"The legendary Brian Auger has returned with this 35-track 50 year career retrospective. Since the early ‘60s Auger has proven to be a restless, wandering musical spirit, and this collection is the proof in the pudding that his enormous talent and vision have warranted -- and continue to warrant -- his participation in multiple genres as a multi instrumentalist, composer, bandleader, and arranger who has successfully and effortlessly blurred the lines between jazz, blues, R&B, funk, soul, fusion, and rock. 

"Eumir Deodato, Stanley Jordan, Brian Auger, Frank Gambale, Gregg Kofi Brown, and the Italian band Novecento, among the super guests in the new album of Billy Cobham entitled "Drum 'n' Voice" vol. 4 ", the long awaited album produced among Milan, London and New York by Nicolosi Productions /Novecento.


The volume n. 4 of the prestigious series "Drum 'n' Voice" includes big international musicians supported and produced by the production team Nicolosi /Novecento. The album will be distributed all over the world, from May 23 in physical and digital version with Nicolosi productions label. To embellish the release there will be even the vinyl version 180 Grams." - www.nicolosiproductions.com

Stanley Jordan lead guitar - track 8
Gregg Kofi Brown vocals tracks 3-6-9
Lino Nicolosi guitar - tracks 2-3-4-5-6-8-10
Pino Nicolosi keyboards - all tracking
Rossana Nicolosi bass - tracks 1-2-3-5-7-8
Dora Nicolosi vocals - tracks 5-8
Influence vocals - tracks 9-6
Ruth Ellen vocals - track 9
Olives Caleb vocals - track 9

It's an all-star gathering of music as Italian-based production company Nicolosi create an exciting ride of fast-paced Jazz Fusion through the collaboration of legends in 2015 on "Drumheads Project". With an emphasis on the groove and giving the drummer some, this project is led by masters of percussion who support a host of talented instrumentalists that come together to make it funky to the beat of energetic arrangements.


Electric man - feat. Billy Cobham Brian Auger
Roller - feat. Billy Cobham Bob Mintzer George Duke
Virtual life - feat. Dennis Chambers Scott Henderson
Past and future - feat. Dennis Chambers Stanley Jordan
Practice what you preaching - feat. Patti Austin Jeff Berlin
The Crossing - feat. Eumir Deodato Paco Sery Londonbeat
Spring - feat. Stanley Jordan Randy Brecker Danny Gottlieb
Black Hole - feat. Alfredo Golino Pino Palladino
Amazon - feat. Billy Cobham Airto Moreira
Living so fast - feat. Novecento Danny Gottlieb Dave Liebman
Stratus - feat. Billy Cobham Bob Mintzer
Ghost - feat. Rodney Holmes Jimi Tunnell Alphonso Jhonson
Hallow's Eve - feat. Rodney Holmes
Destiny - feat. Alex Acuna John Scofield Billy Cobham Brian Auger
Two Face - feat. Alfredo Golino
A cup of shred wine ( part I ) - feat. Dave Weckel Marco Iacobini Stuart Hamm Stefano Sastro
A cup of shred wine ( part I ) - feat. Joel Taylor Stuart Hamm Philippe Saisse Marco Iacobini Bill Bergman

"Brian Auger has always displayed a fiercely independent and single minded approach to his music - and after over 50 years of doing just that, has firmly secured his reputation as an award winning and much loved musical innovator, a jazz piano prodigy, a Swinging 60's London scenester, early jazz fusion protagonist, a 2014 Hammond Organ Hall of Fame Inductee, and recipient of a US Congressional Award For Services to Jazz!

This 4 track sampler pulls together rare and new material from Brian Auger's illustrious career included in the two forthcoming albums; Back To The Beginning - The Brian Auger Anthology and Live In Los Angeles - Brian Auger's Oblivion Express.



Git Up was originally on the 1977 Encore album which reunited Brian and his cohort Julie Driscoll from The Trinity days of the 1960's. A very funky Fender Rhodes piano riff backs Julie's amazing vocal, and then Brian brings in his trademark Hammond sound to stunning effect. This probably should have been released as a single back then, but wasnt - something Freestyle Records is happy to correct in 2015.

Freddie's Flight is an unusual track as Brian is joined by a full horn section - this is dance floor material, as the uptempo groove is infectious - taken from the 2005 self released album 'Looking In The Eye Of The World'.

The final 2 tracks are brand new,live versions of Oblivion Express classics - but taken from the forthcoming Live In Los Angeles' album which features the original Oblivion Express vocalist Alex Ligertwood. Happiness Is Just Around The Bend is a joyful, uplifting soulful funk track - and Inner City Blues, one of Brian's most loved cover versions - the Marvin Gaye composition simply sparkles here. Brian & Alex are a dream team - many years have passed since their first collaborations - but both their respective talents remain utterly undiminished." - Freestyle Records

Press Release:

Freestyle Records are immensely proud to announce the signing of legendary, world-renowned, award winning organist and pianist Brian Auger.

Spring 2015 will see the release of 'Back To The Beginning - The Brian Auger Anthology': a 24 track compilation covering 50 years of his amazing career, followed by 'Brian Auger's Oblivion Express - Live In Los Angeles' - featuring Alex Ligertwood, is planned for late summer, in time for two forthcoming European tours (#1: July through August & #2: October through November).


Brian's professional career first made headlines in 1963 when he won the #1 position in the Melody Maker's Jazz Piano Readers' Poll. As a prodigious jazz pianist, Brian had already amassed an amazing amount of experience in the London scene. In 1965, after hearing jazz organist Jimmy Smith's music, Brian began his love affair with the mighty Hammond Organ. Naturally, he totally mastered the instrument, and then went on to break new ground on the organ – using it as his primary tool as a pioneer of jazz-fusion.

Lauded and loved by everybody from Herbie Hancock to Mose Allison, from the Brand New Heavies to The Beastie Boys, his music has been sampled by Mos Def, Common, Air and Kid Loco, plus his original compositions covered by Sarah Vaughan and The Main Ingredient.

Brian's career has spanned genres, continents, decades and his ground breaking, genre-defying bands like the mid 60s mod super group The Steampacket (with a young Rod Stewart), The Trinity with the ultimate groovy 60s chick, vocalist Julie Driscoll, and of course Brian Auger's Oblivion Express – the band whose alumni reads like a 'who's who' of amazing musicians (including guitarist Jim Mullen, drummer Steve Ferrone). This group created musical history with its particular brand of soulful fusion, when the 'Closer To It' album did the previously unimaginable and broke into the Billboard Jazz, Rock and R&B charts simultaneously in 1973!

Accolades and awards have continued to accumulate throughout his career, hitting the Top 5 of the UK Pop Charts in 1968 with the jazzed up version of Bob Dylan's 'This Wheel’s On Fire', which got Brian and vocalist Julie Driscoll onto Top Of The Pops, receiving multiple Grammy nominations – the last one as recently as 2007. In the same year, Brian was awarded a 'Certificate of Special Recognition' by the US Congress for his contribution to the American art form of Jazz. It's easier to list the musical legends he hasn't played with, but a quick glance of his many collaborations includes names such as Sonny Boy Williamson, Van Morrison, Paul McCartney and Jimi Hendrix.

Freestyle A&R man, Greg Boraman, first met Brian during a trip to California in 1994, and immediately struck up a friendship based upon Hammond organ maintenance tips and quoting lines from The Goons: “Signing Brian to Freestyle is a personal and professional high point. Brian’s influence on music is epic, his blistering keyboard skills leave people speechless (as do his shirts!) and the chance to release new recordings and some of his classic tracks from his illustrious career is exciting and an honour.”


Of this brand new partnership Brian stated: “I am so happy to be working with Freestyle Records. They understand my music, and know how to market it… this all feels most agreeable. Meanwhile, I shall sing their praises from the Horse troughs of Edgware to the Yak-Laundering Sheds of Novosibirsk!”

"Brian Auger is one of the best B3 artists I have ever heard in my life. He is a tremendous talent with a wonderfully warm and compassionate personality, a combination that is hard to beat. He deserves all the accolades." - Herbie Hancock

"The ferocious energy in Brian Auger's explosive playing is far greater than virtually any other Hammondist dead or alive. His dynamic, driving live shows take this energy through the roof time after time and are a hot ticket all over the world. He has matured but not mellowed. Focused and visceral, his pioneering style has set a bench mark that few have got anywhere near." - James Taylor, The James Taylor Quartet

"Brian Auger is not only responsible for my music education over the the years, encompassing jazz, blues, folk, psychedelia, soul and more in a way that few have managed to, he's also part of that rare breed of musician whose touch and playing you instantly recognise; the mark of a true great" - The Reflex

Veteran drummer Dennis Chambers shows off on drums while teaming with top-notch talent for the funky and soulful meeting of musical minds known as "Groove and More". Having provided the rhythm for John Scofield, George Duke, Brecker Brothers, Santana, Parliament/Funkadelic, John McLaughlin and others, Dennis brings refined talent on percussion in 2013 to inspire each guest and give each song a strong foundation of energy.


Whether grooving on a paced paced Funk or Jazz-Rock fusion track laced with exciting solos or a slower rhythm which supports the performance of a vocalist, Dennis Chambers' "Groove and More" packs an ear-full in an entertianing sound of musicians feeding off each other's vibe and getting down.