2022
Friends, Old & New
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About the album
Greg Chako suffered through an unfortunate recording hiatus of over 8 years, caused by a combination of personal circumstances and the outset of COVID in 2020, only to rise up in 2022 like a ‘phoenix from the ashes’ to record his 11th album as a leader titled, Friends, Old & New.
Chako signed to Mint 400 Records and Raining Music in 2022, and they are reissuing some of his older catalogue with new packaging, and spearheading his brand new recordings beginning with this one.
Friends, Old & New marks an impressive relaunch, if not an actual surpassing, of the prolific recording career that produced 9 albums in just a little over 10 years when Chako lived in the Far East.
It features an all-original set of 10 songs, ranging in style from a bluesy and traditional Guitar/Organ/Drums Trio, to a Brazilian-Flavored Sextet featuring percussion and both a male and female vocalist. Chako penned all the lyrics too, which are as supremely lyrical as his guitar playing.
There are 9 players present on the record, but the format alternates with trio, quartet, quintet, and sextet. Saxman Brooks Giles doubles on Tenor and Soprano; Vocal songs are interspersed with the instrumentals (in the style of Cannonball Adderley presents Nancy Wilson); Organ & Bass share roles throughout, except on the tour-de-force final track, Samba Summer, on which they both play.
Listen
Track list
- 01Organomics6:57
- 02Spring Rain5:38
- 03Bent Metal6:53
- 04Walk With Me5:11
- 05The Whole Truth7:57
- 06Samba Summer (vocal)5:45
- 07Wayne's Waltz12:00
- 08Giles' Smiles6:42
- 09Groove Time4:30
- 10Samba Summer (instr)8:26
One-Sheet
Videos
GREG CHAKO “Samba Summer” (Official Video)
Greg Chako · “Samba Summer” (Official Video) · Mint 400 Records
GREG CHAKO “Samba Summer” (Promo)
Reviews
What the critics said
“Greg Chako is a fine player with a voice that should be heard by a much larger listening audience.”
