Monday, January 31, 2022

Special EFX (featuring Chieli Minucci) - Without You (January 2022)

I’m proud to announce the release of the new Chieli Minucci & Special EFX CD, “Without You”. This comes at a very significant time in our long concert career, our 25th anniversary! Containing 22 brand new tracks, including new arrangements of familiar Special EFX favorites, the featured vocal work of longtime bandmember Philip Hamilton, as well as guest vocalist Will Brock, plus a tribute to my late, great partner, percussionist George Jinda, this new release finds our famously eclectic music evolving towards fresh, contemporary world jazz-fusion sounds. Rounding out the regular EFX lineup are guest musicians, keyboardist Jeff Lorber, violinist Karen Briggs (ex-Yanni group member), as well as NYC stringman Alan Grubner. West-coast pianist Lao Tizer makes a special appearance as well.

Over the last few years our compositional approach has steadily shifted towards a global, high energy fusion experience, sometimes even mixing in cinematic ‘sound-design’ textures. Not one to be shy of variety, I've packed this release with all kinds of music - jazz fusion, world-beat, world-pop vocals, contemporary melodies, rock-tinged versions of EFX classics, and even our first ‘straight-ahead jazz’ piece. I'm sure new listeners, as well as our longtime fans will feel exhilaration as they listen to this unusual mix of new music! 

1. Quivering 03:30
2. Healing Waters 01:02
3. Lakeside 04:53
4. You Make Me Blue 04:59
5. Prelude 00:23
6. Love's Lost in Translation (radio version) 04:26
7. Hushabye 03:42
8. The Night is Ours 06:00
9. Indelible 01:33
10. Wonderboy 05:35
11. Ballerina Rocks 06:51
12. Mountina Jamerooni 05:38
13. Man With a Drum 02:46
14. Afterglow 01:34
15. Bacchanalia 07:14
16. Gathering Wind 03:25
17.You Make Me 05:01
18. Electraglide 05:26
19. July 06:18
20. Twilight 05:43
21. Love's Lost in Translation (full version) 06:14
22. Undeniable 03:19

SPECIAL EFX is:
Chieli Minucci..........guitars, keyboards, arrangements
Jerry Brooks............bass
Lionel Cordew.........drums
Jay Rowe.................acoustic grand piano, keyboards
Philip Hamilton........percussion, vocals

additional musicians

Lao Tizer
Acoustic grand piano on Afterglow, Bacchanalia

Karen Briggs
Violin on Wonderboy, Lakeside

Jeff Lorber
Keyboards on Mountina Jameroon

Will Brock
Vocals on Hushabye

Dave Anderson
Fretless bass on Man with The Drum, Love's Lost In Translation

Alan Grubner
Violin on Bacchanalia, You Make Me, Man With the Drum, Quivering, Ballerina Rocks