JAZZMAN
Michael Paulo, of Honolulu’s famous musical family, is one of the world’s top saxophonists, and next month he’s bringing an all-star group of musicians to town for the inaugural Pacific Rim Jazz Festival
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experience, touring throughout the world, he has established relationships with renowned artists, arrangers and producers.
“I would like to invite artists from Asia-Pacific who in turn will attract visitors to our tourist mecca here in Hawaii,” he says. “What better way to bring people together than through culture and music?”
One gets a sampling of that vision on Paulo’s latest CD release Michael Paulo (Apaulo Music Productions) with The Magenta Symphony Orchestra of Jakarta, Indonesia. Debuted in Hawaii last month at a Smooth Jazz concert at Level 4 in Waikiki, Paulo teamed with with jazz-fusion pianist and arranger David Benoit for his first international project.
Paulo is backed by some of the world’s finest musicians, such as Harvey Mason and Michael White on drums, Freddie Washington and Alex Al on bass, Paul Jackson Jr. and Alan Hinds on guitar and Lenny Castro on percussion.
Paulo soars effortlessly through lush orchestral arrangements of three original compositions - Magic, One Passion and My Heart and Soul - and three pop instrumentals - Last Tango in Paris, Rise and Ray Charles’ R&B classic Georgia on My Mind.
Music fans are enchanted with this latest release, with online reviews such as “Paulo’s smooth, flowing rhythm stirs the soul and makes one long for a fire and a bottle of wine with your favorite girl.”
Another lauds, “Paulo is without a doubt one of the finest smooth jazz alto sax exponents of this age. His range, grasp and phrasing are exemplary, and he is one of the few talents with this instrument that will captivate you from beginning to end.”
It’s the story of his life. Local boy makes good. From playing music with his parents, Rene and singer Akemi Paulo, and performing with four talented siblings, show biz is in his DNA.
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The Saint Louis School grad got his first break playing with Hawaiian pop-rock band Kalapana from 1975 to 1979. He also played with legendary pianist Herbie Hancock.
Paulo moved to Los Angeles in 1981 and quickly established himself by playing with percussionist Ray Armondo and a local R&B outfit featuring members of Rufus.
Two years later, he was hired by singer Al Jarreau for his touring band. Paulo gained international recognition as an integral part of the Jarreau experience.
Paulo still loves performing in his inimitable, energetic style, but also finds gratification in staging jazz festivals.
He is artist in residence at the Java Jazz Festival in Indonesia; produced Waikoloa’s renowned “Dolphin Days” programs for 15 years; stages the Temecula Wine & Music Festival in California, and is producing a new series, “Grooves in The Grove,” at La Quinta Resort and Spa in Palm Springs.
Noting the evolution of music production and technology, Paulo says, “You can produce an artist of mediocre skills on a recording these days, but you can’t fake it in live performance.”
He adds, “On a recording, what you hear is what you get. In live performance, anything can happen, as it usually does in improvisional jazz. It’s magic. Experience gives musicians the tools to react spontaneously.”
Sounds good to us.
And if smooth jazz is your style and you want to hear it played by the cream of the crop of Asia-Pacific and North America, be at the first annual Pacific Rim Jazz Festival at Ihilani Resort Nov. 13.
As fellow jazz musician Bobby Hutcherson puts it, “The whole thing of being in music is not to control it, but to be swept away by it.”
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