Tom Savell Band
Delivering lyrics with power and
emotion, Santa Cruz, CA-based rocker Tom Savell captivates and charms
his audience with an intriguing sound reminiscent of a modern version of The
Moody Blues, and then surprises and delights when he switches mid-song from
rocking guitar to a fiery violin solo then back. The award winning singer, songwriter,
guitarist and violinist’s 2007 debut solo album You Just Gotta Love It is
receiving extensive radio airplay, with the first single hitting Number 1 in February
2008 and the second single hitting Number 1 in October 2008. Tom ultimately won "AC New Artist Of The Year" at the 2008 New Music Awards in Hollywood on November 22, 2008.
Savell and his band have
performed as Superior Olive for years, filling dance floors and concert
halls at hotspots from San Diego to Santa Cruz, performing everywhere from
original showcases to dance rock clubs to charity concerts for the likes of
Toys for Tots. His latest solo project breaks away a bit and has a little more
pop sound, but retains some of the progressive influences clearly heard on
Superior Olive’s three prior indie album releases. With the radio-friendly
progressive-pop arrangements on You Just Gotta Love It, Savell’s
popularity is growing faster than ever.
The first single from You
Just Gotta Love It, “So Deep Within You” hit 1 on the Adult
Contemporary/Hot AC radio chart in February 2008 and the opening track “Simple
Game” hit 7 on the AC/Hot AC radio chart in June 2008. And it’s not just
radio that likes these songs:
..Any new artist that starts off their CD with
two covers of Moody Blues founder Mike Pinder has got to be worth a listen. A
cover apiece of Pinder’s 1968 Moodies b-side “A Simple Game” and “So Deep Within
You” from 1969 are two of his best and Tom Savell does them both justice…’
Robert
Silverstein,
20th Century Guitar Magazine, May 2008
Tom Savell received "Best
Local Musician" in the Santa Cruz Metro Goldie Awards for the second
straight year in 2008 and the You Just Gotta Love It CD was “Album of
the Week” on music journalist John Shelton Ivany’s influential website. The
accomplished guitarist and violinist, who regularly performs violin with “It’s
A Beautiful Day” (David LaFlamme) was recently interviewed in the May issue of
20th Century Guitar Magazine discussing his musical
influences and the instruments he uses to create his music.
“I finally had the means and opportunity
to branch out and create an album of what I call unconventional songs that
explore the many different sides of relationships. You Just Gotta Love It
also gave me the chance to work with some of my favorite musicians from the
area, as well as Aynsley Dunbar,
who played drums with Frank Zappa and the original lineup of Journey.”
Though Tom has always performed his
share of covers, Savell is a prolific songwriter who's composed everything from
epic rockers to social commentaries and the heartfelt reflection “Lately I've
Been Thinking” after emerging from intensive care one time. On You Just Gotta
Love It, the singer takes a completely different approach, creating unique
arrangements in a multitude of styles of eight songs from the rock era. Some
are ultra-familiar, like “Can't Help Falling In Love,” which Savell re-imagines
with a playful, fast grooving 80s new wave vibe; others like Neil Diamond's
beautiful “Play Me” are well known but rarely covered.
“These are great songs which I
think in some cases haven't received the audience and recognition they
deserve,” says Savell. “Working with my producer Jacob John Save, I deliberately
picked many tunes that people haven't heard before so they could be original in
a unique way. I worked out my own arrangements to put in my own feelings of how
they could best be heard and enjoyed by a modern pop/rock audience.
..…one need only listen to the solo
present during “Play Me” to see the beauty of the act.’
Neufutur Magazine, Jan. 2008
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