Greg Porée 'It's Only a Paper Moon'
Greg Porée’s instrumental take on the jazz standard ‘It's Only A Paper Moon’ is typical for his unique attempt of blending tradional jazz with world music. The arrangement and musicianship is both creative and surprising. Originally, the tune was written by Harold Arlen with lyrics by E. Y. Harburg and Billy Rose and first published in 1933. One of the most popular versions is by Ella Fitzgerald.
Greg developed his interpretation featuring the classical guitar on live concerts with one of his closest musical partners, the bassist Keith Jones. They turned the popular jazz standard into a quirky latin tune with creative and infectuous rhythmic and melodic structures.
The grooves are remniscent of the Afro-Carribean genre Calypso, which is heavily rooted in West-African music and blended with the European folk music of the Creoles. Being of Creole descendance himself, this style not only conveys Greg’s musical heritage but also links him to the other players: Keith Jones’ roots are Jamaican and the percussionist Leon Mobley is from Nigeria. In this ensemble they personify the rhythmic roots of this tune.
The rhythmic bed is a 16th note shaker pattern and a conga part supplied by the drum master Leon, who also played the drum solo on a djembe – which is quite unusual for Calypso. The six-string bass by Keith Jones is rock solid, both rhythmically and melodically and acts as a counterpoint to both the drums and guitar.
Produced by Frances Livings & Greg Porée for Moontraxx Music Productions 2010.
Urban Survival by 4UrbanArtists ft. Frances Livings
The new single release Urban Survival is a groovy dance-floor piece, written by Frances Livings and produced and released by Moontraxx in July 2010.
Come Closer by 4UrbanArtists
Come Closer is an urban electronica-lounge, nu-jazz piece from the 4UrbanArtists' album Sticky Traxx. Written by Frances Livings & Volker Schwanke, recorded in Hamburg in 2003. Mixed, remastered and produced by Moontraxx 2009.
Featuring Daddy Deep aka Volker Schwanke (electric bass, all keyboards, sound & loop programming); Martin Hillmann aka Automart Hamburg (all guitars); Frances Livings (vocals)
Traveler from the album 'Inventions', Greg Porée
The jazz tune Traveler, from Greg Porée's latest album, flows along on an interesting but smooth voyage. Featuring great players like Patrice Rushen on piano and Karen Briggs on violin, it is one on Greg's signature tunes that may very well remind you of Pat Metheney's work.
Gold & Frankincense by Frances Livings
A sensual spoken word piece by Frances Livings, accompanied by Greg Porée on classical guitar.
Gold & Frankincense is to mark a cornerstone: It is the first single release of the jazzoetry album "Songs of the Soul", Frances' first solo project in spoken word or rather musical poetry. The chemistry between the reading by Frances Livings and the guitar accompaniment by the American guitarist and composer Greg Porée is symbiotic, supported by sensual and textural pictures and images in the video clip. The song is available on Amazon and iTunes and all other online music stores.
