Drummer Kevin Peter Jones released the third single from his All-Star Band’s Blues Alley album, the African‑infused jazz‑fusion track “Alchemy East,” on Juneteenth in honor of Black Music Month.
“Alchemy East” was composed by the band’s bassist Cheikh Ndoye, who is from Senegal, West Africa. The single features Ndoye’s propulsive bass lines and performances by GRAMMY®-winning keyboardist Jeff Lorber, GRAMMY®-winning trumpeter Randy Brecker, GRAMMY® nominated saxophonist Eric Marienthal, and a searing electric guitar solo by Dean Brown. A jazz‑fusion and African‑rhythmic hybrid, the track is built upon foundational rhythms played with precision by Jones and master percussionist Lenny Castro.
Jones and Ndoye have been collaborating for nearly sixteen years and met when the bassist was just getting established.
“Today, Cheikh is a world-class musician, and I wanted to share his extraordinary bass-playing skills. ‘Alchemy East’ is an amazing tune that was a must for the set list,” said Jones, about the single that bridges cultures and continents.
Releasing “Alchemy East” on Juneteenth during Black Music Month was intentional. Jones relishes the freedom inherent in jazz while Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people in America — declared in 1863 and first widely celebrated in 1865 when the news reached Texas. Jones said, “Dr. Martin Luther King recognized jazz’s importance during the Civil Rights Movement. He wrote, ‘Jazz speaks for life. The Blues tell the story of life's difficulties and, if you think for a moment, you will realize that they take the hardest realities of life and put them into music, only to come out with some new hope or sense of triumph. It strengthened us with its sweet rhythms when courage began to fail and calmed us with its rich harmonies when spirits were down.’”
“Alchemy East” is the third single from the Blues Alley album, which was released by Pacific Records in January. On Dr. King Day, Jones released “Walk Tall,” a fresh version of the Cannonball Adderley classic. In April, he released his band’s tribute to Donny Hathaway by revisiting “Valdez in the Country."
Blues Alley is a live album recorded during a sold‑out, eight‑show run at the historic Washington, DC jazz club. Jones, who served as producer and executive producer, is one of the select few artists ever granted permission to release a live album recorded at the iconic venue.
Even as he continues promoting Blues Alley, Jones has begun crafting his next project in the recording studio.
“The album concept is in the early stages. I'm drawing on my past experiences over the last few years. I'm letting the songs dictate their own timeline. This next album may be the first of a series, The Kevin Peter Jones Signature Series. It’s in the pre-production phase. Like all my projects, it will be rhythmic storytelling brought to life by great musicians making great music together.”
Listen to “Alchemy East” at KPJ - Alchemy East Edit.mp3.
To purchase Blues Alley, go to https://orcd.co/bluesalley.
For more information, visit https://kevinpeterjonesallstarband.com.
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