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Mitch Reilly
"The
first time I saw someone playing the saxophone I knew that's what
I wanted to do. I fell in love with the sound immediately and that
is something that has never left me." Mitch Reilly
For Mitch Reilly, the saxophone seemed to be like
a voice, more expressive and dynamic than most other instruments,
and he has always treated it as an extension of himself. This is evident
in his first solo artist release, "The Happnin' Tone of the Maximophone".
A unique mix of acoustic instruments with a modern R&B flavored
rhythm section provides a spacious backdrop for the lyrical, rich
sounds of what he jokingly refers to as the Maximophone.
When asked about his influences, Mitch replies,
"I feel that all of the music we grow up with influences our
playing in later years. In my parent's house folk music of the 60's
was always being played and the first records I ever bought were those
of Crosby, Stills & Nash. Of course, nobody at that time didn't
dig the Beatles, but being a sax player I was drawn, naturally, to
horn bands like Paul Butterfield, James Brown and Tower of Power."
What may seem like diverse musical interests, these styles, along
with distinct jazz overtones are blended masterfully in this, his
first album.
By the age of 16, Mitch was working with a number
of different bands in the Bay Area and found that there was nothing
more fun than hanging out and playing. "There was a pretty good
scene going on in the East Bay at that time so there was no shortage
of good players to jam with." His influences were now beginning
to stem from the roots of jazz, while at the same time he was becoming
more comfortable delivering his own distinct brand of bluesy fusion.
One night Mitch saw Jazz great, Chick Corea, at The Boarding House
in San Francisco and still remembers being blown away by musicians
playing in a style he had never heard before. (This was one week prior
to the release of "Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy"). That experience
made him realize that he wanted to become a different kind of artist,
one who could mix diverse styles of music while still keeping it edgy
and hip.
Mitch's playing is soulful and melodic, full of
sultry tones peppered with hints of Jazz, R&B and Pop, and although
his style once was compared to Branford Marsalis, his sound is uniquely
and supremely his own.
Mitch left Chabot College after his sophomore year
to tour with Uncle West, a two year gig that eventually steered him
toward the Seattle music scene during the early 80's. He made his
way down the coast to Los Angeles by 1985 and set in concrete a successful
career in the music business. He spent many years in the studio collaborating
with such artists as Doobie Brothers drummer Chet McCracken and guitar
master Chuck Yamek who both recognized and utilized Mitch's writing
talents. By 1995, with world tours and a long running television show
to add to his credits, Mitch began to get more serious about writing
his own music.
Mitch and his family made Nashville, Tennessee their
home in 1997 and he quickly became a member of EHO led by Engelbert
Humperdinck. Time in between four years of world tours has given Mitch
the opportunity to put considerable effort in composing his own material
and the release of his single artist album, "The Happnin' Tone
of the Maximophone", in October 2000.
Now a seasoned player, Mitch attributes his success
to having learned to be a good businessman, then never letting business
ruin his love for making great music. If it's not fun, it's not worth
doing.
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