Will Jaxx
Atlanta, GA | Established. Jan 01, 2013 | SELF | AFM
Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
Trombonist Will Jaxx does a wonderful job of steering us away from our traditional leanings and preferences for sax-, guitar-, or keys-led contemporary jazz music. His debut release, Dichotomy, delves into the mysteries of the trombone, especially when considering the accepted lead instruments in smooth jazz. When you consider the title of the release, you might think of the division between or separation from the “accepted” lead instruments, but I’d like to think of this project as adding to the instruments so widely accepted as the lead voices in our genre.
While not all of the tracks are among my faves, most of this album has a silky gait and appealing melodies, well-phrased and well-conceived.
There is as much of an R&B groove here as there is a jazz leaning, maybe more, but Jaxx makes it all work. It all gels nicely. An example would be the cool transition from the laid-back jazziness of “Playground” to the slow sultry sexiness of the R&Bish “What Does It Mean to Love?” featuring vocalist Takiya. Speaking of vocals, you’ll want to hear this young lady perform the track a cappella as the finale to the album.
There is a prominent steamy love theme here as Jaxx offers up such passionate tracks as “Soul Food,” “In Your Bedroom,” “Take It Slow,” and the mid-tempo and deliciously lazy and melodic “Sex on the Beach.”
With the exception of a couple of tracks (like the infectious “1973,” which captures the funkiness of that era), this is not the album for those seeking to shake booty all night on the dance floor. There is another hotter purpose for this project that requires a whole different setting, complete with candles, rose petals, and imagination. Jaxx says all of this with and without words throughout this album but always with his trombone.
As debuts go, Jaxx has a winner here. It only goes to prove that investing thought, instrumental competence, and imagination goes a long way toward producing a fine project. – Ronald Jackson
Note: At the time of posting, this CD as not being offered via Amazon. Therefore, no mp3 samples are offered here. However, clicking on the album cover above will take you to CDbaby.com, which does offer samples of the music. - The Smooth Jazz Ride
Watch out Jeff Bradshaw. That niche territory of urban jazz trombone in which he previously ruled the roost has just got more congested. That’s because Atlanta based Will Jaxx (who from 1998 to 2008 was the principle trombonist for the “off Broadway” gospel stage play ‘King of Glory’) has burst onto the scene with his debut CD ‘Dichotomy’. Running the full gamut from jazz, to neo-soul, to rap, to chill and back again it’s a collection that shimmers with eclecticism and as a result is certain to have something for almost everyone, irrespective of his or her own particular penchant for contemporary jazz.
Take for example the sultry ‘What Does It Mean To Love’ that reverberates with wonderful vocals from Takiya or the soulfully smoking ‘Love Angel’ which features Jai Black. Later, when Jaxx reprises both these numbers in Acapella form, the outcome is just as good and he stays in tranquil mode for ‘Take It Slow’ that finds Aubrey Bryant firmly in center stage.
Elsewhere, the instrumental ‘Play Ground’ is a tune with an easy grooving yet edgy disposition and, in this respect, is in the good company of the chilled out ‘Reflections’. However, when Will ratchets up the tempo for ‘Club Banger’ he delivers a song that has dance floor ready written all over it.
Much the same can be said of ‘1973’ that rattles along at something akin to “funk-factor 10” and the heavy-duty rap of Stagolee (which is a core component of the streetwise ‘Strange Fruit’) sits in delightful contrast to the more gentle spoken word approach of ‘Soul Food’.
‘In Your Bedroom’ proves to be an outstanding example of instrumental quiet storm and Jaxx keeps it sexy for the velvety ‘Sex On The Beach’ for which the title tells you all you need to know. As personal favorites go it is right in the mix but, all things considered, the Smooth Jazz Therapy top track has to be the groove-drenched title cut that, rippling with Will’s cool playing, is an absolute gem. - Smoth Jazz Therapy
Fans & Critics agree that Will Jaxx's Dichotomy album "is an absolute gem" (Smooth Jazz Therapy). Running the gamut from Urban to Chill, it’s a collection shimmering w/ eclecticism and certain to have something for everyone, irrespective of your penchant for Contemporary Jazz. Get it now at Amazon|CD Baby|iTunes|Deezer|Spotify|TradeBit. **Buy direct and receive an official, autographed Will Jaxx mini-poster! Just send your $10 payment via PayPal to: willie_jacks@hotmail.com & include your mailing address! - Smooth Jazz Magazine
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Bio
As a toddler, WILL JAXX was immersed in a colorful soundscape created by phenomenal artists such as Al Green, Earth, Wind, and Fire, and the Modern Jazz Quartet. His musical ability began to quickly assert itself and by age 12, the trombone was his preferred method of expression.
During his formative years, WILL JAXX studied with several masters of the instrument including: Mark McConnell (Atlanta Opera), Stephen Wilson (Atlanta Symphony Orchestra), and Dr. Marvin Pryor (Cameo). This trifecta helped him develop exquisite technique, a gorgeous tone, and also a uniquely captivating style--a style which would later garner him the Louis Armstrong Award for Jazz and induction into Who's Who in Music.
At age 18, he was commissioned as Composer & Feature Soloist for the World Premiere of "Beyond the Canebreaks: Moments in the Life of Harriet Tubman," which was performed by The Harry Bryce African American Dance Theatre. This allowed Mr. JAXX to stretch out creatively, while expanding his appreciation of the Fine Arts. He toured briefly with the Theatre before being accepted on a full scholarship to the University of Georgia, where he would study Classical Music Performance under the legendary Dr. Philip Jameson. He later left the University to make inroads into the Music Industry.
In 1998, WILL JAXX worked as a Trombonist with Rohi Productions in their presentation of "King of Glory," an off-Broadway, Gospel stage play. That tenure ended in 2008 when the play went on hiatus. Then, after several years playing behind the likes of such artists as Allain Tussant, James Ingram, and Angie Stone, Mr. JAXX decided to step into the limelight and express his own creative vision.
His debut album, "Dichotomy," presents a milestone for his instrument in Urban Music. Soulful vocalise on trombone are matched with decadent vocals, artful studio cuts, and superb live musicians to produce silky tracks that retain an urban sensibility. As a collection, the album stretches the fabric of what we call Jazz. But you be the judge! Grab a copy of "Dichotomy" today, then experience for yourself the aura, the sound, and the swagger that is... WILL JAXX!
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