APRIL 27, 2004
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Hewitt's passion, drive and determination inspired Noche de Pasion', which is credited to the Alan Hewitt Project. As when working on film and television projects, Hewitt decided to write the music for the album conceptually. After selecting the title and deciding on a Latin theme, Hewitt began crafting the music in his Palm Springs home studio. He wrote eight songs for the record, collaborated on one with Earth, Wind & Fire's Maurice White (the cinematic "Love Feeds The Fire") and received one from Butler (the funky mid-tempo groove "Sweet Thing"). While culling the material, he decided that he didn't want the album to be just another piano or keyboard record. He reached out to some of his friends, including guitarist and vocalist Jonathan Butler, trumpeter Madaio, and saxophonists Mindi Abair ("U Touch Me"), Michael Lington ("Love Feeds The Fire") and Euge Groove (the title track), and had them solo on the album. Sharing the spotlight enabled Hewitt to take the music in directions that he wouldn't have been able to go otherwise. Hewitt, who produced eight songs and co-produced the other two, played all the piano, keyboards, drums, percussion and drum programming on the disc. Impressive is how he managed to make each track sound unique yet cohesive as an album. He refused to compromise and deftly avoided categorization although elements of jazz, R&B, gospel, pop, rock and dance music are apparent. What sets Hewitt apart is that he is a gifted songwriter who writes potent melodies and sharp hooks that he sets to inventive rhythms in fresh-sounding productions.
For most of his career, Hewitt has camped out in recording studios, where he has written, produced and played on records by a wide array of pop, urban, jazz and rock artists that range from Earth, Wind & Fire to Warrant, from Jonathan Butler to Donnie Osmond. He's also an award-winning composer who has contributed scores and songs to major television shows, networks and motion pictures ("Gods & Generals," "The Osbournes," "Survivor," "Happy Gilmore," ESPN, E! Entertainment Television and the soon-to be released feature, "Swimming Upstream," starring Judy Davis & Geoffrey Rush). Originally a drummer, Hewitt took up the piano and keyboards while attending the Berklee School of Music.
The Alan Hewitt Project's Noche de Pasion' contains the following songs:
"Noche de Pasion'" (featuring Euge Groove on sax)
"Breathless" (featuring Steve Madaio on trumpet)
"Love Feeds the Fire" (featuring Michael Lington on sax)
"Sweet Thing" (featuring Jonathan Butler on guitar and vocals)
"U Touch Me" (featuring Mindi Abair)
"Inside My Dreams" (featuring Shea Chambers on vocals)
"Viva la Noche" (featuring John Defaria on guitar)
"Captured" (featuring Gerald Spikes on sax)
"Blue Sky" (featuring John Defaria on guitar)
"Reminisce" (featuring Gerald Spikes on sax)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 8, 2004
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Contact: Rick Scott (310) 274.0248
The album will be released April 27th, first single going for adds March 22nd
After toiling away in the studio for years cranking out hits for other artists in a variety of formats, musician-producer-songwriter Alan Hewitt is set to unveil what may be the breakthrough album of the year in contemporary instrumental music. Noche de Pasion' is credited to the Alan Hewitt Project, a title that appropriately reflects the varied and multidimensional songs and sonicscapes created by Hewitt and his talented cast of guest stars, including Jonathan Butler, Mindi Abair, Michael Lington, Euge Groove and Earth, Wind & Fire's Maurice White. Hewitt is the flagship artist of 215 Records, a division of 215 Music & Media LLC, which will release the collection of jazz, R&B, dance, and rock tracks on April 27th. Smooth jazz radio will sample the first chapter from the album on March 22nd when the pulsating club track "Breathless," featuring the trumpet of Steve Madaio (Stevie Wonder, Rolling Stones), goes for adds.
By keeping the emphasis on infectious melodies and inventive rhythms, Hewitt crafted uncompromising compositions lead by a variety of soloists with the singular purpose of creating the best album he could possibly make. Hewitt, who played all the keyboards, piano, drums, percussion and drum programming on the entire album, challenges listeners by changing the sound and style on most every track. As a songwriter, his gift is writing potent, memorable hooks and he wrote eight songs for the record, co-wrote one with White, and received one from Butler. Additionally Hewitt produced eight tracks on Noche de Pasion' and co-produced two more.
Hewitt's resume is as diverse as his music. He's worked on records by an eclectic list of artists, including Earth, Wind & Fire, Butler, Warrant, Donnie Osmond and John Waite. He's also an award-winning composer, who has contributed songs and scores to such films, television shows and networks as "Gods and Generals," "The Osbournes," "Survivor," "Happy Gilmore," ESPN, E! Entertainment Television, and the soon-to-be-released feature "Swimming Upstream," starring Geoffrey Rush and Judy Davis.
"This album was literally a labor of love for me. It came entirely from the heart," explained Hewitt, who is looking forward to touring with his own band. "Making the album as 'The Alan Hewitt Project' enabled me to stretch creatively in ways that I couldn't have had it just been a solo album featuring keyboards. I was determined to be true to the spirit of the music and as free from restrictions and limitations as possible."
Noche de Pasion' contains the following songs:
"Noche de Pasion'" (featuring Euge Groove on sax) "Breathless" (featuring Steve Madaio on trumpet) "Love Feeds the Fire" (featuring Michael Lington on sax) "Sweet Thing" (featuring Jonathan Butler on guitar and vocals) "U Touch Me" (featuring Mindi Abair) "Inside My Dreams" (featuring Shea Chambers on vocals) "Viva la Noche" (featuring John Defaria on guitar) "Captured" (featuring Gerald Spikes on sax) "Blue Sky" (featuring John Defaria on guitar) "Reminisce" (featuring Gerald Spikes on sax)