Kaurna Cronin ”Euphoria, Delirium & Loneliness”
LAVA "The Rhythm Of Love"

Geoff Alpert "Open Your Heart"

Geoff

Trombonist Geoff Alpert has loved music all his life, studying the craft, learning several brass/valve instruments, playing in bands and composing songs. Inspired by the likes of jazz legend J.J. Johnson, rock band Chicago’s James Pankow, and fusion greats such as Wayne Henderson and Raul de Souza. Geoff studied music as a major at San Diego State University while supplementing his income gigging near and far. Yet he walked away from music for 30 years in the early `80s to be an ideal provider as a husband and father. Following the painful passing of his wife from cancer in 2002, Geoff did some profound soul searching which led him to pick up his trombone again, gradually easing back into the scene where he met bassist Darryl Williams and musical director/keyboardist Gail Jhonson. Both pushed and assisted him in creating a musical statement that spoke to his emotional life story, his undying passion for the art form and the spiritual Eastern martial arts disciplines that guided him along his journey. That album is Open Your Heart.

Geoff Alpert’s Open Your Heart (co–produced with Gail Jhonson) is a 10–tune tapestry which lovingly places the trombone in a front and center position it rarely enjoys in the present musical landscape. Floating between Jazz, Pop, R&B and Latin sound signatures, it’s a bold yet highly accessible listen. Highlights include the Brazilian flight of the title track, a cover of The Jacksons’ “Heartbreak Hotel” (composed by the immortal Michael Jackson and specially arranged for Geoff by Gail), the transfixing and deeply touching trombone and keyboard duet “Thinking About You” (in memory of his departed mother and wife), “The Crusade” (a tribute to The Jazz Crusaders/The Crusaders emulating some of the progressive sounds of the band’s evolution over five groundbreaking decades), the groovin’ “Zen Funk” (featuring bassist Darryl Williams and dedicated to the Ken-Ka-Kung Fu Club, the martial arts school which Geoff has been both student and teacher for four decades), and an especially emotive cover of sister trio The Emotions’ 1977 hit “Don’t Ask My Neighbors” on which Geoff tips his hat to trombonist Raul de Souza, first instrumentalist to cover the song

Thanks to Peter Holmstedt at HEMIFRAN

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