February 1, 2014

Artist, News and Artists

Artist Spotlight: A Conversation with Warren Wolf

Re-Post by Samantha McCoy of MissionKey Communications

There are many rising names in jazz, but few as mesmerizing as internationally renowned vibraphonist Warren Wolf.  We sat down to talk to this 33-year-old Baltimore native about his musical journey, future plans and the creative inspiration behind his brand new project “Wolfgang.”

MissionKey: There are a variety of styles on this project – swing, r&b, improv and even some classical. It’s almost like a musical collage. How would you describe your artistic approach?

Warren Wolf: That’s a good question. I wanted to have melodies that everybody could understand or relate to. I include everything on this record from gospel to swing to classical music to straight-ahead jazz. I wanted to showcase an “old meets new” concept. I formed a three-man rhythm section with jazz veterans Benny Green on piano, Lewis Nash on drums, and Christian McBride on bass. They recorded the straight-ahead jazz pieces while the young guys held down the more modern pieces – Aaron Goldberg on piano, Kris Funn on Bass and Billy William, Jr. on drums. Pianist Aaron Diehl is featured on two pieces that showcase how classical and jazz music can be mixed together. I also collaborated with vocalist Darryl Tooks.

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