Nominee at the 10th annual LA Music Awards
The winner of the ‘2000’ Los Angeles Music Awards for “Best Jazz Guitarist” Gold Coast’s latest release “Latitudes” is an irrestible blend of Latin, Tropical, North African and Middle Eastern influences
Genre: Jazz: Smooth Jazz
Release Date: 2001
Album Notes
The winner of the ‘2000’ Los Angeles Music Awards for “Best Jazz Guitarist” Gold Coast’s latest release “Latitudes” is an irrestible blend of Latin, Tropical, North African and Middle Eastern influences, creating a smooth jazz masterpiece you’ll want to listen to time and again. Guitarist/vibraphonist Jon Coleman, bassist John Ugarte and percussionist John Pickell have composed, recorded and performed together since the early 1980’s throughout Los Angeles’ jazz circuit, most notably as the house band at the venerable jazz club “The Lighthouse” in Southern California’s South Bay area.
Featuring an intermingling of nylon string and electric guitar, mallet instruments, strings, piano, woodwinds, horns, bass and infectious percussion grooves, Gold Coasts’ stunning melodies and arrangements are complimented by Grammy Nominees and jazz greats – Patrice Rushen (keyboards), Gerald Albright (saxes & flute), Ndugu Chancler (drums), Terri Lyne Carrington (drums), Dave Carpenter (acoustic bass), Oscar Brashear (trumpet) and the amazing Mamak Khadem (vocals). The music covers a broad range of styles and genres – fiery latin tempos and salsa grooves, beautiful bossa novas, driving calypso rhythms, the haunting sounds of North African and Middle Eastern influence and the straight ahead drive of jazz swing.
The music was composed, arranged, produced and performed by the three members of Gold Coast. The project was recorded, engineered and mixed by band member, John Ugarte who has worked as a top recording engineer in the Los Angeles area for the past decade. A talented multi-instrumentalist, John has composed and recorded for film, television, radio, dance and theatre for over 20 years, as well as having worked with a wide spectrum of top recording artists from contemporary jazz and pop to rap and rock and roll. Band member John Pickell started playing percussion and drums as a child. As a master of all types of percussion instruments and techniques, he has been active in the studio appearing on numerous CDs, movie soundtracks and television themes,as well as, performing with various bands around the Los Angeles area for many years. Band member Jon Coleman has been performing in the Los Angeles area for many years. His love of the guitar began as a child and resulted in his taking classic guitar lessons for fifteen years, allowing him to develope his signature finger-style technique and strong sense of melody culminating in his recent Los Angeles Music Award.
Gold Coast blends beautiful melodic compositions and dynamic arangements with natural acoustic elements. The songs have been composed and performed with many layers and in various musical styles. The more often the music is played, the more you will have a chance to discover. This is a musical experience that will take you to many different locales. We welcome you to join our voyage as we tour coastal paradises. “Latitudes” is a unique musical adventure – Take the journey today!!
Artist: Band: Gold Coast
Album: Latitudes
CD Review: Gold Coast is the 3 man smooth jazz band built by
Jonathan Coleman – guitars, marimba, vibes
John Ugarte – bass
John Pickell – percussion
but on this 52 minute release, the boys are helped out by a load of exceptional talent. Mainly:
Patrice Rushen – keys
Gerald Albright – saxes, flute
Ndugu Chancler – drums
Terri Lyne Carrington – drums
Dave Carpenter – acoustic bass
Oscar Brashear – trumpet
Mamak Khadem – vocals
The spirit of the 10 tracks is just like the booklet says. For instance, the cool sound emanating from ‘November High’ is described as ‘travel with us to the New York island of Manhattan, and feel the smoky blue haze that only jazz swing can produce.’ It’s a brilliant bus stop of 5 minutes, before you’re ‘Falling Again’ into the bass rush of some melodic acoustic guitar feelings that will take you back to the 70s and beyond, when life was slightly chilled on the Sunday porch and well worth living.
Though the entire cd is instrumental, there is a voice. Mamak Khadem’s lovely vocals work almost as a sound effect against such luscious tunes as ‘Dunes’ that fronts an elegant soprano sax against a night-designed tune. It’s described as bringing ‘North African coasts into focus’ but to me it works equally well to get me back to NYC where culture clashes thrive and the jazz is as smooth as it always is on the lines of Latitudes.