Flautist Lenny MacDowell is based in Germany, where he's an integral part of the local smooth jazz and new age music scenes, as a performer, a producer, and as owner of the eclectic and productive Blue Flame record label. Although some of his albums have a heavy crossover pop influence, MacDowell's primary style involves elements of ambient music, world music, jazz, and new age, combined in varying percentages from album to album. (by Stewart Mason)
With the album “Launch Control” Lenny Mac Dowell goes
back to those roots when he began to experiment with flute and jazz. Mac Dowell felt primarily inspired by artists such as Jeremy Steig or Roland Kirk. Even Herbie Mann’s "Memphis Underground" got a new “sound coat” on "Launch Control" andalso belongs to artists that influence him a lot. Covers, such as "Summertime"and "Ain’t it Sunshine", performed with the formation Jazzamor, belong to his extended repertoire. The jazzy interplay with pianist Christoph Spendel is always so in chime, that Mac Dowell works with him over and over. Flute and piano is a focal point in the music of Lenny Mac Dowell.
back to those roots when he began to experiment with flute and jazz. Mac Dowell felt primarily inspired by artists such as Jeremy Steig or Roland Kirk. Even Herbie Mann’s "Memphis Underground" got a new “sound coat” on "Launch Control" andalso belongs to artists that influence him a lot. Covers, such as "Summertime"and "Ain’t it Sunshine", performed with the formation Jazzamor, belong to his extended repertoire. The jazzy interplay with pianist Christoph Spendel is always so in chime, that Mac Dowell works with him over and over. Flute and piano is a focal point in the music of Lenny Mac Dowell.
"Launch Control", is a pun in which phonetically the musical style of "Lounge" music is associated to. "Launch Control" is however, even more known in the Formula 1 car racing event. The greatly discussed "Launch Control" is a so-called jump-start mechanism for F1 pilots, which became quite famous in 2001 - controlled spinning tires during the start or during the excelleration in the curves.
Lenny Mac Dowell and friends clearly took one musical road - groovy beats together with jazzy and electronic elements. The flutes are the focal point in the production, accompanied by drums, percussion, keyboards, piano, organ, vibes, guitar and vocals.
The "Launch Control" concept has, besides the compositions of single artists, also 3 world famous cover versions - "Ain't No Sunshine" (Bill Withers), "Summertime" (Gershwin) and "Memphis Underground" - a 70's instrumental hit with and from the New York flute player Herbie Mann. Mac Dowell let Jazzamor produce and arrange the tracks "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Summertime", due to their very own clear transperant sound and interpretation of these 2 tracks. "Memphis Underground" was arranged by the Jazz pianist Christoph Spendel, giving it a slight jazzy and R&B touch, reminding of the typical "St. Germain" style. Sound samples from voices recorded in the subway and airports around the world were perfectly mixed into the music, just like the soloistic performances on the production.
"Launch Control" is the 16th album project of Lenny Mac Dowell and despite the different musical currents, this CD also lines up into all the productions so far released by the well-known international producer, composer and flute player Lenny Mac Dowell.
"Launch Control" jump starts and takes off!
Personnel:
Roland Grosch (keyboards)
Agua Loca (guitar)
Lenny MacDowell (flute, keyboards, percussing)
Christoph Spendel (keyboards, percussion)
+
Bettina Mischke (vocals on 01., 03. + 06.)
Noctemia (vocals on 08.)
Peter Schick (guitar on 02., 04., 07. + 11.)
Tracklist:
01. Ain´t No Sunshine (Withers) 3.42
02. Ocean Drive (Leinert) 6.39
03. Je Te Veux (Grosch/Mischke) 3.04
04. Lauch Control (Leinert) 6.40
05. Solar Energy (Leinert) 5.29
06. Summertime (I.Gershwin/G.Gershwin/Heyward) 4.52
07. Soulful (Leinert) 7.02
08. Deepest Inner (LeinertLange) 4.22
09. Quiet Storm (Spendel) 7.08
10. Flying Start (Leinert) 6.39
11. Memphis Underground (Mann) 5.10
ARMU 2077
ARMU 2077 (zippyshare)
Roland Grosch (keyboards)
Agua Loca (guitar)
Lenny MacDowell (flute, keyboards, percussing)
Christoph Spendel (keyboards, percussion)
+
Bettina Mischke (vocals on 01., 03. + 06.)
Noctemia (vocals on 08.)
Peter Schick (guitar on 02., 04., 07. + 11.)
Tracklist:
01. Ain´t No Sunshine (Withers) 3.42
02. Ocean Drive (Leinert) 6.39
03. Je Te Veux (Grosch/Mischke) 3.04
04. Lauch Control (Leinert) 6.40
05. Solar Energy (Leinert) 5.29
06. Summertime (I.Gershwin/G.Gershwin/Heyward) 4.52
07. Soulful (Leinert) 7.02
08. Deepest Inner (LeinertLange) 4.22
09. Quiet Storm (Spendel) 7.08
10. Flying Start (Leinert) 6.39
11. Memphis Underground (Mann) 5.10
ARMU 2077 (zippyshare)