Rodger Fox releases historic album from Monterey Festival

Louis Armstrong once sang “give me a kiss to build a dream on.” Jazz legend, Rodger Fox, has been given a memory to build an album on.

This special CD has been produced to sustain the memory of standing ovations given to Rodger and his big band at the 60th Monterey Jazz Festival in September last year.

Following performances as an invited guest at the 60th jazz festival and gigs at San Francisco and Pasadena near Los Angeles, Rodger, his big band, and vocalist, Erna Ferry, spent two days recording at the celebrated Universal Studios in Los Angeles.

The same studios were the recording home of such luminaries as Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole.

“We chose Universal Studios because they have the same vintage mikes that were used by those Hollywood greats. You can’t replicate the distinctive sound they produce,” Rodger Fox says.

Following the recording, Rodger returned twice to mix the tracks and ensure the CD had the hallmarks of a classic, benchmark jazz album.

The CD, Rodger’s 31st, is entitled Hipwalk, the title of one of the numbers. It’s available for sale from this week or tracks can be purchased online.

The material selected is highlights from the performances presented by the big band in the US. Several are stamped with the unique sound of home. Two tracks are from talented New Zealand musicians, Mike Booth and Christopher Fox, Rodger’s brother.

Rodger points to an arrangement of Chick Corea’s Crystal Silence, Tracey Chapman’s Give Me One Reason and Dorothy Moore’s Misty Blue, played by the big band with supreme blues soloist, Erna Ferry and a Lauren Ellis arrangement of A Snarky Puppy classic.

This month Rodger embarks on a seven venue New Zealand tour with US jazz and blues legends, Robben Ford and Lydia Pense, in May and June. Hipwalk will be available for sale and signage at all the venues.

© Scoop Media