Sean Dennis for JAZZTIMES –
Organist Joey DeFrancesco’s upcoming release on Mack Avenue Records, Project Freedom, is his first in a quartet setting and features his stellar work on the Hammond B-3—plus contributions on trumpet and as a vocalist.
Accompanying DeFrancesco on this genre-jumping album are drummer Jason Brown, guitarist Dan Wilson and saxophonist Troy Roberts—collectively billed as the People—who comprise his new touring band for 2017.
Inspired by his experiences playing for audiences around the globe, DeFrancesco explores themes of peace and spirituality on self-penned compositions “Karma,” “The Unifier” and “Peace Bridge,” in addition to covers including “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and “So Near, So Far.”
In a press release, DeFrancesco notes, “I always thought that as touring musicians, we were spreading peace. No matter what happens in the world, we keep playing. In a lot of the so-called forbidden places too. When we’re there, through war and conflict, problems melt away through music. We’re playing for these people, hanging out with them, and we all come together and we’re grooving with each other because of the music. That is true freedom. Music is true freedom.”
Project Freedom will be available March 2017. For more information, visit the official websites of Joey DeFrancesco and Mack Avenue Records.
2017 Tour Dates
Jan. 12: Scullers Jazz Club, Boston, MA
Jan. 13–14: Chris’ Jazz Café, Philadelphia, PA
Jan. 17–21: Birdland, New York City, NY
March 17–18: Catalina Jazz Club, Los Angeles, CA
March 19: The Nash, Phoenix, AZ
March 21–22: DazzleJazz, Denver, CO
March 29: Savannah Music Festival, Savannah, GA
March 30–31: The Velvet Note, Atlanta, GA
April 1: The Tin Pan, Richmond, VA
Read more at JazzTimes