Curtis McLaw meets Martin Böttcher

Curtis McLaw had the honor of meeting the great Martin Böttcher in the Mastermix-Studio Munich, who since his childhood is his absolute favorite composer of film music.

Martin Böttcher: Wikipedia

Martin Böttcher: Website

Night Talk

Many years ago, Curtis McLaw was running a studio that turned out soundtracks for movies and television commercials. Jay Heye was a TV moderator just down the hall. The two struck up a friendship and discovered a shared love for the funkier sounds of urban America. After experimenting in McLaw’s studio 1, they decided to indulge that love by launching a new group. The result was Blue Knights, authors of a string of popular releases that routinely conquer the Progressive Jazz charts on both sides of the Atlantic. The two Blue Knights complement each other almost perfectly. McLaw, 40, is a guitarist and keyboard player with a strong rock background and a magician’s gifts in the studio. (He is also one half of the instrumental duo Dancing Fantasy, whose releases regularly top the New Age charts.) Heye has played piano for all but five of his 33 years. Over that time, he has absorbed influences as disparate as Quincy Jones, Prince and jazz great Oscar Peterson, his pianistic hero. Add the rock- and blues-flavored guitar of Bill Joseph Flynn and the expressive saxes and flute of Mr. P.T. and you have the Blue Knights, edition 2000 - four good friends, four very accomplished musicians. Like most Blue Knight releases, Night Talk is a joint creation.

It should quickly be added that - again like all Blue Knights releases - Night Talk establishes a pleasant, infectious groove from the beginning and never loses sight of it, whatever the mood or tempo of a particular cut. “Saturday Morning” sets the laid-back, upbeat tone from the opening bars. Listen especially to Mr. P.T.’s nifty way with the main theme. The title cut is a lovely ballad highlighted by Mr. P.T., this time on soprano sax, supported beautifully by McLaw’s and Heye’s keyboard work. It’s surely one of the outstanding cuts in a CD full of memorable songs. Consider “Dubai Dance,” for instance, an funky nod to the exotic Middle East - or “Miami Groove” with its strong, simultaneous hints of calypso and salsa over a funky urban beat. Favorites anyone? If we were voting ours would probably be Jay Heye’s gorgeous piano solo, “The Moon.” It’s righteous, romantic, lyrical - memorable. It’s unique on the album - the only all-acoustic piece in a studio-wizard’s world. Yet it fits marvelously, perhaps because it’s ultimately what the Blue Knights are all about - beautiful music, beautifully played.

Produced by Curtis McLaw at Studio 1.

Curtis McLaw & Jay Heye (keyboards) Bill Joseph Flynn (guitar) Mr. P.T. (saxophone, flute) 

01. Saturday Morning (4.06) 02. Blue Train (4.42) 03. Vegaz Dance (4.07) 04. Night Talk (4.51) 05. Funky Bill (3.50) 06. Miami Groove (3.37) 07. Smooth Night (4.06) 08. Paris-Texas (3.21) 09. First Date (4.20) 10. Dubai-Dance (3.52) 11. Next Sunset (5.04) 12. Boogie 99 (3.22) 13. The Moon (4.50) 14. Marmaris-Out (4.03)

Night Talk - Customer Reviews

Night Talk by Blue Knights
This is slick smooth jazz. Easy on the head, but strong enough to get those hips movin' if you want to. Play it anytime!

Why Has It Taken This LongTo kill some time today I decided to read some customer reviews on CDs that I had owned. I was very surprised to see that only 1 person had reviewed this CD and that was only recently. As good as this CD is I had expected to see more. All the songs are piano accompanied with guitar, sax and flute and are all very smooth and relaxing. My favorites are "Next Sunset", "Saturday Morning", and "Smooth Night". This is a great CD to listen to while driving or cleaning the house.

Five Stars
Great CD, would buy more from this artist.
 
This might  be my favorite CD of all I own...
This is might be my favorite CD of all I own. I have all the Blue Knights CDs except „Straight from the heart wich I cant seem to locate anywhere.

Ascoltate l'armonia della musica...
Quest'album da l'idea di quello che la musica strumentale può esprimere,con semplici giri di note e dolci ballate gli stumenti ti accompagnano in una atmosfera dove la fantasia ti porta a giro per il mondo che sia al mare in momtagna o in compagnia della tua dolce metà....che musica!

amazon.com

Blue Knights - Neon At Night

 

Tropical Night - Customer Reviews

Another Winner From Blue Knights
By A Customer on April 19, 2004
A follow up to their all time best seller, Red Night, and the hottest release from the group that started the "acid Jazz" phenomenon.

jazz meets dance

By K. Warner on November 8, 2000
More interesting than smooth jazz, more rich than pure dance, Blue Knights takes strong influences of both to create cool grooves. "Tropical Night" collects enough material for an entire studio album plus a few previously hard to find tracks including a slowed-down version of their club/trance track "Gimme all your lovin'" as well as two other rare gems from

BLUE KNIGHTS Tropical Night
by ken dillman on January 8, 2012
Tropical Night was a bit fast-paced for my liking as Blue Knights music goes; I've always appreciated their languid, meandering smooth jazz stylings over their more up tempo offerings. The music was somewhat predictable; in the same way that eating a bag of generic brand potato chips is predictable in taste. When I listen to Blue Knights I want to feel like I'm cruising down the Pacific Coast Highway in a convertible at midnight, rather than feeling like I'm stuck in LA rush hour traffic. Nevertheless, if you're a Blue Knights fan you'll find it acceptable.

Blue Knights

Bill-Joseph Flynn, Mr. PT, Jay Heye and Curtis McLaw at the beginning of the year 1995.

The music of Blue Knights thrives on rhytmus and a very jazz influenced groove-piano. Amazing production, rich sounds and some very tight arranging and playing will capture all fun loving music gourmets. Music to dance to, songs to relax with, melodies like a sunset and rhytmus that are perfect for lovers and dancers. A combination of colour and sensual music. Sexy jazz, light house grooves, some fine piano playing and high class audiophile production turn this music into a first rate music.

Curtis McLaw who reached with his band Dancing Fantasy the Billboard Top 20 in USA, shines here as a producer on another project. While the distinct Dancing Fantasy sounds captures an ever growing audience worldwide, Curtis and his production ideas are too big for just one project. The debut album „Blue Nights” was an instant hit especially with US radio, climbing the US-charts rapidly. The up-tempo happy-jazz/fusion that Blue Knights Mixes with soft funk and relaxed dancefloor proved to be an audience favourite.

The guys from Blue Knights sure like to listen to Sade’s „Smooth Operator” and the Shakatak of some years ago. Very airy, light jazz piano, simply beautiful melodies and a rich tapestry of sound layers, all designed to transform the music into a perfect lovers night. When the lights of the city start to glimmer at sunset, many coloured nightlife fantasies converge in musicians’ minds. The happymakers of the german instrumental scene put you in a good mood, cheer you up and refresh their listeners withe the party urge.

The best of instrumental music