Mykeljon and Groovexpress ‘Ukrainian Doll’
Smooth & Soulful – Independently released 2014 by E-Type
Records.
A collaborative music
project formed in 2010 out of New Zealand, Los Angeles and Australia. A group of experienced, well-seasoned players
of a caliber found only in those at the top of their game. The instrumentation of the group is similar
to what you would have seen in 1960s New York, however, that is the backbone of
their flavour with a fusion of unique, smooth West Coast USA-flavoured
originals and inspired interpretations of standards from such jazz legends as
Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Stanley Turrentine, Wes Montgomery and George
Benson.
Mykeljon Winckel holds together the joint harmonic component with
guitar. Having studied music at the
Queensland Conservatorium of Music in Australia, he graduated as a Tone Master
with an Associate Diploma in Jazz. After some years playing the Australasian
scene, it was on to Los Angeles, CA for several more years, performing with
such talents as Pat Kelley, Ernest Tibbs, Isaac and Trinidad Sanchez, and Andy
Suzuki. Totaling over 4,500 performances in his 30-year international
professional career as an artist, arranger, composer and producer, the musical
flame burns in Mykeljon ever-bright: “Working in the heart of jazz country,
with guys like Pat Kelley, John Ferraro, the Sanchez brothers, Rickey Grundy,
etc. was a very humbling experience, one that I never thought I would ever
achieve. They are such great people to work with, as are Groovexpress,” says
Mykeljon.
'Haggis' Maguiness
plays the harmonicas; widely regarded as one of the best harmonica players in
Australasia, he is equally competent on both diatonic and chromatic harps. His style of playing is often referred to as
unique, being a blend of blues, jazz, rock, funk and soul, with shades and
tones of other styles blending in to the mix to create a melting pot of unique
phrasing and musical ideas. Having started his musical life as a trumpet
player, Haggis has always had a different approach to the instrument; “I’m not
your typical blues harp player.” Once you’ve heard Haggis play, you know you’ve
witnessed something special. “I just live to make my harp swing and I’m giving
it my best for whomever is listening.” says Haggis.
Isaac Sanchez,
drums and percussion - has had a pair of sticks in his hands since he was 11
years old where he began playing worship services in his dad's Pentecostal
church. Eager to follow his Jazz leanings, Isaac has held the drum seat for
many jazz ensembles as well as vocal jazz rhythm sections. He has freelanced, playing with a variety of
groups and/or independent artists. Since that Gospel music introduction he has
been fortunate to study and play a variety of styles. To this day, authenticity
of style continues to be his pursuit for every project he's asked to join. After discovering the drums, he soon moved to
hand percussion. Isaac recounts that one night in his late teens a Poncho
Sanchez concert absolutely pushed him over the edge! He told himself that
night, "I'VE GOT TO DO THAT!", even if all he did was play a cowbell
in a band like Poncho's. Since then, he has been using his hands to create
music with a variety of percussion instruments.
Although that first introduction to percussion was Latin Jazz, Isaac
quickly applied himself to both its traditional and modern use. Artist’s he has played and/or recorded with
Raymond Gregory, Marcus Gerakos, Hector Hermosillo, Hanz Ives, Joel Johns,
Crystal Lewis, Mickeal McCool, Emily Simonian, Gabriel Velasquez, Hilary
Watson, Tyrone Wells, Steve Wiggins and of course Mykeljon
Bruce Kerr, plays
Electric Bass, Fretless Electric Bass, Nylon String Guitar, Steel String
Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar and Lap Steel Guitar in many styles. Bruce has worked in bands and toured with
Matt Monroe, Elaine Page, Tim Rice, Andy Stewart, Roger Whittaker, Michael
Barrymore, Shirley Bassey, The Seattle Mens Choir, Bonnie Tyler, Leo Sayer,
John Paul Young, Todd Rundgren, Roy Phillips (Peddlers), and the Lass Vegas show “Songs in the Key of
Motown”. New Zealand artists include;
Tina Cross, Suzy Lynch, Taisha, Jackie Clark, Ray Woolf, Ray Columbus, Billy T
James, Sir Howard Morrison, The Yandell Sisters, Rob Guest, John Rowles, Tommy
Adderly, Larry Morris, Suzanne Prentice, Frankie Stevens, Dame Malvina Major
and Martin Winch.
Ernest Semu,
playing piano, Hammond B3 and Fender Rhodes. A graduate of Royal Schools and
Trinity College, his career started at church, playing for services and choirs
at 12 years of age. Out into the commercial world, he played with the Yandalls,
Tina Cross, and Brent Brodie, to name a few.
Ernie went on to play with legendary band Cairo, releasing 3 singles
under the CBS label – playing internationally for many years in Japan and
Australia. “Groovexpress really brings
out lots of great grooves and flavours. There is a lot of talent right there,
and each performance brings out more and more,” comments Ernest.
Robert Kyle,
saxophone - has become known for his unique warm sound, melodic style, and his
ability to harmoniously cross musical borders. His lyricism and passion are
evident in whatever situation he finds himself, and he is fluid in many styles
including Jazz, Blues, Brazilian, Afro-Cuban, R & B and Classical. His
performing and recording credits include work with Stevie Wonder, Michael
Bolton, Michael McDonald, Natalie Cole, Vince Gill, Jason Mraz, Linda Ronstadt,
Carole King, Kenny Loggins, Brenda Russell, Lou Rawls, Della Reese, Seu Jorge,
Googoosh, Cee-Lo Green, Chaka Khan, Babyface, Jessica Simpson, Billy Mitchell,
Tony Guerrero and many more. He has been a featured soloist on hundreds of
recordings, and has played for the Academy awards, the Emmy awards, The BET
awards, The Nick & Jessica Variety Show, Lou Rawls cavalcade of stars, and
many others..
So, if you enjoy a solid groove that simply
‘jams’, then ‘Groovexpress’ is your flavor!
“The main thrust for this group is great songs, a great groove, and the
cool 60s period, as that was such an influential time in the history of
jazz. However, this is been transposed
by the contemporary West Coast USA fusion of Latin, rock, blues and Jazz.
Within the 100% original repertoire, there are a number of tunes that will have
your groove receptors pulsing! The combination of flavors that each instrument
brings offers an exciting sound to work with that allows for plenty of improvisational
scope,” says Mykeljon.
Their new album ‘Ukrainian Doll’ is now released and
available from;
All enquiries
Join us on FACEBOOK
‘groovexpress’
Track list
01 E Type Blues
02 Pretty Little Thang
03 Mi Bella Paola
04 No Way Home
05 I Say Praise
06 Ukrainian Doll
07 High Heels
08 Tell Me Why
09 Foxy Brown
10 You Are My Fantasy
All songs composed by Mykeljon except track 06 Ukrainian
Doll Mykeljon and Haggis Derek McGuiness.
APRA AMCOS
Arranged, Produced, engineered and mixed Mykeljon
Released By E Type Records (Mykeljon’s independent label)
Musician Credits
Guitars and vocals - Mykeljon
Harmonicas - Haggis McGuiness
Bass - Bruce Kerr
Keyboards, organ - Ernie Semu
Drums and Percussion - Isaac Sanchez
Saxophones - Robert Kyle
Saxaphonist; Paul Taylor was a member of the band . PT grew up in Denver, where he took up the saxophone at the age of seven.
He played in school bands, and in high school joined a Top 40 band
called Mixed Company. Jazz keyboardist Keiko Matsui and her husband, producer Kazu Matsui,
discovered him playing at the Catalina Island Jazz Festival and hired
him to play in their band. He spent two years with them, and then Kazu Matsui produced his 1995 debut album, On the Horn, which reached the jazz charts and spawned a radio hit in "Til We Meet Again." Pleasure Seeker, his second album, followed in 1997 and was equally successful. Taylor released his third album, Undercover, on Peak/N-Coded Music in February 2000. Also in 2000, he toured as a special guest artist with the Rippingtons. Subsequent albums Hypnotic (2001), Steppin' Out (2003), Nightlife (2005), and Ladies' Choice (2007), all issued by Peak Records, figured high in the contemporary jazz charts, with Ladies' Choice going all the way to number one. Peak released Taylor's eighth album, Burnin', in 2009. Two years later, Taylor returned with the album Prime Time. Artist Biography
by William Ruhlmann
