LOS ANGELES (A
Little Space PR) - Composer, Producer and Bassist Big Al Gruskoff, Prize Winner of the
John Lennon Songwriting Contest (Jazz), Teams With R&B/Gospel Vocalist Regi Perry For Coolly Eclectic Rhythm & Jazz Venture titled "Box of Love." Released in May 2005 on Independent Records, IR36798.
In an industry that all too often demands conformity to ultra-specific radio playlists and marketing schemes, jazz/funk bassist and multi-instrumentalist Big Al - composer, producer and creative mastermind behind the eclectic and dynamic rhythm and jazz outfit A Little Space - beautifully captures the free spirit of today's musically ambitious indie artist.
On Box of Love, the onetime John Lennon Songwriting Contest winner's second project featuring popular Los Angeles-based R&B/Gospel singer Regi Perry, Big Al offers nine emotionally compelling vocals and three in the pocket instrumentals that tap into a wide variety of styles that venture to places both within and just beyond the urban contemporary and smooth jazz landscape.
The collection features the jazzy neo-soul of the title track, classic Memphis horn band R&B ("Reason To Call You," "P.B."), Afro-Cuban ("Any Day"), gospel and samba on the cool hybrid tune ("Place I Like To Be"), anthemic jazz/fusion ("Dreams So Real") and a fiery pop/classical tune "Days Just Begun," which "Big Al" playfully describes as "A String Quartet on Steroids."
Box of Love reaches an emotional high point on "Know I'm Alive," a poignant tribute to the victims of last December's tragic Tsunami featuring Perry on vocals and "Big Al" on Alembic Bass, MIDI Cello and Drums. Big Al says, "The lyrics came to me after reading a story about a mother losing all her children." Released as a single shortly after it was written on Martin Luther King Day, 2005, and three months before the official release of the album, the song has been downloaded hundreds of times by fans all over the world (from Britain to Australia). A Little Space (https://alittlespace.biz) is freely offering "Know I'm Alive" to any charitable organizations supporting this relief cause.
Featuring Perry on seven vocals and nine of L.A.'s best session musicians, Box of Love is the third release by A Little Space, a collective launched with a self-titled 2002 debut featuring Big Al and vocalist Terrell Moran. Released in the days when MP3.com was the Internet's top musical tastemaker, A Little Space received a big promotional push on the site, alongside classic artists like Herbie Hancock and Norah Jones. Their debut album spawned No 1 tunes in four categories consecutively: Jazz-Fusion, Jazz-Vocal, Jazz-Latin and Soul. "Yes I Would" also earned Big Al a prize in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest (Jazz).
As for the title concept, Box of Love stems from the original lyrics that popped into Big Al's head, which referred to a mythical dating machine that gathered superartificial intelligence with the idea of helping people hook up romantically. The compelling cover art was created by a graphic design company in Ukraine.
"My intention was to intrigue people, to foster the question, what is the Box of Love, what will it do for me?" he says. "I want listeners to wonder what this imaginary device is, as a hook that draws them in. In turn, I'm really excited about adding new music to the global culture."
Box of Love can be heard on A Little Space's website (https://alittlespace.biz) and is in stock at (https://CDBaby.com/alittlespace3).
