CONTACT INFORMATION - BOOKING: Larry Shields TEL: (310) 385-2800 - Email: larryshields@theagencygroup.com PERSONAL ASSISTANT: Lisa Belligan TEL: (414) 899-3865 - Email: email@ericdarius.com
Influences
JESUS, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderly, Charlie Parker, Grover Washington Jr., Kirk Whalum, David Sanborn, Kenny Garrett, Michael Brecker, Branford Marsalis, Chris Potter, Joshua Redman, Gerald Albright, Earth, Wind, and, Fire, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Quincy Jones, D'Angelo, Musiq Soulchild, Marvin Gaye, Herbie Hancock, Al Green, John Legend, Alicia Keys, Soulive, Kanye West, Babyface, Bob Marley, James Brown, Stanley Clarke, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Sam Cooke, Ornette Coleman, B.B. King, India.Arie, OutKast, Mint Condition, Otis Redding, John Mayer, Timbaland, Aretha Franklin, Maze, Donny Hathaway, Jill Scott, The Roots, A Tribe Called Quest, RH Factor, Luther Vandross, Tupac, Nas, Destiny's Child, Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Greg Osby, Sting, Lauryn Hill, Pat Metheny, Christian McBride, Rodney Jerkins, Marcus Miller, The YellowJackets, Weather Report, Black Eyed Peas, Floetry, Dwele, Bilal, Maceo Parker, Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter, George Duke, and many others
With the release of 2004's "Night on the Town", saxophonist Eric Darius was prophetically hailed, Best Debut Artist of the Year by Smooth Jazz News, alerting the world that an exciting and vibrant new artist was officially embarking upon his destined mission to take the idiom to scintillating new heights. Noted for his searing and unrelenting passion and energy, Eric's albums and live performances earn him new fans at every turn, as well as industry and critical acclaim. His last album "Just Getting Started" debuted in the Top 10 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz chart, remained there for nine consecutive weeks, and featured four hit singles, including his cover of pop star Alicia Keys’ “If I Ain’t Got You” (the album’s second single, which reached 2 on the SmoothJazz.com charts and also cracked the Top 10 on R&R Contemporary Jazz chart). Successes such as those make his fourth and latest album "Goin' All Out"—his first for legendary jazz label Blue Note Records—a highly anticipated release and statement of what’s next to come!
"Goin’ All Out" will prove to be groundbreaking for the way Darius incorporates all manner of popular music into a blazing inferno of pure body rockin’ and soul stirring energy. Innovatively crossing over all music boundaries, he creates a very distinctive, fresh sound and approach that is uniquely his own. "Goin’ All" Out captures the same level of youthful intensity and enthusiasm, which has become the trademark of his live shows, in a state of the art studio recording.
"My new album is about the new directions my music is taking,” Darius states with excitement. “When I started writing for this project, my goal was to create an album that would appeal to everyone, including the younger demographic. Being that most people from my generation are not exposed to jazz, I’ve incorporated elements from various genres, such as hip hop, R&B, and pop, into my music, giving them something to relate to. The trade off is, I hope that it will inspire them to listen to more jazz and embrace this kind of music. I want to open listeners’ ears and expose them to a hybrid of sounds by offering them jazz from a new stylistic approach.” Addressing the album’s aggressive title and marketing slogan, Darius adds, “’Goin’ All Out’ is one of the first songs I wrote for this CD. I believe that it sets the tone for the whole album and reflects who I am both as a musician and songwriter.”
Living in Tampa, Florida, Eric has exceptional access to the cutting edge of pop sounds, considering the vibrant mix of Latin and African-American traditions and trends simmering and mixing there. "I pay attention to pop radio and go to clubs just to see what people are listening to," Darius shares. "It gives me a lot of inspiration, and also helps me to be aware of what’s relevant in today’s music. For example, one of my new songs, “Feelin' Da Rhythm,” has a reggaeton/dancehall type of feel—a new flavor and sound that most smooth jazz listeners are probably not too familiar with. Being that both of my parents are from the Caribbean islands, I grew up listening to this kind of music. I am really excited about trying different things on this album, and hope that everyone will enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed recording it.”
From the opening tune “Just Like That,” which features a galvanizing assault of saxophone, organ, and crashing beats galore, Eric plays with the tasteful mix of a fiery 21st century Junior Walker and the ageless grace of Grover Washington, Jr.—ever-mindful of jazz’s roots as music made for partying ‘til the break of dawn. Other songs on the album, such as the sonic daydream of “Unconditional,” the double up beats of “Vibe with Me,” and the infectious bass-dominated groove of “Ain’t No Doubt About It,” demonstrates Darius’ new directions and signature style. "We gave these songs the grooves and feel of what is heard on the radio today,” Eric shares, “sweet hooks and melodies on top of really cool drum beats."
Then there's the sunny “Just for the Moment,” a song that ironically stemmed from an unhappy origin. Eric shares, "I was going through some struggles and hardships in my life at that time, but I vividly remember one day, a wave of optimistic emotions overtook me that made me realize everything was going to be alright. From that point, I knew that these problems were just for the moment and that things would get better. It was definitely a spiritual kind of thing that uplifted me. When I wrote that song, Norman Brown came to mind because of his joyful and enthusiastic playing. Having Norman perform on this song definitely added a nice touch."
Perhaps, no other track on "Goin’ All Out" better exemplifies Eric’s technical expertise than his rendition of “Because of You,” a major hit for pop singer/songwriter Ne-Yo. "When I first heard the song, I was at a dance club in Tokyo,” Eric remembers. “I was moved by the lyrics and the infectious groove, as Ne-Yo's voice and melodic sensibilities flowed smoothly throughout the song. Upon hearing it, I immediately wanted to record it and put it on my next album. I approached that song, just as a singer or lyricist would." Eric took a different approach to his cover of hip hop soul queen Mary J. Blige's "Be Without You." "I wanted to record a ballad that was very soulful and passionate, which would allow me to really express myself and take my listeners to new heights. ’Be Without You’ was exactly that song that I was looking for."
Every exhilarating workout needs a smooth, soothing cool down, and Eric delivers with the sensuous exhale of "Breathe." This beautiful composition showcases Eric’s maturity and graceful playing, as he effortlessly and soulfully glides throughout the song. "Darren and I only had a short period of time to get everything finished in the studio, and we were starting to feel the pressure during the last couple of days. It was a slightly stressful time, but we finally got to a point where we had done all but one song. There’s so much funk and danceable energy on this CD, and we both wanted to create a song that was a total departure from the rest of the album—a release. Sometimes, we often get so caught up in all of the daily stresses in life, that we forget to just take a breath and look at all of the beauty around us. ‘Breathe’ is a reflection of that beauty, as it just takes you away…”
Born into a musical family in New Jersey and raised in Tampa, Eric Darius has been a lover of music from birth, with his parents exposing him to jazz at a young age. Eric soon began listening intently to all kinds of music—from R&B, gospel, pop, reggae, blues, hip hop, and latin. However, it wasn’t until the ripe age of 9 years old, on a Sunday morning, that Eric realized his calling. "I would watch this saxophonist play at our church every week," he recalls. "Something about that sax just penetrated my soul and moved me. I truly believe that I didn’t pick the instrument, the instrument picked me! My father bought my first saxophone for my 10th birthday, and I’ve never looked back since."
By age 11—after only playing for one year—Eric was chosen to be in Sonny LaRosa and America's Youngest Jazz Band, which consisted of young musicians, ages 5-12. The group toured the country and even played at the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. Throughout Eric’s young, illustrious career, he’s had the tremendous opportunity to travel and perform worldwide with groups, such as the Blake High School Jazz Ensemble, the University of South Florida Jazztet, and with his own band to Japan, Indonesia, France, Italy, and many other countries. In addition, he has also shared the stage with countless notable artists, such as Prince, Brian McKnight, George Benson, Wynton Marsalis, and Dionne Warwick, just to name a few.
Even though Eric is passionate about performing, one of the most meaningful things to him is writing his own music, which he has been doing since the age of 13. “The music I compose comes from deep within my heart and soul,” Eric states. “I write based on my emotions and experiences, and my songs are an honest reflection of my life. Music is my personal statement of who I am, so when you hear one of the songs I’ve written, it’s my way of giving you a direct connection to me.”
Eric came roaring out of the gate at the age of 17 with his first independently produced and distributed CD, "Cruisin'" (inspired by fantasies of what it was going to be like to drive his very own car). A few years later, he made his first major label debut, signing with Higher Octave Records, through whom he released "Night on the Town" (2004) followed by "Just Getting Started" (2006) on Narada Jazz. He made major inroads into the competitive smooth jazz market with the hits "Slick" and “Night on the Town." He was also featured ..boardist Brian Culbertson’s It’s On Tonight and A Soulful Christmas albums, later joining his high energy band for a couple of years, thus solidifying the importance of a great live show. "There's nothing like feeding off of the crowd's energy on stage," Eric states. "Just to see the joy on their faces makes it all worthwhile!"
Beyond his own music, Eric keeps busy collaborating with others. He has a performance on contemporary jazz pioneer Jeff Lorber's next album. But some would be surprised to know that Eric—now 25—is studying business at the University of South Florida. "I want to apply business knowledge to my music career, and be as well-rounded as possible."
That also extends to the styles of jazz he intends to record as time marches on. Acknowledging his newfound presence on Blue Note Records, Eric states, "I'm really honored and excited to be on this reputable label. Some of the guys I grew up idolizing such as Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock recorded for Blue Note. Every time I make an album, I want to continue to develop the way they did—with faithful listeners willing to take those musical journeys along with me. I want them to hear, see, and feel my continuous evolution as a composer, player and performer. I'd also love to record straight ahead jazz at some point. It really is the foundation of my playing. I learned so much from listening to legends like Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane and Charlie Parker. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be half the musician I am today."
That musician is Eric Darius: ever moving music forward…and always goin' all out!
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