jamba::New Jazz on the Rise"

JAMBA:: “New Jazz� on the Rise By Shawndra Brown As jazz theorists continue to bombard us with their theorems and thoughts about what “real jazz� is, artists like Jamba are blazing a trail for what I like to call “that new school jazz.� A fresh pop- and blues-influenced sound breaking through a traditional jazz foundation, forcing us to reshape the space that we’ve carved out for “that old school jazz� in order to make room for the new stuff. That’s Jamba.

With a few studio demos circulating, Jamba is garnering attention as a crooning jazz pianist with a way of expressing the inexpressible through the razor sharp accuracy of his lyrics.

Though fluent in four languages (and working on the fifth), Jamba’s native tongue is good music. If you love a moody vocal performance over a smooth, piano-heavy jazz groove, Jamba is a shoe in to your digital music collection, and a wake up call for those of us who “aren’t into jazz.� The Movement caught up with this unsigned artist to talk about his thoughts on creative control, true love and the genres he’s blending to form his own sound. _______________________________________________

The Movement Magazine: So, how did music start for you?

JAMBA: My dad was a leader of a band in Brazil, and I was always around the band growing up. I even remember sleeping on top of the drums at one of their shows. I just grew up around music.

Then when I was about 11, one of my mom’s clients offered to give me piano lessons. When that guy started playing the piano, something inside me said, ‘Holy crap!� I have to do that for the rest of my life. I went through school knowing exactly what I was going to be. There were never any doubts. From the moment I heard him play, that’s what I wanted to do my whole life.

I started doing session work as a piano player, and I produced my first track when I was 13. I sang a lot at church, I used to lead worship at my church.

TMM: Who are your musical influences?

JAMBA: I love everything from Frou Frou to Duncan Sheik to Tommy Sims to Stevie Wonder and Chaka Kahn. All these people are so phenomenal. I grew up in the early 90s. Even Boyz II Men. I remember being blown away by those records.

But all through High School I listened to nothing but Jazz. Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett, stuff like that.

TMM: Where does the name Jamba come from?

JAMBA: Jamba is my nickname in Brazil. It’s very common for people to get tagged. You become known by your nickname, not your real name. My mom gave me the name when I was very very small and it stuck. Everybody started calling me Jamba. My real name is James. No one knows me by James anymore.

TMM: Your music is very romantic. Are you married or anything?

JAMBA: I am married. I married my first girlfriend and my first kiss at the age of 19. My whole high school and middle school experience was kind of centered around the piano, I never dated. So when she came around she kind of just blew my world, man. It was like, ‘Wow! She’s amazing!’ But I’ve always said it in my heart that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with my mate. That was one of the things that I promised myself. I wasn’t gonna fool around. I believe that when you love somebody, you commit. I’m old school when it comes to that. Real old school.

TMM: How is that, being a family man and having to travel so much as a musician?

JAMBA: She has a psychology degree, so she understands the nut that I am. She’s very patient. She’s very understanding. It takes a special woman, I’m not gonna lie to you. It’s tough, but we’ve been through...she kind of saw me grow. We built this thing together, you know what I mean? She’s a part of who I am. I would never be here without her. It’s tough, but we handle it day by day.

TMM: Are you working on a full-length project right now?

JAMBA: We have the material, it’s just a matter of sitting down and putting it to tape. We’re in the process of polishing things up. Expect a full-length album really soon.

TMM: What genre would you put yourself in?

JAMBA: I would say it’s three genres. I’d like to think that I have an R&B-ish voice. I would say it’s kind of an R&B, pop, jazz type of thing. I don’t know which one goes first, I don’t know which one goes last. But I definitely feel a lot of those three elements in my music.

TMM: What are you aspiring to do through your music?

JAMBA: It’s not really complicated. I love to sing, I love to be with people, I love to talk and share my music. I’m not saying that my music is gonna bring world peace, that’s not what I’m about. I just want to spend the rest of my life doing what I love to do, and hope that I can employ other people and bless the world through my music. I’d love to bridge that gap between the whole jazz and pop thing.

I guess if I can inspire somebody then I wou - The Movement Magazine


"Julian's Flight"

Music is one of the most profound ways of expressing a profound sentiment, a state of mind...a human condition...especially the condition of the heart...leftover memories or unresolved entanglements still stirring within us must follow the course of Time. Paradise or otherwise, an Artist must dismantle the fragments piece by piece, only to put it back together or to use the shovel of oblivion and bury it all…bury it out of sight.

In this edition of our Artist Spotlights, we present to you the words and music of Jammes Castro a.k.a. "Jamba", pianist/vocalist/songwriter whose young, but storied career had him crossing paths or currently working with some of the industry heavy hitters. A fateful meeting with bass great Abraham Laboriel, chain reacted and netted him the experience of Michael Omartian's tutelage. Omartian, producer to artists such as Christopher Cross, Al Jearreau, Rod Stewart…Donna Summer (who had Jamba as her main pianist/keyboardist while recording in Nashville) encouraged Jamba to go the solo artist route…subsequently landing him back in his native NYC, where he now pursues his budding solo career.

Lighting up our Spotlights are two songs from Jamba, which can easily skyrocket him into the ranks of John Legend, Norah Jones, or any artist past or present, who possess that inherent sensitivity to chordal nuances, and of course the beauty of melody. The Autumnal atmosphere of Say Goodbye…a recognition of the "bittersweet inevitable" with lookbacks and a glimmer of Rendezvous in the future. Can one really be so brave, or is it because felt songs have that fortifying quality to conquer such crossroads moments? You tell us Jamba…tell us "it's alright"…tell us the way of the Seasons.

Second Chance, is a tug of war between what still stings and what you can't let go, then ultimately—"what's left standing"…"loves supposed to be all you need…love will bring you back to me…with only a…second chance". For those of you also finding yourselves riveted to Jamba's playing—his solo bridge reflects the touch and go mood of this track at 3:10 to 3:20, he pulls off two beautiful changes…a slight Jarrettism indeed, as Keith is a driving force icon in his music.

Time to light up the fire…as the Flight lays over on a chilly eve this Fall. Headphones…an easy chair…a glass of red. Acknowledgements for this feature: Brau, Paul (The Hague), Cindy da Silva, Manager, da Silva Artists, and of course he who played and sang—Jamba. - www.juliansflight.com


Discography

Jamba's EP which was co-produced by Grammy winning producer, Michael Omartian, and his second release, JAMBA - Live From The Cutting Room are available for purchase on I-tunes, Rhapsody, E-music, as well as his myspace through Snocap.

'I Like You Like That' is being played in several clubs in the South of France, Brazil and in Jersey City, NJ.

Spinning on:

www.GrooveSuite.com - San Francisco, CA
www.rushhoursmoothjams.com - Harrisburg, PA
Chico's Radio - Mobile, AL
My Love Of Jazz - Suffolk, VA
Bossa2Nova - Seattle, WA
DaJazz - Denver, CO
Rocco's Musica Musica - British Columbia, CA
Paris on Air - Paris, France
Jazz FM - KSBR - Mission Viego, CA
www.cimradio.com - NY, NY
Radio Crystal Blue - Brooklyn, NY
Smooth Soul Online - Bonaire, GA
Beauty Radio - Tampa, FL
WAJM Smooth Jazz - Stone Mountain, GA
KCN Radio - Livingston Manor, NY
Smooth Jazz Beach Radio - Long Beach, CA
www.smoothgroovers.com - London, UK
KCN - Love Radio - New York, NY
Atlanta Movement Radio - 'Supreme Saturdays' - Atlanta, GA
Groove.collection - Pittsburgh, PA

Photos

Bio

"The first time I sat at the piano, it was literally like something magical happened. Maybe it sounds corny, I don't know; but it was one of those life-changing experiences for me. I knew I had to do this for the rest of my life."

Jamba (a.k.a. Jammes Castro) isn't given to hyperbole. After his childhood introduction to the piano he promptly set about dedicating his life to the instrument with such a fierce commitment that now, still only in his mid 20s, the New York based singer/songwriter/musician has amassed the kind of credentials seasoned artists twice his age would be proud to have on their resume.

"A lot of great things started to happen me as a teenager when I left New York," explains Jamba, who was born in a small town in Brazil, just outside Sao Paolo, to a musician father and hairdresser mother.

" First, I moved to South Florida where I played in a lot of different bands and ended up meeting the bassist Abraham Laboriel (George Benson, Herbie Hancock, Lionel Richie, Quincy Jones). He really gave me a lot of advice and direction and actually told people that I was one of his favorite young pianists."

With that ringing endorsement Jamba, began to secure steady session work, relocating to Nashville, where he was mentored by legendary producer Michael Omartian (Christopher Cross, Rod Stewart, Donna Summer, Michael Bolton, Al Jarreau).

"Michael and I became really good friends, and he taught me so much about production. I mean, hes had some of the biggest hits in the history of pop music, so obviously I was a sponge and just was honored that he would take me under his wing." Omartian, a skilled pianist himself, was quick to hone in on Jambas ability, not just as a keyboard player, but as a composer and vocalist of distinct nuance. He encouraged Jamba to purse a solo artist career and even went as far as recording and producing the demos of his young protege.

With Omartian singing his praises Jamba went on to secure work with many of the producers industry friends, landing the steady gig as disco icon, Donna Summers main pianist/keyboard player while recording with many of Nashvilles best known producers. Fellow Nashville resident, Take 6's Mark Kibble, with whom Jamba has worked, described him as the new Greg Phillinganes (mainstay keyboardist for Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson and Eric Clapton to name just a few). "That was an incredible thing for him to say - Ive admired Gregs work for so long; not just his technical ability but his ability to feel the pocket makes his work so special. It was a huge compliment!" responds Jamba.

Jamba could have easily settled into the comfortable producer/writer musician lifestyle of many of his successful friends, but in the fall of 2005, he decided to trade the security of Nashville and relocate to his native New York, where he knew his jazz inflected solo work would have a more favorable reception than with the country music capital of Nashville. "I know musicians are meant to go where the work is, and in Nashville I could have certainly lived well. Its a great place to live, to raise a family and it has an established music scene, but I just felt it was the safe option", Jamba explains. "I wanted to challenge myself musically, try different things and pursue the solo artist thing, which is why I decided to move back to New York."

Fortunately, Jambas reputation preceded him to the Big Apple, immediately landing him some high profile session work. He also wasted no time in throwing himself head first into the ever effervescent music scene.

"One of the things I like about New York is the musical diversity. Its always been here and thats why Ill do live gigs with a whole heap of different, interesting acts just to keep my chops up and challenge myself, playing either keys or bass."

Jambas fully mixed and mastered demos from co-producer Michael Omartian, songs such as the mellifluous, embracing, 'Goodbye', the beatific, meandering 'Always You', and bitter-sweet 'Second Chance' "not only display the Midas touch of a skilled young pianist at the top of his game, but a sensitive, supple tenor, breathing expression and emotion to every sung syllable", writes Jeff Lorez, freelance writer for Billboard Magazine. His single, 'I Like You Like That', produced by music industry veteran James Hellman is a sweet little bossa nova that exudes the aspects of a true classic with worldwide appeal.

I remember when I was just in my teens I was besotted by this record, Standards In Norway by Keith Jarrett. I remember thinking, Wow this guy actually gets to make music like this for a living. I would love to be able to do that one day. Its a real blessing to be able to wake up every day and make music, express yourself and love what you do. Just as my challenge at thirteen was to emulate that Keith Jarrett record and thats something Im sure Ill never achieve, by the way I love the fact that when youre doing music, whether its writing, playing, performing,