Philip Bailey announces new all-star jazz album
The Earth, Wind & Fire front-man will release his solo project this summer
Earth, Wind & Fire’s front-man Philip Bailey has confirmed the details for his long-anticipated solo album due out this summer with the title ‘Love Will Find A Way’. It’s an all-star project with some of the biggest names in jazz involved, including Bailey’s personal friends bassist Christian McBride, the iconic jazz pianist Chick Corea and drum legend Steve Gadd. The album also features contemporary stars including saxophonist Kamasi Washington, keyboardist Robert Glasper, rapper, musician and producer will.i.am, trumpeter Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, singer-songwriter Bilal, singer-saxophonist Casey Benjamin, guitarist Lionel Loueke, drummer Kendrick Scott and bassist Derrick Hodge.
The album came together over a two-year period and was initiated after Bailey started becoming aware of this forward-looking, all-embracing jazz generation. “I’d heard Rob Glasper was giving jazz a facelift,” Bailey says, and after attending the keyboardist’s live show, he was sold. He quickly brought Glasper on board to play on and produce some tracks, and he became invaluable to the singer in recruiting musicians and other decisions. But Bailey also continued with his own research. At Jazz Fest in New Orleans, he made a point of catching Kamasi Washington’s set and had a small-world moment. “Lo and behold, he introduced his father, the woodwinds player Rickey Washington. Me and Rickey had known each other for years!” Bailey recalls, chuckling. “We went to the same church! Kamasi went to bible school with my kids.”
The LP will be released on June 21st, with the first single immediately available: an interpretation of the Curtis Mayfield song: ‘Billy Jack’ featuring Robert Glasper and Kendrick Scott. There’s more on this on Nigel Williams’ Saturday Show this week on Jazz FM.
TRACK LIST:
- Billy Jack ft. Robert Glasper
- You’re Everything ft. Chick Corea
- We’re a Winner ft. Bilal
- Stairway To The Stars ft. Christian Scott and Christian McBride
- Brooklyn Blues
- Once In A Lifetime
- Just To Keep You Satisfied
- Sacred Sounds ft. Kamasi Washington and Robert Glasper
- Long As You’re Living ft. Christian McBride
- Love Will Find A Way ft. Casey Benjamin