Album Notes

Seven time Emmy winner and Grammy nominee Steven Ray Allen has teamed his nylon guitar with the woodwind instruments of the multi-talented Doug Ostgard to produce a 70 minute CD, “Silhouette”. They are currently working on a Christmas recording and their second CD, which will be oriented more towards jazz.

Ostgard and Allen first met at the University of Washington, where both played in Roy Cumming's big band. Steve Allen played bass and Doug played saxophone. In that band were Kenny G and the future head of Jazz Studies at the UW, Marc Seales. Doug started serious study of music with the Kent-Meridian jazz band, and went on to pursue woodwinds at Western Washington University, the University of Washington and also under private instruction with Mark Eubanks (bassoon) and Johnnie Jessen (sax, flute and clarinet). Doug played regularly in the pit orchestras at the 5th Avenue Theater, the Paramount Theatre, Jack McGovern’s Music Hall and The Moore Egyptian. While living in Las Vegas, Doug performed at a number of showrooms including Caesar’s Palace and the Las Vegas Hilton, working with a large number of entertainers including Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Ann-Margret. He was also a member of the Heart World Tour.

Steve Allen began playing music professionally at age 12, and performed with various groups on and off the road through his teens and 20s, playing all styles of music from rock to classical. He became especially known for his bass playing, and became a house bassist at Jazz Alley in Seattle. He has played with such jazz greats as Tommy Flanigan, Hank Jones, Herb Ellis, Diane Schure and Kenny G. He was bandleader and bassist for “The Almost Live Show” from 1984-89. He earned a degree in Musical Engineering from the University of Washington and has his own music production company, AM Music Productions in Fall City, Washington. His reputation as an arranger and conductor has led him to arrange orchestral scores for David Lanz, earning him his first gold record for “Christofori’s Dream” and a grammy nonimination. Along the way he has collected 7 Emmy awards for music on various documentaries. In the 90's, Steve studied with the renowned American guitarist Christopher Parkening.

When Doug moved back to the Northwest after living in Las Vegas, he looked up his old friend Steve to try and put together an ensemble. He was looking for a bass player, but Steve was now playing the classical guitar. In 2004, the duo got together, playing a mix of original tunes, jazz favorites and classical selections in intimate venues, such as Baker Street Books. Their audience immediately began asking for a Christmas CD! The result is “Tidings of Comfort and Joy”.

Doug Ostgard plays an array of woodwinds, including flutes, whistles, oboe, bassoon, clarinet and saxophone along with Steve Allen on steel string and classical guitar. They are joined by veteran jazz musicians Rachael Conterer and Bradford Boal. Since jazz is what jazz players play, they call it acoustic jazz, but this is something more. There is an overarching feeling of New Age and Classical music as well as the whimsy of the Irish penny whistle. This is a wonderful instrumental holiday CD that is sure to become one of your favorites.



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