ArtistInfo

B11
B11

Album US 2013 on Boyan Hristov Music label
Jazz, Rock, Latin, R&B/Soul and Blues (Afro-Cuban Jazz, Acoustic, Bolero, Boogaloo, Easy Listening, Latin Jazz, Surf, Soul, Rhythm’n’Blues)

Info from band's website: Here's my breakdown on the tunes: The Peter Gunn Theme - our red hot take on the Mancini classic Surf Spaghetti - The drums are the hooves of the horse, the bass is the bags bouncing on the sides of the sides of the horse, and the guitar is the bad guy riding the horse. A B11 favorite. The Pink Panther Theme - our take on another Mancini classic. I've loved the Pink Panther since I was very little. I love how the soli section translates to the guitar. One of my favorite pieces on the record, it swings so hard... Boyan's Bolero - My favorite music was produced by Ry Cooder when he went to Cuba to do the Buena Vista Social Club project. Listening to all these amazing records has reflected on me in many ways, one of which materialized in this song. Isn't She Lovely - our acoustic take on the Stevie Wonder classic. The twist is adding a dobro solo, pretty outrageous. Alligator Boogaloo - I lived in NYC for a hot minute and while I was there I discovered Lou Donaldson at historic Lenox Lounge in Harlem. I was intrigued, checked out his work and became a fan. Donaldson's music was a gateway to Soul Jazz, a style I could relate to, maybe because I've always been a huge Ray Charles fan, at least that was the connection I could make in my mind. "Alligator Boogaloo" is another horn tune that translates great to the guitar and it's always fun to play, so it made perfect sense to include it. Waltz In A - to my humble knowledge this tune is the first in the world to use rhythm delay in a 3 based time signature. This is one of our most bought tunes. I didn't have a melody for it, it all started with the opening riff, the chorus, and then I added the rest on paper in a split second. I didn't have a melody, so I decided to use a delay and just arpeggiate the chords. It was added to the list of tunes for the recording session last minute, it barely made it. The Gospel Of Me - I came up with the main riff of the song while busking in the subway in NYC circa 2007. I consider this my most accomplished work as far as arranging and writing - thoroughly composed guitar and bass parts. My first (also last) composition of that caliber, the oldest on the record. Beatrice - our take on the Sam Rivers classic. I've always loved the ambiguous chords in this tune and how the melody connects them. Since most jazz players typically go completely off on tunes like that I decided to take the opposite direction. I simplified the tune and tried to make it sound like a pop song. I changed the feel from swing to half time shuffle, changed the key from F to the more guitar friendly E. And instead of playing the melody like a jazz(ier) guitarist would, I played it like a novice player would play a pop song by the campfire for their friends on an acoustic guitar. Of course I put another twist, another nail in the coffin of the jazz police, a resonator guitar solo. good thing - most of my jazz nut friends have told me they love my version. Victory! Funky Mama - Although John Patton wrote the tune, Lou Donaldson made it popular. A tune with a strong hook and a great arrangement. Even though it is impossible, I tried to do justice to the original. Moon River - Yet another Mancini classic. My favorite version of the song is Sinatra's. Miami Beach Rhumba - a fun tune by Irving Fields. Always a great live number, and who can resist a little bit latin flavor? Irving Fields is a name a musician should Google... Perfume De Gardenias - A classic by Puerto Rico's most prominent composer, Rafael Hernandez. We did a cover of the Ibrahim Ferrer version on a Buena Vista Social Club record. I tried to stay as close as possible to the original, within our trio format. The only thing I added was the solo. This is the most romantic piece of music I've ever heard in my life. I've wanted to cover it since the first magical moment I heard it. If a song could materialize into a gentle kiss on the cheek by a loved one, this is it. The One Note Piano - A piano with only one note, and the note is F. F is for… Funk. Boyan's New Tune - Another B11 favorite. A soulful number with an unexpected epic ending that fades out into the unknown, leaving you wondering what's coming next. The ending part is a rip off of a song I wrote for another trio I was in 10 years prior to B11. The slow swirl of the phaser, the feeling of a never ending loop… Done that before. The epic solo was a bonus. Terrible title for a song like that, I've learned my lesson.

Musicians

	B11 g, dr, b, US album by
	Boyan Hristov acg, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, dobro, electric guitar, written by, arranged by, artwork by
	Brian Holtz cb, b, bass, double bass
	Tom Appleman b, eb, cb, bass, double bass
	Mike Levesque dr, drums

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