Update from Tom Hansen and NEW CD coming in SPRING 2024
In November I asked myself – which 5 years period is the best in music history ?
I ended up with the period 1978-83 and wrote down the names of 16 favoriteartists and musicians. Then my conclusion was that the work between Jay Graydon, Al Jarreau and David Foster has given me the best inspiration. I wrote down a song called «Just like Graydon» with all the names in the lyrics. Then I sent it to Maurizio Metalli in Italy and he made a wonderful arrangement. Maurizio has several times worked with singer Robbie Wyckoff who has sung background vocals for Celine Dion, Diana Ross, Natalie Cole and Barbra Streisand.
I «met» Maurizio a few months earlier when he arranged another song for me called «Only time will tell» with Tollak Ollestad – fantastic singer and harmonicaplayer for Al Jarreau, Earth Wind & Fire, Kenny Loggins, Brian McNight, Gino Vannelli & Andrea Bocelli.
I’ve also worked with Urs Wiesendanger this year and he has arranged and been singing on a bossa called «Cabrillo Crusing. He also has arranged and recorded a new version of my song «Savor this» with Dhenibe (courtesy of NiRo Sounds) with Sabina Stokes and Thierry Condor on background vocals.
In March Quincy Jones became 90 years and I wrote a song called «Quincy» with Norwegian singer Heidi Smith-Solevåg, Eline Smith and rapper Elizabeth Mukendi. Both the Ollestad- song and «Quincy» has videoes on Youtube. And Metalli is working on a video for «Just like Graydon». Robbie has sent us great videomaterial !
Jean-Paul Ribes will be 75 years old in 2024. He has played my music the last ten years so I have written a song to him called «L’automne Parisien» with Hans Christian Nystad on cornet and arranged by Urs Wiesendanger.
Then we have a song called «Going west» inspired by Mezzoforte with WaKaNa on Saxophone, Dag Einar Eilertsen on trombone and Nils Mathisen on vocals. Together with Norwegian jazzsinger Live Foyn Friis I have written a bossa called «Remembering».
And a very funny project has been «Wanna feel the heat again» – a partysong inspired by The Bee Gees with Chris Lund and Hilde Hogsnes. She has also a balled in the style of James Ingram called «See as i see».
Just before Christmas I wrote a song called «Christmas Eve Again» with WaKaNa on saxophone. You can find the video on Youtube.
So this seems to be a very nice CD with great singers and musicians. Most of the songs are as usual arranged and recorded by maestro Kenneth Eriksen.