Award-Winning Jazz Pianist and Composer Justin Kauflin On Tour
By: Tori Hartshorn Oct. 15, 2018
Critically acclaimed and award-winning jazz pianist and composer Justin Kauflin announces Fall and Winter Tour dates. He will be touring in support of his highly regarded release Coming Home produced by Quincy Jones and Derrick Hodge. Revive-Music hailed the new album "highly anticipated" and says the album, "captures the profound experience of synesthesia informing his work and explores the unique ways in which he encounters the world." WBGO Take Five comments "There's a deeper level of assurance on Coming Home than on Kauflin's previous full-scale album".
Justin Kauflin is a pianist extraordinaire and an undeniably rare talent. He composed the film score for the critically acclaimed film "Keep On Keepin' On" that chronicled Kauflin's friendship and mentorship with legendary Clark Terry. He has recording and appearance credits on 31 albums, published 29 original compositions, composed film score for various promotional videos and produced 4 albums, all by the age of 30.
Kauflin is excited to get back on the road and create new experiences with his music. He comments, "We had a great time in the studio, but I'm confident that each of the tracks will take a whole new life once we get a chance to take them out and play them in front of audiences. What will happen on tour will be a combination of what we created for the album and the energy we feel from the crowd."
The tour will be in support of Kauflin's fourth release, Coming Home out now on tastemaker imprint Qwest Records. With this release, he ventures into new sonic territory bringing in more modern influences of synths, electric guitar and bass. Kauflin said, "I've always loved music that had a good groove to it, whether it was swing or funk. With Corey Fonville's help, we got into all sorts of great feeling grooves that I can't wait to share."
From the start, recording Coming Home was electric. Quincy Jones and Derrick Hodge produced the album at Quincy Jones' famous Westlake Studios (Michael Jackson, Madonna, Frank Ocean). Kauflin was joined by Chris Smith on acoustic and electric bass, Corey Fonville on drums and percussions, and Alan Parker on acoustic and electric guitar. The musicians had a blast bringing the album to life. Kauflin recalls, "Derrick was in there with us bringing such positivity and encouragement. I feel as if I was able to be more authentically me because Derrick was there to give me that confidence. He was an incredible catalyst for much of how the songs took shape. And if that wasn't enough, to have Quincy overseeing the proceedings and giving his guidance and experience brought everything together in such a beautiful way."
The album is 13 tracks that resonate emotions and transport the listener across space and time. The lead single "Coming Home" opens the album and evokes Kauflin's southern sensibilities. He comments, "This song serves as an invitation to join me as I share how I experience the world around me through colors and vibrant ever-shifting textures and shapes. Alan Parker's acoustic guitar inserts that down-home feeling from my home in Virginia." Another standout is "Lost." Kauflin mentions, "As exciting as traveling the world has been, there have certainly been times where I've felt disconnected and out of my element. This is not just a feeling that is connected to where I am physically. This also delves into how I feel emotionally at times. Life itself can leave one feeling quite lost."
The album also includes an ode to his time spent living in Brooklyn with the cover of "John My Beloved." An impromptu on-the-spot session with Derrick Hodge created " Somethin' Somethin'." A tribute to Kauflin's favorite food, fried chicken, most famously found in his home state on the track "Country Fried." "Pendulum" is about New York, and the feeling that at times it is the greatest place on earth and at others, overwhelming. And "Strawberry Fields" as solo and band-accompanied tracks, Kauflin comments "I've always found the idea of an imaginary place where one can find refuge to be incredibly attractive. It is such a perfect marriage of harmony and melody and it conjures up this barely out of reach sensation, as if the place for which I'm looking is just right around the next corner." He continues, "When I know what I'm really looking for is actually inside." The new album Coming Home is out now and available here.
Justin Kauflin is an alumnus of the William Paterson University jazz program, mentee, protégé and bandmate of legendary Clark Terry (winner of the 2010 Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement in Jazz), signed to Quincy Jones' management and label. He has appeared on The Queen Latifah Show and the TODAY Show and performed at the Library of Congress. Kauflin has toured with Quincy Jones worldwide a few times, and he is set to embark on Fall and Winter tours with his trio and as a solo act for select dates. These are must see shows! Tour dates are listed below and can be viewed here.
TOUR DATES:
OCT 31, 2018 -- Justin Kauflin Trio | The Tin Pan, Richmond, VA
NOV 04, 2018 -- Keep On Keepin' On and Q & A, Reading, PA
NOV 04, 2018 -- Justin Kauflin Solo | WCR Center for Arts -- Reading, PA
NOV 15, 2018 -- JK Trio Workshops | Icicle Creek Arts, Leavenworth, WA
NOV 16, 2018 -- JK Trio Workshops | Icicle Creek Arts, Leavenworth, WA
NOV 17, 2018 -- Justin Kauflin Trio | Icicle Creek Arts, Leavenworth, WA
DEC 08, 2018 -- Justin Kauflin Solo | Contrapuntal Hall, Los Angeles, CA
DEC 09, 2018 -- Justin Kauflin Trio | Alvas Showroom, San Pedro, CA
FEB 01, 2019 -- Justin Kauflin | Scullers Jazz Club, Boston, MA
FEB 02, 2019 - Justin Kauflin Trio | Side Door, Old Lyme, CT
FEB 04, 2019 -- Justin Kauflin Duo | Mezzrow, New York, NY
MAR 5, 2019 - Justin Kauflin Trio | Pizza Express, London, UK
MAR 6, 2019 - Justin Kauflin Trio | Pizza Express, London, UK
MAR 9, 2019 - Justin Kauflin Trio | Dzintari Concert Hall, Latvia
MAR 13, 2019 - Justin Kauflin Trio | Unterfahrt Jazz, Munich, Germany
MAR 15, 2019 - Justin Kauflin Trio | Sina Brufani, Perugia, Italy
MAR 16, 2019 - Justin Kauflin Trio | Jazz Club Ferrara, Perugia, Italy
MAR 18, 2019 - Justin Kauflin Trio | Catania, Italy
MAR 19, 2019 - Justin Kauflin Trio | Palermo, Italy
MAR 20, 2019 - Justin Kauflin Trio | Teatro Ristora, Verona, Italy
MAR 22, 2019 -- Oscar with Love, San Francisco, CA
MAR 23, 2019 -- Oscar with Love - Walt Disney Hall, Los Angeles, CA
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