Contemporary Jazz songwriter and keyboardist Al DeGregoris owns ten Top 40 hits on the Billboard charts, including six Top 20’s.
He has co-written songs and/or recorded with numerous icons including GRAMMY-winner Jeff Lorber, Eric Marienthal, Chuck Loeb, Steve Cole, Nils, Ricky Lawson, and Gary Novak.
Scroll down to hear his latest solo release
“Timeline”, out now everywhere.
Pianist/composer Al DeGregoris has, throughout his 15-year recording career, been powerfully impacted by the concept of time. Starting with his 2008 debut album Three Before Midnight, the titles of his projects are Times and Travels, All in Good Time, Time and a Half, and Time Sensitive. His latest venture into that colorful realm, his new single “Timeline,” the title track from his upcoming album, is yet another ultra- fresh, buoyant showcase for his sparkling ivory work and trademark intuitive sense of whimsical, funky melodic excitement.
On his newest project, we find DeGregoris vibing for the first time with #1 Billboard charting keyboard artist/producer Oli Silk, and they get into the powerhouse groove action immediately! Following a splashy brass intro with his joyful piano energy riding over a snappy percussive groove, the tune is backed by Silk’s subtle colorful atmospheric harmonies, and occasional bursts of jangling rhythm guitar and sizzling horn accents. “Timeline” seems designed as a journey with a cool seductive flow punctuated with the cool rollercoaster of rising emotional anticipation and a trippy descent back to the main melodic thread. A few minutes in, the pace quickens and DeGregoris amps up the freewheeling improvisations, weaving in and around the ever-tightening groove and the furious horn blasts.
Composed by: Al DeGregoris
Keyboards, Programming: Al DeGregoris
Guitars: Mark Jaimes
Producer: Oli Silk
Programming, Keys: Oli Silk
Recorded at: Olis Silk Studios, UK and Shark Recording Studios, NY
Mixed by: Craige Bauer at Hinge Studios
Mastered by: Ron Boustead at Resolution Mastering
Featuring Steve Cole, Eric Marienthal, Nils, Jeff Lorber, Andy Snitzer and more!
Featuring Nils, Jeff Lorber, Eric Marienthal, Chuck Loeb and more!
Featuring Chieli Minucci, Jeff Kashiwa, Chris Standring, Joel Rosenblatt and more!
Click the covers to download and stream…
Al’s live dates and events will be listed here as they are confirmed.
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PAST PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
Stephen Talkhouse - Amagansett, NY
Berks Jazz Fest & Gerald Veasley’s Midnight Jam - Reading, PA (postponed due to Covid-19)
Chapin Rainbow Stage - Heckscher Park, Huntington, NY
BB King’s Blues Club and Grille – New York, NY
Madison Theatre - Rockville Centre, NY (opening for Jazz/Funk/Soul: Lorber, Loeb & Harp)
Peconic Bay Winery – Peconic, NY
Osprey’s Dominion Winery – Peconic, NY
World Yacht - New York, NY
Madison Theatre - Rockville Centre, NY (opening for Chukc Loeb & Eric Marienthal)
Concert Under the Stars - Manhassett, NY
Nassau County Noontime Concert Series – East Meadow, NY
The Fifth Avenue Hotel - New York, NY
NY State Concert Series - Captree State Park, NY
Concert Under the Stars – Clark Botanical Gardens, Albertson, NY
Zinc Bar – New York, NY
Al DeGregoris is a Contemporary Jazz songwriter and keyboardist with
nine Top-40 hits on the Billboard Smooth Jazz charts, including six in the Top-20.
Al has co-written songs with jazz icons and GRAMMY Award winner Jeff Lorber and Guitarist Nils and has recorded with numerous Jazz artists including Eric Marienthal, Steve Cole, Chuck Loeb, Ricky Lawson, and Gary Novak to name a few.
In addition to success on the Billboard charts, Al has won numerous recording and songwriting awards including a top five Latin song in the prestigious John Lennon World Song Contest. Al’s band includes veterans from jazz, funk and R&B world. Musicians that have played alongside of Jeff Lorber, Spyro Gyra, Kirk Whalum, Chuck Loeb, Prince, Jeff Golub, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Etta James and Chaka Khan now play alongside Al, bringing their “A game” to every show.
A naturally gifted multi-instrumentalist, Al DeGregoris started playing piano at age four, saxophone at six, wrote his first song and formed his first band at seven, and performed his first paying gig when he was 13. While studying with notable Long Island musicians Charlie Hoffman, Esq. and Gerard De Angelo, Al continued to perform at local functions honing his performance skills with the help of his cousins “The Kings Men”. At the age of 16, DeGregoris led his own band and performed at his high school faculty’s New Years Eve party.
“A major keyboard talent and composer, Al DeGregoris can conjure up images of Joe Sample or Oscar Peterson with his cool, inventive playing.”
While continuing to perform professionally, he eraned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Merchandising and a Juris Doctor at Hofstra University. During his college years, he performed with the Hofstra Jazz Repertory Company under the direction of Emeritus Professor Herbert A. Deutsch (co-cretor of the Moog Synthesizer) - and also studied classical piano. This led to formal jazz piano studies and DeGregoris first contemporary jazz compositions.
The keyboardist later began experimenting with recording technology and built several studios ranging from two to eight tracks, ultimately designing, building, and operating Star Mix Recording Studios, Ltd., a commercial 48-track analog recording facility, which was featured on the inside cover of MIX MAGAZINE’S Northeast Studio Directory issue. During that time, Al composed, arranged, and produced several dance and pop tracks with various vocal artists and wrote several commercial jingles including the score for a Guess Sportswear commercial.
Over the years, he has also performed at some of NYC’s hottest spots including The Waldorf Astoria Hotel, The Plaza Hotel, The Rainbow Room, The Tower Suite, The River Cafe and The Water Club.
DeGregoris songwriting accolades include being a winner in the American Song Festival Contest; a two time Billboard Magazine World Song Contest Top 500 winner; a John Lennon World Song Contest Top 5 winner; and a Norwegian Cruise Lines Star Seeker winner.
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This workshop is attached to the BOCES Arts in Education Co-Ser meaning the program is eligible for BOCES state aid.
Program goal: Help music and arts students better understand the many different aspects of music as well as learn from world known jazz artists.
PROGRAM DESIGN:
One-hour (or period length if during the school day) concert followed by two 30-minute (or period length) master classes followed by a concert. Students will have the opportunity to interact with the musicians and attend two of the following sessions, each of which will have a Q and A component. The goal is to expose the student to different types of music and different aspects of the musical process, from ideation, to composition, recording, performing and marketing.
The program could be offered during the school day over two or three periods. It could also be offered over 2 hours in an evening, whichever fits the district’s needs. The evening program would also include an opportunity for musicians to play with the band. Master classes could include (we will work with the district staff to finalize the master class curriculum):
Improvisation
Songwriting
Writing Lyrics
Finding Your Voice as a Singer
Marketing Yourself, Your Music and Your Band
Working In a Horn Section, it is Not Just About Soloing
Drawing Influence from Different Musical Genres
The Difference Between Recording and Performing
Working With Musicians of Different Backgrounds
Different Size Bands, Different Approaches
Working In a Rhythm Section
Playing Both Rhythm and Lead (Piano or Guitar)
Get In the Band, Stay In the Band
Photo and video opportunities for students – In addition to master classes, we can also offer photographers and videographers an opportunity to photograph/video a live performance and have photography credits on aldegregoris.com.
For booking inquiries and correspondence,
please fill out the form below and Al’s team will get back to you.
