Quarter Note Update 1- 2023
UPCOMING RELEASE - Land of enchantment
Land of Enchantment, explores my fascination with the mystique the Southwest. Select album highlights include “Place In The Sun,” “Moonrise Samba,” and “Georgia’s World.” The playfully-titled “Place In The Sun”, exudes the transcendent feeling of being in such beautiful natural environs - a sense of spirituality and joyous mystery. The song features many musical keepsakes from my musical journey, including dreamy Sérgio Mendes-style female vocals, a funk and Motown-like grooving rhythm section, and 1970s jazz-fusion musicality with Todd’s lyrical but dexterous guitar playing. On “Moonrise Samba,” Todd showcases his strong lead melody writing, his penchant for intriguing Steely Dan-esque chord sequences, and his imaginative arrangement skills by including a samba-flavored bridge. The picturesque “Georgia’s World” is a tribute to Georgia O’ Keefe’s home in Abuqui, New Mexico and Ghost Ranch, and boasts satiny Wes Montgomery octave licks, a slinky bossa-nova groove, and sultry female melody vocals. Todd also turns in a stunning reading of the Beatles’ “Norwegian Wood” replete with virtuosic micro-tonal soloing done on his Imrat guitar, and a dreamy version of Glen Campbell’s “By The Time I Get To Phoenix.”
Coming along for the ride are A-list musicians such as longtime Prince bassist Rhonda Smith; Todd’s childhood musical hero, jazz-fusion icon saxophonist-composer, Tom Scott (Joni Mitchell, Quincy Jones, Frank Sinatra); drummer Vinnie Colaiuta (Herbie Hancock, Jeff Beck, Frank Zappa); Grammy-winning violinist Charlie Bisharat (Elton John, the Rolling Stones, Shadowfax); pianist Dapo Torimiro (Frank Ocean, Lauryn Hill); vocalist Laura Vall (Stevie Wonder); bassist Timothy Bailey (Ariana Grande, Julia Michaels, Jill Scott); award winning Los Angeles cellist Adrienne Woods (Ariana Grande, Josh Groban, Christina Aguilera); two-time Grammy winning producer Jeff Weber (Diane Reeves, Luther Vandross, David Crosby); and Emmy and Grammy-winning engineer Clark Germain (Michael Jackson, Wayne Shorter, Tina Turner).