NILS
Alley Cat
In 2014, nine years after his massive radio single “Pacific Coast Highway” established him as
one of contemporary urban jazz’s top artists and producers, Nils took an exciting look back on a
decade of non stop hit making with the release of the compilation
Jazz Gems: The Best of Nils
a collection one astute journalist dubbed “The Best of Contemporary Jazz in the 2000s.” Aside from
taking stock of his extraordinary career, the popular compilation included only one new track
giving the prolific, Munich born, Los Angeles based guitarist and composer extra time to
pen his most explosive and infectious tunes ever for his latest BAJA/TSR
Records release
Alley Cat
In addition to capturing a wide range of emotions on his electric (and sometimes acoustic)
guitar, the 12 tracks showcase, more than ever before, Nils’ masterful skills as a producer and
inventive sonic architect.
Like a guitar driven equivalent of keyboard great and producer Jeff Lorber, Nils’ success as
creator of some of the genre’s most identifiable hits including “Let’s Bounce,” “Ready to Play,
“Catnap” and “Shake It,” has led to his becoming a powerful behind the scenes force for many
established and emerging artists. Working at his L.A. based studio, he has written songs and
helmed tracks and full projects by saxophonist Reggie Codrington, guitarist Keith Andrews,
pianists Al DeGregoris and David Hunt, Brian Simpson and most recently, “Harmony Park,” a
track for multi instrumentalist Nate Harasim’s #ShadesofNate featuring Dave Koz and mixed by
Paul Brown. Extending that spirit of collaboration to his latest solo project, Nils invites
a wealth of dynamic musical cohorts to help create the magic of Alley Cat. In addition to his longtime core
of Clydene Jackson (keyboards, vocals), percussio
nist Oliver C. Brown and bassists Reggie McBride and
Darryl Williams, the guitarist incorporates more horns than usual, firing up the high energy
hypnotic funk of “Milkshake” (which includes a chainsaw effect!) with saxophonist Eric
Marienthal and trumpeter Johnny Britt.
Britt and Codrington’s rising horns jazz and snazz up the
buoyant, old school soul influenced title track “Alley Cat,” while Britt adds soulful trumpet
harmonies on his own to the sly, easy funk flow of “Night Flyer” and the bright, plucky melody
and simmering grooves of “Don’t Hold Back.”
more at nilsmusic.com
