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Outta Nowhere
Outta Nowhere
M. Entertainment Group
Airwaves: Contemporary Jazz
A new day is dawning in the Bay Area’s storied rich musical legacy. Outta Nowhere, a Contemporary Jazz Quartet featuring the talents of: Melvin Jones – Keyboards, Steve Jackson – Guitar, Aaron D. Hearne – Bass and Michael T. Dennis – Drums, is taking the genre back to basics in splendid style and with emphasis on musicianship. From the opening track: “Early Spring,” coincidentally the season of this highly anticipated debut release, solid composition and well balanced instrumentation delights the listening ear. On random rotation: “Brazilian Love,” “Something Special,” “Utopia,” “Song 4 My Girl,” and “Missing You” speak to the passion, purpose and pursuit of perfection. “On Three” takes you on a magical carpet ride, with its Caribbean reeds and percussive feel; “Dancing In The Wind” and “Gentle Breeze” are carefree, full of individual exploration; while “Backspin” evokes a “Good ‘Ole Days” fun filled moment of reflection. All in all, ten beautifully orchestrated instrumentals showcase a wide range of emotions, an appreciation for melodic simplicity and a broad international influence. Therein lies the wonderful surprise; the entire project contains no vocals, yet each arrangement is a blend of harmonious voicing that leaves room for creative expression and future artistic collaboration.
Etienne Carter, TTV Entertainment Media
CityFlight Newsmagazine Contributing Writer
- CityFlight Newsmagazine
El Cerrito, California, in San Francisco’s Northern East Bay, is where CCR’s Fogerty Brothers are from, and it’s where the group played their last concert. El Cerrito is also home base to the exciting new Smooth Jazz band, OUTTA NOWHERE. Coincidence? I don’t think so. Maybe it’s the location… northeast of The City and just up the freeway from Berkeley. It’s a good place for great music, and OUTTA NOWHERE puts out great music! This is an exciting new self-titled project that’s ready to make a big impact on the Smooth Jazz format. This band’s hot stuff, with Jazz, R&B, and Funk as their background, and their first radio single, “Backspin” has all the right stuff to be a hit… style, hooks, energy, and solid musicianship. The musicians I refer to are Melvin Jones - keyboards, Steve Jackson - guitar, Aaron Hearne - bass, and Michael Dennis - drums. Also in the mix on selected tracks are Vincent Lars-sax and Steve LaPorta-percussion. These guys play a lot of gigs in the Bay Area and Northern California, so you’re probably already fans of theirs if you live there. It’s the rest of us who haven’t yet had the opportunity to get into Outta Nowhere’s music, and that makes this debut CD a treat! All the music’s original, but with a comfortable familiarity to the feel and vibe, making for a rich, satisfying listening experience, and a promise of lots of airplay exposure for this talented band. OUTTA NOWHERE may be their name, but “going somewhere” is definitely their future! ~SCOTT O'BRIEN - Smooth Jazz.com
Outta Nowhere have singlehandedly taken over the Bay Area music scene. I had a chance to see the band at Rasselas in San Francisco last week, and these cats put on a spectacular live show. Everybody knows Big Cat loves real musicians, and these dudes played, sang and entertained the sold-out crowd from beginning to end with originals and cover tunes.
Outta Nowhere is a multitalented contemporary band with backgrounds in jazz, R&B, funk and soul, and I’m glad they call the beautiful Bay Area home. Their stage presence and tight sound stems from a combination of factors, including the band members’ unique and vast musical experiences. The band loves performing live together on stage and making their songs come alive for the audience. Contrary to the name this band has chosen for themselves, these extraordinarily musicians are far from being “Outta Nowhere!”
Outta Nowhere performs regularly at many venues, corporate events and festivals, including Maxwell’s Lounge in Oakland, Rasselas Jazz Club, Club Nuveau in the city, World AIDS Day, Vallejo Street Fest and Saratoga Summer Jazz Series. They have played with Tower of Power, Anita Baker, Mark Peterson and Donnell Dantzler.
The seasoned quartet is comprised of Melvin Jones on keyboards, Steve Jackson on guitar, Aaron Hearne on bass and Michael Dennis on drums. Not only are the guys recording artists, they’re also accomplished writers, music producers and engineers.
Check out their cool new websites at www.outta-nowhere.com or www.myspace.com/thebandouttanowhere.
- The Inside Buzz
Discography
Brazilian Love
Song 4 My Girl
Gentle Breeze
Early Spring
Over the Limit
On Three
Something Special
What May Come
Dancing In The Wind
Utopia
Missing You
Back Spin
Red Rose
Photos
Bio
Outta Nowhere is a Contemporary Jazz band comprised of four talented musicians whose background consist of Jazz, R&B, and Funk. This collective calls the Northern California Bay Area home. The groups style is a blend of each member’s unique and vast musical experience to create the groups own brand of “Smooth Jazz” that is upbeat as well as smooth and mellow. Contrary to the name this group has chosen for themselves, these musicians are far from being “Outta Nowhere!”
Outta Nowhere is currently working on their debut CD which will find them doing what they love, creating music that will leave a lasting impression. The group's creative process reflects all of their personalities, laid back, precise, perfectionist and experimental. With their new CD they are looking to bring a new energy to the Smooth Jazz sound. They are creating songs that are able to touch audiences and lift them to another place with their contemporary grooves, and jazzy melodies.
The group has been performing through out Northern California building a following. They have performed a various club venues, corporate events and festivals. Maxwell’s Lounge, County of Alameda World Aids Day, Vallejo Street Festival and Saratoga Summer Jazz series represent a few of the venues Outta Nowhere has entertained crowds of all ages. Each member also has extensive performance experience playing with such notable artist like Tower of Power, Anita Baker, Mark Peterson, Donnell Dantzler, and Club Nuveau to name a few. Outta Nowhere loves performing live and making their songs come to life for the audience.
Each member is very talented and accomplished on their own, which thereby enhances the overall quality, sound and voice of Outta Nowhere. Melvin Jones- Keyboards, Steve Jackson – Guitar, Aaron D. Hearne - Bass, and Michael T. Dennis – Drums make up this Contemporary Jazz Quartet. Not only are they artist, they are writers, producers, and engineers. This group is ready to show with their debut CD and performance that they are far from being “Outta Nowhere!”
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