Global Affect is a smooth jazz band from Saint Petersburg, Florida, creating soul to soul music. The talented members include TJ Vanderpool, Tazz Washington, Artie Ray, TFoxx, Carlos Bowers, and Ginny Luke. TJ and Tazz kindly joined Artist Spotlight to discuss their music and their devotion to worthy causes such as veterans' support programs, music education programs, and clean water and food programs.
Hi TJ! Please tell us more about the talented musicians in Global Affect.
Well Obviously you've met Ginny Luke! She's awesome! I enjoy playing with her. It's quite an experience. I enjoy laying out a platform for her to express herself. You can tell when she hits those notes that are resonating from her soul or when the groove is hot!
Tazz Washington...not your average drummer!!!! I say that respectfully! I couldn't do what I do without him...he's a musicians musician. An Artist true to himself! A great fabulous musical & philosophical mind, great friend and brother! He can paint a picture of the journey like none other! There is no one in the world like him!
Artie Ray! I love saying that! Artie is a very multi-talented multi-faceted multiple instrumentalist. That was a mouth full.Great guy...he brings so much to the table with his experience and passion. He's one of those guys that you just like to hang out with him very cool...His ear is incredible...he plays synths and auxillary.
TFoxx - very talented guitarist! He can play! Another musician that's brings experience and passion to the plate...this man loves to play his guitar! He's good people. One of my favorite people.
Carlos Bowers - fabulous bass player!!!!! He loves to play the pretty stuff and then when he needs to bring the groove, oh man! His musical mind is very theatrical which fits the rest of us as well.
I truly enjoy playing with everyone of these fabulous musicians. They're all great people...what could be more fun hanging out with people that you love to play with and playing with people you love to hang out with!
Please share your experiences performing at the Clearwater Jazz Festival, opening for Kevin Eubanks and Trombone Shorty.
The CJH was awesome! Kevin Eubanks and Trombone Shorty were awesome and I think we set the stage up very well for them. We have always believed that our music belongs on that stage...it was a milestone that we expected to fulfill... it was also a snapshot in time for us to see what we believe we were born to do...that's play music on those stages all around the world.
You are currently working on Global Affect's debut album. What is the inspiration for the songs on the album?
The inspiration is life experiences. Feeling all of those experiences and conveying those feelings from our hearts to you, because maybe you have those same experiences or something similar and we want you to know we were affected by that...we feel too.
Do you have a favorite song you have recorded?
LOL! I love all of them...they all have a special meaning to me and make me feel a certain way...they all have their own message and their own voice.
What message would you like your music to convey to the listener?
Everything is a Global Affect...it doesn't cost a penny to love someone or hurt someone. It doesn't cost a penny to look at another human being no matter what the state of mind or being that they are in and do something that AFFECTS them and you and that says "I love you for being a human being! Thanks!"
Name 5 adjectives to describe your music.
Light, Happy, Thoughtful, Dramatic, Theatrical
Name 5 artists who influenced you the most.
Dino, Larry Carlton, Michael McDonald, Peter Tchaikovsky, Chicago
Tell us more about the causes and charities close to your heart.
Having Served in the US Army I have a deep appreciation for Vets. I also have a huge desire to bring clean water & clean food to everyone in the world. Last but not least...put the joy of music in every little child's hand that can hold an instrument!
What projects will you be working on in the future?
Well, we are already starting to write material for our second album and I have two solo projects that I'm currently working on. One is combining the hymns and contemporary music together in a upbeat jazzy, instrumental way, and I'm working on a children's cd.
S2S
TJ Vanderpool
Pianist and Co-founder of Global Affect
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Hi Tazz! Please tell us more about the talented musicians in Global Affect.
TJ well TJ's a good kid very soulful and dramatic but can't dance worth nothin'!!!! ''LOL''
ARTIE RAY okay about my brother Artie well he's not as tall as you or I would expect him to be, I guess the gene pool had a hole in it and started leaking but in all he's very I mean TRULY TRULY A GIFTED VESSEL OF LIFE IN MUSIC PERIOD!!!!! I'm truly indebted to him for sharing his anointing with me. I love ''BIG BRO.''!!!!
ARTIE RAY okay about my brother Artie well he's not as tall as you or I would expect him to be, I guess the gene pool had a hole in it and started leaking but in all he's very I mean TRULY TRULY A GIFTED VESSEL OF LIFE IN MUSIC PERIOD!!!!! I'm truly indebted to him for sharing his anointing with me. I love ''BIG BRO.''!!!!
T FOXX Simply BRILLIANT and CREATIVE with the ability to command the heavens to speak through his ''BATTLE AX''!!!! (his guitar)
GINNY LUKE She's what I would call '' A HEAD FULL OF BLOND HAIR AND A LOT OF TEETH!!! " Very PASSIONATE and POWERFUL but very pretty to look at!!
CARLOS BOWERS is a WAREHOUSE of bass groove, feel, sounds, accents, and showmanship that's undefined very addicting to listen and watch!!
CARLOS BOWERS is a WAREHOUSE of bass groove, feel, sounds, accents, and showmanship that's undefined very addicting to listen and watch!!
TAZZ WASHINGTON .............................
Please share your experiences performing at the Clearwater Jazz Festival, opening for Kevin Eubanks and Trombone Shorty.
It was very exciting setting the atmosphere or creativity and the artistic brotherhood of music and magic!!!....thanks guys!!
You are currently working on Global Affect's debut album. What is the inspiration for the songs on the album?
LIFE, LOVE, LAUGHTER, PASSION, POWER, PRAISE, YOU, ME, AND WE!!!!
Do you have a favorite song you have recorded?
My favorite song has to be ''FIRST LIGHT'' cause it represents ''A NEW BEGINNING'' TO ALL EVERYDAY!!
What message would you like your music to convey to the listener?
''It costs you nothing to HURT for free so it should cost you the same amount to HELP''!!!!!
Name 5 adjectives to describe your music.
warm, passionate, artistic, emotional, a comfortable hidden journey
Name 5 artists who influenced you the most.
DAVE WECKL, HORACIO HERNANDEZ, GAVIN HARRISON, SERGIO MENDES, SUNNY ADE
Tell us more about the causes and charities close to your heart.
''ANY AND EVERYONE WHOEVER HAD AND HAS A NEED I'M HERE TO HELP ANYWAY I CAN!!!!
Please share your experiences performing at the Clearwater Jazz Festival, opening for Kevin Eubanks and Trombone Shorty.
It was very exciting setting the atmosphere or creativity and the artistic brotherhood of music and magic!!!....thanks guys!!
You are currently working on Global Affect's debut album. What is the inspiration for the songs on the album?
LIFE, LOVE, LAUGHTER, PASSION, POWER, PRAISE, YOU, ME, AND WE!!!!
Do you have a favorite song you have recorded?
My favorite song has to be ''FIRST LIGHT'' cause it represents ''A NEW BEGINNING'' TO ALL EVERYDAY!!
What message would you like your music to convey to the listener?
''It costs you nothing to HURT for free so it should cost you the same amount to HELP''!!!!!
Name 5 adjectives to describe your music.
warm, passionate, artistic, emotional, a comfortable hidden journey
Name 5 artists who influenced you the most.
DAVE WECKL, HORACIO HERNANDEZ, GAVIN HARRISON, SERGIO MENDES, SUNNY ADE
Tell us more about the causes and charities close to your heart.
''ANY AND EVERYONE WHOEVER HAD AND HAS A NEED I'M HERE TO HELP ANYWAY I CAN!!!!
What projects will you be working on in the future?
Keeping myself available for not just my projects but for the sake of EVERYONE ELSE'S TOO!!
Tazz Washington
Drummer and Co-founder of Global Affect
Check out violinist Ginny Luke's interview.
GLOBAL AFFECT'S ADVICE FOR ASPIRING YOUNG ARTISTS:
1) 21 Steps to Success in the New Music Biz. Get the book! Changed my perspective on how I see the music BUSINESS! matter of fact I decided to work with the author very closely. Which brings me to my first point.... Surround yourself with people that will tell you the truth! Build a team of people that understand the industry and the business! IT's your career! Your Life! There is too much to handle on your own.! I've had other businesses before believe me...two heads are better than one.
2) Play! Play! Play! when ever you get the chance to perform...play...life is lived when we have to put our best effort forth...we can practice all day long but we live thru playing...now don't get me wrong...I practice an hour a day and sometimes more when I can fit it in..you have to know your instrument...but the experience of the performance is what speaks to one's soul who is listening or playing.
3) Don't give up! Don't ever give up! you are the only one who was born to live the life that is destined for you...no one can take that away or replace...you can't even do that......it's your moment in time...it's your journey, embrace it, accept it, affect it, because it will affect something or someone no matter what. Do your Journey, I can't do it for you. I have my own. I'm just waiting on you...
Thanks to TJ and Tazz for sharing their time and talent. Check out Global Affect's debut album.
Please visit: http://www.global-affect.com/
For more information about Veterans' Support, please visit: http://www.theveteranssupport.org/
For more information about organizations providing clean drinking water, please visit: http://waterfortheages.org/international-water-organizations/
For more information about eliminating hunger worldwide, please visit: http://www.stophungernow.org/site/PageServer
For more information about providing music education and instruments for children, please visit: http://www.vh1.com/partners/save_the_music/who_we_are/index.html
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