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One of Craig's Carvin,
Apple Computer, Monster Cable, Jim Dunlop, and Mark of the Unicorn
equiped studios
 CRAIG
CHAQUICO
Shadow
and Light (2002)
Inspired by his days playing next to legendary singer Grace Slick,
Chaquico has sometimes sought to emulate the kind of phrasing a
lead vocalist would use with their voice and interpreting it on
his guitar instead. Such as the sensual, Salsa flavored first #1
single, “Luminosa,” the seductive, opening track
“Innocent Kiss” and the spiritual, mystical atmospheres
of “Keepers of the Flame.”
“I’ve really tried to capture the energy of my band’s
live show on songs like ‘Hurry Home’ and the Les McCann
and Eddie Harris 1969 classic, ‘Compared to What’.”
Chaquico had heard the track recorded live at the 1969 Montreuz
Jazz Festival in Switzerland and has always wanted to record it
himself. Craig's spirited cover features old school-influenced piano
playing by co-producer and co-writer, Ozzie Ahlers, and the brassy
energy of saxmen and Smooth Jazz stars and hitmakers, Jeff
Kashiwa and Warren Hill, along with proven hitmaker Kevin Paladini
with a 3 pronged sax attack.
“While some songs were done "live" in just a few
takes with no overdubs, others such as ‘Could We Fall in Love’
allowed me to record many different guitar textures in my studio,
giving me the freedom to experiment and overdub a mini guitar orchestra.
Shadow and Light concludes with a festive "sax in the sun"
remix of the #1 “Café Carnivál” (originally
a bonus track on Craig's greatest hits compilation Panorama), but
remastered and featuring a new additional
solo by Kevin Paladini on sax inspired by what Kevin played inthe
song on the Panorama tour.
Chaquico
also performs nearly one free hospital concert a week (while on
tour) on behalf of the American Music Therapy Association. His s
charity work is founded on the idea of returning the gift of music
that was given to him when he was 12 years old while recovering
in the hospital from broken arms, hands, wrist, foot, ankle and
leg suffered in a car crash caused by a drunk
driver. His doctor encouraged him to play his guitar during his
wheelchair, crutches, and corrective shoes to help Chaquico
recover from his injuries through the spirit
(...and manual dexterity) of music. Chaquico has even recruited
Russ Freeman and other musicians to participate in music therapy
performances now.
“I’m always looking for connecting threads when I’m
making music,” he declares. “What bonds us all together
as human beings is the reality that we share the same emotions.
We all feel love, adventure, mystery, sadness,
loss, discovery, surprises, and the many joys of life, and
my aim is to touch all these bases on my recordings. That’s
why there are always emotional love songs
along with lots of adventure and even some special effects in my
music —to reflect the journey of life. It’s all about
communicating this in the universal language
of music. When I look into the audiences and see smiles on their
faces, or see them playing air guitar, or on the edge of their
seats, or with tears in people’s eyes, or them reaching
out to hold each other’s hands some time
during the night and during all our different songs, I can feel
that excitement and almost feel my guitar touching their hearts
and it makes me smile ...and somwhere inside me that little 12 yr
old kid,with a little acoustic guitar in his
broken hands, is smiling too ”
12
yr old Craig's 1st guitar in the hospital -1967
(...why
the big smile? ....the guitar and a Bill Cosby LP at his side)
once in a blue moon
here, sometime after Midnight Noon there, in Craig's Ashland studio
-2004
For
more information about Craig and his music please contact:
Sue Schrader
Director of Media Relations
414-961-8350 xt 201 ph
414-961-8351 fax
suesch@narada.com
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