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Danny Lerman - Sax for all Seasons
July 28, 2008 - Saxophonist Danny Lerman has worked all over the world and with some of the most well known musicians over the last several years. His latest release, “Meow, Baby” reflects the versatility and worldwide flavor of the saxophonist’s sound. Recently, while all over the world, Danny spoke to smoothjazznow.com about his music and his love of sharing it with others. |
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Natalie Cole has Hepatitis C
 July 23, 2008 – Our thoughts go out to Natalie Cole today. The singer has just been diagnosed with Hepatitis C. In a statement from her publicist the singer said, “I’ve been so fortunate to have learned so much from my past experiences,” More
Roselyn Brown Shares her Best Nights!
 July 29, 2008 – Roselyn Brown is pumped! The Smooth Jazz flautist/vocalist has just had her CD release party for her great new ‘Emancipation’ CD, “A great deal of work goes into making an event like this happen!” More. |
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JOY Hall : Hi, Danny, thank you so much for talking to us at smoothjazznow.com. You have some exciting stuff going on right now. But first, let’s talk about your background and beginning in music. I know you’re from South Bend.
Danny Lerman : Yeah , I’m from South Bend. I started with the school band when I was ten. I also took private lessons from the same teacher who taught Junior Walker, who’s also from South Bend. I was in a Guy Lombardo type big band from age 13 through college and then I went to Berkeley College of Music for a year and then I went to North Texas for a year where I graduated from their music school. Then I moved to New York and started doing my own thing and now promoting my current album, Meow, Baby” |
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Lewis Paying Tribute to Abraham Lincoln
 July 27, 2008 - A musical piece paying tribute to next year's 200th anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln's birth (1809). The musical composition will get its inspiration from Lincoln's life and musicians from the 19th century. More
The LaBelle Reunion, Will It Really Happen?
 July 27, 2008 - Trio Labelle, including famous singers Patti LaBelle, Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash is reunited after 32 years and is currently in a studio working on their next still untitled album. More |
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JOY : Your sound is just so soulful and upbeat .Tell me, who are some of your music influence, not just saxophone but overall.
Danny : Well, thank you. You know, for the last few years I’ve been travelling around the world playing Finland, Venezuela, Israel and South Africa and Turkey. I lived in Turkey for a while and it’s exciting going to different places with new sounds and new cultures. That’s exciting to me bringing in different flavours; every song is a vacation to somewhere. As far as American groups, probably Michael Brecker was my favourite. I love Grover, and some beboppers like Sonny Stitt and Charlie Parker. Let’s see, Santana who’s very soulful. I love the music he made, it sounds good and actually he turned me on to the Latin thing and that lead to going to Latin parties and that lead to going to Venezuela and playing and you know one thing leads to another, which leads to good music and you kind of write about your life in some way or another.
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Hathaway To Open Detroit Jazz Fest
 July 24, 2008 - Performers have been announced for this year's Detroit International Jazz Festival, set to to take place from August 29 to September 1 , 2008. More
Stewart Lookin’ to Kick Jude Law’s Ass
 July 23, 2008 – Every dad gets a little possessive when someone hurts his little girl. Rod Stewart is in a fighting mood on hearing his daughter Kimberly’s ex, Jude Law is rebounding with Lily Cole. More. |
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JOY : As you mentioned, “MEOW, BABY, is out which is your third project. You had the #1 crossover hit with “Take My Breath Away”. I was listening to that earlier today. Tell me how you see growth from project to project. What worked, what didn’t work? I always like to hear artists talk about their thoughts and goals from project to project.
Danny : This new project was more like my first album. I put more of myself into it. I wrote twelve of the fifteen songs. I really spent a year and a half writing for this one with people that I’ve played with all over the world. I wrote songs in Holland, in England, in Mexico, in South Africa, in L.A., New York and Indiana. I worked with all of my favourite people, not just musicians, but that I loved being with and I just put myself into it even more than the last one. I wanted this project to really bring my essence to the table cause I thought it would make a stronger project. Things I did the same, I did it mostly with Paul Bergman, the producer from the last record. Although we did decide to make this one more cohesive and all fit together with the smooth jazz idiom so that the retailers would know what to do with the record. Also, so that smooth jazz radio would feel comfortable with it in their ballpark as well.
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JOY : In terms of losing some of the radio and not being able to find the hits and the artists that you want to hear , what is your take on what we can do to make things better in that respect because there is no shortage of fans out there?
Danny : Well, I have a theory about this. I think radio is dying because people are bored. I think it’s going to take fresh ears to create new programming. I don’t see current programmers changing their mind or changing their ears. We need new ears to allow new business to arise with a new format. One thing I’m going to be doing to address this issue, is that, Denise Jordan-Walker and I are starting our own radio show. It’s going to be syndicated around the world but it’s going to start in Springfield, MA with WEIB which to me is the flagship of what contemporary jazz should be. What we will do, is instead of complaining about it, we’ll be able to program music that makes me feel like “AAAHH. I’ll give you an example of something that makes me feel great that I was listening to today, The Rippingtons “Gypsy Eyes.” It’s no big improvisational thing, when you hear it, it just makes you feel good. And that’s an example of something I wanna play, you know something from Wayne Shorter’s “Native Dancer” album would be something else. Again, the kind of music that just feels good not based on some false scientific premise. How can you expect other people to like it if it doesn’t move you in a positive way? Unfortunately, programming has been done where the music isn’t the focus. Things have to get back to the music being the focus and I have an opportunity to do that and hopefully this will catch on and people will see, ‘ah ha, this can be about the music.’ I’m confident things will change.
JOY : Well, I don’t know if you have an iPod but if you do, if you don’t mind, tell me who are some of the artists on your iPod?
Danny: Some of the classic Earth, Wind & Fire. I’m listening to some South African music. I was listening to some Turkish music since I have lived over there, some Brazilian stuff, old Wayne Shorter, Michael Brecker. The new stuff not as much because it’s harder to get expose. I’ve been playing with Howard Hewett so I’ve been listening to a lot of his stuff.
JOY : He’s one of my favorites and we’ll be talking to him very soon. He is great on “Imagine” on your newest project. You guys killed it and everyone cannot do that tune.
Danny : I’ll give you an example of what goes on, to promote that song to radio, it’s $50,000 to pay a radio promoter. So, if you think about how many records you have to sell to make that $50,000 back, it almost makes no business sense to promote it, especially coming from an indie label. What I’m trying to figure out with my people is how to get that song out there in a non-traditional way.
JOY : I hear so many great songs now that I wouldn’t normally hear, I know songs, like” Imagine” and “Take My Breath Away” which give me chills.
Danny : That’s the point of it all. You know, if you listen to a song like “Baby Goes to Market” the South African song, that’s an example of music of music that’s just suppose to be fun. You listen to that song, it’s like you get to go to a South African market and hear some laughter and put a smile on your face. That’s the whole idea music should be fun and uplift you. I’m doing a lot of touring, with Norman Connors and Howard and doing my own thing as well. I’m doing a big show with the South Bend symphony on August 23rd. Four of my songs including the violin song “Amadeus’ Kiss” are gonna be arranged for symphony s that will be something that I will hopefully be doing in other markets as well.
JOY : Well, with the radio show plans, the new project and touring you have a lot of good things happening. Is there anything in the future that you would like to see happen in terms of your music?
Danny : I’m putting together a tour with a couple of different acts , a new act coming out called Project Grand Slam. It’s a little more like the Return to Forever “, contemporary jazz thing. We’re gonna be doing some co-billing jazz shows with them so just staying really busy.
JOY : Well, busy you are and we wish you all the best. Thanks again for taking the time to talk to me. We truly appreciate it.
Danny : Thank you.
For more information on Danny and to get you copy of “Meow Baby,” go to www.dannylerman..com
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