For Immediate Release
Los Angeles May 2005 -by Jonathan Widran

ENJOYING THE MUSICAL FREEDOM OF A LITTLE SPACE

Composer, Producer and Bassist Big Al Gruskoff,
Prize Winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest (Jazz),
Teams With R&B/Gospel Vocalist Regi Perry For Coolly Eclectic Rhythm & Jazz Venture titled "Box of Love", Released in May, 2005 on Independent Records, IR36798.

A Little Space’s Self-Titled 2002 Debut
Spawned  #1 Tunes at MP3.Com in An
Unprecedented Four Categories:
Jazz-Fusion, Jazz-Vocal, Jazz-Latin and Soul

In an industry that all too often demands conformity to ultra-specific radio playlists and marketing schemes, jazz/funk bassist and multi-instrumentalist Big Al; composer, producer and creative mastermind behind the eclectic and dynamic rhythm and jazz outfit A Little Space -- beautifully captures the free spirit of today’s musically ambitious indie artist.

On Box of Love, the onetime John Lennon Songwriting Contest winner’s second project featuring popular Los Angeles-based R&B/Gospel singer Regi Perry, Big Al offers nine emotionally compelling vocals and three in the pocket instrumentals that tap into a wide variety of styles that venture to places both within and just beyond the urban contemporary and smooth jazz landscape.

The collection features the jazzy neo-soul of the title track, classic Memphis horn band R&B ("Reason To Call You," "P.B."), Afro-Cuban ("Any Day"), gospel and samba on the cool hybrid tune "Place I Like To Be"), anthemic jazz/fusion ("Dreams So Real") and a fiery pop/classical tune "Days Just Begun," which "Big Al" playfully describes as "A String Quartet on Steroids".

Box of Love reaches an emotional high point on "Know I’m Alive", a poignant tribute to the victims of last December’s tragic Tsunami featuring Perry on vocals and "Big Al" on Alembic (fretted) bass, MIDI Cello and drums. Released as a single shortly after it was written on Martin Luther King Day, 2005, and three months before the official release of the album--the song has been downloaded hundreds of times by fans all over the world (from Britain to Australia) and has received significant airplay on numerous stations in the Midwest, including WCH in St. Louis. A Little Space (http://alittlespace.biz) is freely offering "Know I’m Alive" to any charitable organizations supporting this relief cause.

"This was a very difficult song for Regi and I to do, but we hope it inspires people and ultimately offers a feeling of hope," Big Al says. "As with all the songs I write, the music was floating around in my head for a while, and the lyrics came to me after reading a story about a mother losing all her children. It’s written from the parent’s perspective. It’s a very simple arrangement compared to the other songs on the album."

Featuring Perry on seven vocals and nine of L.A.’s best session musicians, Box of Love is the third release by A Little Space, a collective launched with a self-titled 2002 debut featuring Big Al and vocalist Terrell Moran. Released in the days when MP3.com was the internet’s top musical tastemaker, A Little Space received a big promotional push on the site, alongside classic artists like Herbie Hancock and Norah Jones. For the first time in the MP3’s history, a single album spawned #1 tunes in four categories Jazz-Fusion ("Pictures of You"), Jazz-Vocal ("Hanging Around"), Jazz-Latin ("Yes I Would") and  Soul ("Story of My Life"). "Yes I Would" also earned Big Al a prize in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest in the Jazz Category.

Big Al says that his sense of musical adventure stems from growing up amidst the vast cultural riches of Detroit, where he discovered an early love for Mozart and Motown, played bass in straight ahead jazz ensembles at age 13 and later spent three years playing in a Cuban salsa band. "I like to equate it with my love for a lot of different kinds of food," he says. "I love spaghetti, but don’t want to eat it three meals a day. Similarly, while I’m grounded in a jazzy flavored soul sound and enjoy the Steely Dan approach of jazz chords and melodies over a funky beat, I’m always exploring new territories. Box of Love starts out with a lot of soul and R&B, but soon moves into Latin Jazz and some thoughtful, introspective pieces before hard blowing, rockin’ out jams. It’s less about a theme or story than creating a flow that’s interesting for the listener."

On Box of Love, Big Al plays a multitude of instruments and creates numerous MIDI sounds, from the Alembic bass and the MPG Level 5 Fretless Bass, to the Garrison G30CE and Yamaha APX-4A Acoustic Guitars, Fender Stratocaster and MIDI Synth, horns and percussion. "I begin by making music that makes me happy," he says. "I start writing when I hear melodies and chords that move me. My music is all about being original; every chord progression, bassline and melody is unique and expresses who I am. Lyrically, there are a number of songs that are introspective, how people deal with each other. My goal is to get people to think about human character and relationships, while drawing from the many different colors on my musical palette."

As for the title concept, Box of Love stems from the original lyrics that popped into Big Al’s head, which referred to a mythical dating machine that gathered superartificial intelligence with the idea of helping people hook up romantically. The compelling cover art was created by a graphic design company in Ukraine.

"My intention was to intrigue people, to foster the question, what is the Box of Love, what will it do for me?" he says. " I want listeners to wonder what this imaginary device is, as a hook that draws them in. Musically, the groups' name "A Little Space" refers to a Miles Davis quote that always fascinated me. He said, ‘Less is More.’ The notes you don’t play are often as evocative as those you play. Playing the spaces, musicians can always find something of great value. In turn, I’m really excited about adding new music to the global culture."

Box of Love is currently available on A Little Space’s website (http://alittlespace.biz) and at (http://CDBaby.com/alittlespace3).
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