Red

Nelson Rangell has been a favorite, well known artist in commercial and smooth jazz circles for almost three decades. He has a long discography and has played with many of the industry's most famous musicians. His two new recordings "Red," featuring his high octane and soulful saxophone, and "Blue," a contemporary jazz collection of beautiful, virtuosic flute works are, separately and together, the most enjoyable, compelling and unique efforts of his career. Jazziz magazine writes that Nelson Rangell is "an artist of depth, a master of song, and an improviser non pareil...powerfully unique in voice" The Times of London notes "his extraordinary facility on a range of instruments and his undoubted virtuosity," and The London Guardian that "He has a broad, soulful tone on both alto and tenor and a luxuriously rounded sound on flute". Saxophone Journal states "He commands the alto saxophone with such authority that there can be no denying that Rangell is a true artist". Nelson Rangell's sparkling new CD "Red" is an ambitious and spirited collection of 9 new original compositions along with a deeply felt rendition of Bill Wither's classic ballad, "Whatever Happens". The CD is inspired by and dedicates itself to a largely contemporary, pop jazz sensibility, best exemplified by classic David Sanborn, Tom Scott and Grover Washington recordings. In some ways "Red" is a return to a commercial jazz style rooted in a desire to reach and please a wide audience but without the most unfortunate constraints and conservatism the genre has too often taken on. While being very commercially accessible, the tracks on "Red" are diverse thematically, with emphasis having been placed on improvisation and expressiveness within the album's dynamic melodies and strongly hook filled compositions. The CD is lushly produced. The simultaneous release of two highly enjoyable and diverse recordings, featuring different instruments has rarely, if ever, been done by an artist. Nelson Rangell is a dynamic player on both sax and flute with tremendous ability, a strong voice and much to say. "Red" and "Blue" are both completely accessible, while taking Nelson Rangell's artistry and contribution to contemporary jazz to a new level.