Jazzy Chill Out is the eighth in a series of platinum selling, Grammy nominated groove and heavy ambience Sacred Spirit theme recordings masterminded by German-born studio wizard The Brave. The album features the unique emotional resonance of vocal samples by legendary blues masters Lightning Hopkins and John Lee Hooker, in addition to tracks spiced with the warm, inviting tones of Anita O’Day and Ella Fitzgerald.

The vintage vocal touch adds an extra emotional resonance to the cutting edge texturing of The Brave’s innovative sonics with the jazzy piano melodies and improvisations of Eric Harmsen. Harmsen’s ensemble—including a DJ, rapper, drummer and vocalist—performs regularly at the club Teatro Perera on Ibiza island off the coast of Spain where The Brave makes his home.

“Eric has a fascinating history as a member of one of the most prominent families in the Netherlands who ran away from home and settled in Ibiza to make music,” says The Brave. “He’s an incredible pianist and I enjoyed the way he would blend his playing at the club with modern house rhythm tracks and the input of his DJ and rapper. I thought it would be fun to give him some basic tracks and watch the way the spirit would lead him to improvise. Some have compared what we’re doing here to Moby and St. Germain.

The idea of using vintage vocals made sense as a classy touch, sort of like adding beautiful antiques to a modern art deco setting. They gave the music more meaning, depth and credibility. Just like on Indigo Spirit, the voices from the past became an integral part of the process.”

Best enjoyed like all series recordings as a singular, all the way through experience, Sacred Spirit’s Jazzy Chill Out begins with the mystical and symphonic atmospheres of “You’re Gonna Love,” which features the vintage echo of Tampa Red. The swing jazz vibe and high register piano melody of “Bad Luck” is perfectly enhanced by the bluesy voice of Lightning Hopkins, who is also sampled on the thumping and hypnotic “Last Night (blending beautifully with Harmsen’s elegant melody). The heavy electronic bass throb of “Da Cool” creates a fascinating new environment for the legendary voice of Anita O’Day, while “The Roots” brings a little of a bluesy chill out vibe to the mix via a laid back harmonica melody.

The hip, easy throbbing “A New Dawn” features a symphonic wall of sound, a vibe that continues on the new edge experience of “The Last Unicorn.” The great Ella Fitzgerald makes an eloquent, sultry (sampled) appearance on the swinging “Love Comes My Way“ (atop some of Harmsen’s most aggressive chordal improvisations), and John Lee Hooker’s guttural voice adds grit to the contemplative ballad “The Sun.” After the dreamy, drifting ambience of “Chillin’,” the set wraps with the intensely percussive jazz-funk tune “Some Like It Easy” (also with Hooker’s vocals) and the gentle late night vibe of “That Rive Gauche Vibe.”

In the 80’s, The Brave became something of a pop and dance music sensation, writing and producing songs for well known American icons like Chaka Khan as well as several platinum plus selling European artists. Bored with the lack of creative challenges, he moved to the once secluded island of Ibiza off the coast of Spain and promptly (and quite unexpectedly) fell madly in love with the rich melodic and romantic possibilities of the flamenco guitar. He traveled throughout the Mediterranean region to experience and record performances by some of the greatest flamenco artists in the world, then synthesized these with fresh grooves and atmospheric ideas. The compelling result was B-Tribe, whose first recording Fiesta Fatal! (1994) spawned an unexpected #1 dance hit in Europe. The legend grew and sales catapulted into the hundreds of thousands over the course of three more universally acclaimed releases—Suave Suave (1995), Sensual Sensual (1998) and B-Tribe’s 2001 Higher Octave Music debut Spiritual Spiritual. B-Tribe’s latest album is Five and is set for release on September 16, 2003.

Jazzy Chill Out follows in The Brave’s tradition of shifting musical paradigms on diverse recording projects. These include blending classical music elements with American Blues on Indigo Spirit; initiating listeners to the exotic and thrilling music of North Africa on Moroccan Spirit; and producing the serene and contemplative lyrical Enya-esque stylings of Rose Moore on Spirit of Silence. 

Sacred Spirit highlights over the past decade also include Sacred Spirit, Moroccan Spirit and most recently, Classical Spirit. 1995’s platinum selling Sacred Spirit: Chants and Dances of the Native Americans, was nominated for a Best New Age Album Grammy.

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For media information please contact Susan Mainzer at Green Galactic, 213-840-0077 or susan@greengalactic.com.

Label Contact: Al Risi, 310-589-1515, alrisi@higheroctave.com.

For further information please check out  www.higheroctave.com.