GRAND FINAL: JJ Sansaverino at 6. Algarve Smooth Jazz Festival (2023)

www.jjsansaverino.com / The Band: Andrew Small (Drums), Orefo Orakwue (Bass), Andrew Noble (Keyboards), Greg Manning (Keyboards), Chris Booth (Guitar) / www.algarve.smoothjazzfestival.de / www.smoothjazzeurope.eu
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The musical style of guitarist JJ Sansaverino is a mix of Smooth Jazz, R&B, World Music and Fusion ‘a la Benson meets Santana’. JJ was playing trumpet and violin by the age of 11 and guitar by 13. Growing up in and around New York, his influences of Santana and Hendrix, as well as Jazz, Motown and Doo-Wop, helped mold his guitar style. He attended Berklee College of Music in Boston to study Commercial Arranging and Big Band and graduated cum laude. It wasn’t long before he started appearing and recording with artists such as Shaggy, Sean Paul, Shabba Ranks, The Jungle Brothers, and the Marley family. His debut CD was created by fusing urban beats and Brazilian flavor with fresh horn arrangements and JJ’s unique guitar style. JJ quickly started performing his music and selling out the Blue Note Jazz Club. Since that, he has been performing with Jazz and reggae greats such as Ricky Lawson, Victor Bailey, Maxi Priest and many more, while simultaneously working with his own band.
(from Smooth Style, Magazine of the Algarve Smooth Jazz Festival on 9. - 14. May 2023 at PINE CLIFFS RESORT, Albufeira, Portugal)
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Der Musikstil von Gitarrist JJ Sansaverino ist eine Mischung aus Smooth Jazz, R&B, World Music und Fusion „à la Benson meets Santana „. JJ spielte bereits mit elf Trompete und Violine, mit 13 kam er auf die Gitarre. Aufgewachsen in und um New York, formten Einflüsse von Santana und Hendrix, aber auch Jazz, Motown und Doo-Wop seinen Gitarrenstil. Er studierte Commercial Arranging und Big Band am Berklee College of Music in Boston und graduierte cum laude. Es dauerte nicht lange, dann stand er mit Künstlern wie Shaggy, Sean Paul, Shabba Ranks, The Jungle Brothers und der Marley-Familie auf der Bühne und im Studio. Auf seiner Debüt-CD mischte er Urban Beats und brasilianische Klänge mit frischen Horn-Arrangements und seinem einzigartigen Gitarrenstil. Diesen Sound brachte er schnell auf die Bühne und konnte damit z. B. auch mehrere Male den Blue Note Jazz Club ausverkaufen. Seither hat er mit Jazz- und Reggea-Größen wie Ricky Lawson, Victor Bailey, Maxi Priest u. v. m. performed, während er gleichzeitig mit seiner eigenen Band arbeitet.
(from Smooth Style, Magazine of the Algarve Smooth Jazz Festival on 9. - 14. May 2023 at PINE CLIFFS RESORT, Albufeira, Portugal)