Jazz musician and producer Joseph Patrick Moore sends a love letter to the continent with a rich music heritage that has inspired his genre-bending style in To Africa with Love. With contributions from noted musicians such as Charlie Wood and Dove Award winner Seth Condrey, the latest work by Moore is not only a testament to his musical talent but also to the amazing network of musicians that he has cultivated over his career.
Born in Knoxville, Tennesee, Joseph Patrick Moore was raised in a family that valued music, encouraging Moore to join the school band where he first picked up sax and drums. He eventually earned a full scholarship to study bass at University of Tennessee and University of Memphis, which made him into the fretless and fretted bass virtuoso he is today. Moore has worked with such diverse talents as Marie Osmond, Carol Channing, and Jerry Lewis and was nominated for the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences premier player award.
Eventually, Moore moved to Atlanta where he was taken under the wing of jam band guru Col. Bruce Hampton. There, he expanded his network of musicians by touring with Col. Bruce, Leo Neocentelli (Meters, Neville Bros.) and the bluegrass fusion band Blueground Undergrass. With his recorded output and musical notoriety growing, Moore formed Blue Canoe Records, an all-digital label to showcase not only his own music but also below-the-radar artists that he champions.
To Africa with Love features 13 songs that merge the best of jazz, funk, rock and contemporary. The title track is a song dedicated to a continent plagued by conflict and exploitation, easily filed under Adult Contemporary as well as jazz. The album also includes cuts for those who like to move to music such as a reboot of the Meters classic “Fire on the Bayou” that remains faithful to the original Southern funk core but incorporates more urban elements. All the tracks showcase Moore’s nimble fingers on the bass, creating a soulful foundation to the rock, urban, or even pop melody flourishes.
You can play along to “Bass Song” a Joseph Patrick Moore a song from To Africa with Love featured on JamLegend. To find out more about Moore and his new album To Africa with Love, please visit his official site, MySpace, or his newly launched Facebook page. You can purchase music by Joseph Patrick Moore on iTunes, Amazon, and other fine retailers.