Artist description For many artists, "Keepin' It Real" simply means "keeping the listener satisfied," finding success with a core sound and sticking with it at the expense of artistic growth. Joe McBride means something very different in using that phrase as the title of his sixth Heads Up International release. Ensembling on most tracks again with the Texas Rhythm Club - his longtime Dallas-based unit and namesake of his popular 2000 recording - he complements his signature keyboard sound on Keepin' It Real (HUCD 3067) with inspired exotic influences reflecting the many loves of his musical life. These include his gospel background, Brazilian samba, and the music of South Africa, which he experienced firsthand on several trips (the first in 1999) to Capetown performing his own shows and as part of the Heads Up Superband. "As I get older, it's more of a challenge to find new ideas to get excited about, but I am grateful that I continue to discover them," he adds. "If it's easy, you're not growing. The fun part is coming into the studio with original demos and then watching them undergo a metamorphosis as I interact with my guys and move the tunes into other directions. Being open to new ideas allows the music to take on a life of it's own. I'm always searching."

Music Style Smooth Jazz

Artist History The global appeal of Joe McBride's music is best summarized by a quote from a music critic in Capetown, who raved about his performance and praised the pianist/vocalist's talent for "putting back the soul into what has become a rather soulless smooth jazz idiom." McBride has been part of Heads Up International's wonderful invasion of South Africa since 1999, culminating with his contribution of "11 K's to Freedom," a tribute to Nelson Mandela, to the 2000 all-star disc Smooth Africa. McBride has established himself as one of the genre's most popular artists with his label releases Grace (1992), A Gift for Tomorrow (1994), Keys to Your Heart (1996) and Double Take (1998), the latter of which featured top smooth jazz all-stars Dave Koz, Peter White, Rick Braun, Richard Elliot and Larry Carlton. McBride, a St. Louis native who trekked to the sunny shores of San Diego for a while before finishing his musical studies at North Texas State and making Texas his home, believes the central location of Dallas allows for many different genres of music to influence its jazz and blues scene. "We're special because we're not really West Coast or East Coast, but what can only be described as the third coast," he says. "The jazz here is influenced by the blues in Chicago which isn't that far, as well as the rich zydeco heritage of New Orleans. Then there's the southern funk and gospel. All of that contributes to what now comes naturally for us transplanted natives. And, of course, smooth jazz has gotten a big hand from the Oasis, which was one of the country's first stations in this format."

Albums Keepin' It Real, Texas Rhythm Club, Double Take, Keys to Your Heart,

Location Dallas, TX - USA

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