Alan King
The Experiment
New Urban Smooth Jazz
Alan King Jr., is an enlivened, up and coming, talented young musician inspired by the genre of Smooth Jazz. He is the quintessential jazz artist that plays a myriad of musical instruments including the piano and percussion with a passion and the stylistic influences drawn from Jazz, Funk, Urban, Pop and R&B.
Alan's earliest and first jazz impressions were inspired from his mother playing the recordings' of the music artistry of Hiroshima, a Japanese American jazz ensemble.
The young Alan's childhood home was filled with song and music with his mother listening to the recordings of great singers and musicians such as: Phyllis Hyman, Donny Hathaway, Earth Wind and Fire, Ray Charles etc. Her son's interest in music spiraled Mrs.Willette King Abraham to start Alan at an early age taking lessons on the piano, in which he learned the basic fundamentals. He also studied under M. Nyasuma, learning various Latin and African percussion, beats and rhythms. He was hired by DC Artworks to teach young people music, which led to performances at the 1991 Taste of DC festival, Flecher Johnson SHS as well as performing at the neoclassical designed Meridian Hill Park, better know to the natives as Malcolm X Park. Alan has a love for teaching his craft and for youth. He has plans for a future endeavor, implementing a music program designed specifically for young adults.
His influences and musical niche are found in his new debut album "The Experiment." Being the consummate professional that he is, he is currently in the studio working on his next smooth jazz masterpiece. It is a new, fresh, edgy, funk, smooth jazz with emphasizes on the melody for the next generation of jazz connoisseurs.
Born and raised in the heart of Washington D.C. where the vibrant cultural life lends itself to the sounds of all genre of music and artistry. Alan flourished in the cultured ambience and has had various artistic ventures. These include playing the piano with the house band at the Foxxtrap formerly known as Zanzibar at the waterfront in Washington.
More than a decade ago he began performing, playing the roto-toms, timbales and congas with Washington's Pure Elegance, a Go-Go band in the city where "go-go" music originated and was made famous. Alan, himself has indicated that he loves performing live and says "I'll never forget I was playing congas and my first song was, Moments In Love, by Art of Noise."
His father, a jazz lover, Alan King Sr. brought jazz in front of Alan by taking him to see Brian Culbertson performing his Modern Life CD in 1995.
His performance inspired and motivated Alan to start writing his own music and to become more serious about the genre of jazz. Alan became cognizant that jazz music could have its own unique sound after seeing performances by Fourplay and Bob James live.
Presently he is taking his great love for smooth jazz into his future. Alan King, the musician, the performer well-anticipated debut album; The Experiment, will be but a tool to bring live music back to the people. His audience will be satisfied that he waited to edify and solidify his craft. Alan is finally where is want to be in his life. He became serious about his music, begun to focus, discovered his niche, then his smooth jazz music grooves found him!
He wants to be remembered by his inspired live performances, he says, "People can't keep up with every song but can definitely remember those great live performances. In the future I would like to start a music program for young aspiring adults."
His CD, "The Experiment" will be released on July 7, 2009.
Moods: Type: Experimental