Island of Dreams

Collection Contents

#		Title	Length
1		Slick' N Slide	5:07	Play
2		Africa	7:57	Play
3		The Look of Love	4:18	Play
4		I Say Freedom	5:26	Play
5		Don't You Know How Come	5:31	Play
6		Los Ninos	5:12	Play
7		Farewell, My Friend	5:01	Play
8		Sounds Good to Me	8:01	Play
9		Island of Dreams	5:52	Play
10		Love Upside Down	5:52	Play
11		In a Sentimental Mood	3:17	Play
12		Cancel Me Out	4:55	Play

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Bitmunk Marketplace Service	USD $0.98
CD Baby Artist Royalty	USD $5.97
CD Baby 9% Digital Distribution Cost	USD $0.54
Bitmunk Download Service	USD $0.95
Bitmunk MicroPayment Service	USD $0.01
Total	USD $8.43

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Description

Corky McClerkin, a musician, writer and speaker, has spent his lifetime developing a sound that brings you into the "total jazz" experience.

Island of Dreams, Corky's latest release, is a combination of hard-driving rhythm and striking chords with the smooth, contemporary, fusion and traditional jazz from yesterday and today. The ideas for Island of Dreams developed during Corky's various public performances. He found many listeners were unaware of the history of jazz plus African American's impact upon emerging forms of world music.

"I grew up listening to Bobby Timmons, Art Tatum, McCoy Tyner, and Horace Silver, laying down fat sounding chords, sometimes playing with three, four, and five notesin each hand. I heard no dissonance while appreciating the styles of each player
but I could feel their passion, striving for harmony, humor, and perfection." Corky's "total jazz" sound retrieves the ageless African-American sounds with the today's forward-driving harmonies.

Island of Dreams brings together some of the top musicians, vocalists, and creative minds while showcasing the unlimited talent within the Chicagoland musical community. "When I first started playing jazz, A friend of mine, Mark Charles, told me to buy three Miles Davis albums: "Somethin' Else," Kind of Blue," and "Sketches of Spain." Each album increased my appreciation for melodic lines, group dynamics, and tight orchestration. Listening to Miles gave me an important lesson: keep it simple!!

Reviews of Corky McClerkin's Island of Dreams CD:

"Island of Dreams features McClerkin and some of Chicago's finest musicians,..."
"Los Nios Goes south-of-the-border with horn flourishes, latin rhythms and the whole nine yards.... Ole! Farewell my Friend is a slow, sweet R&B Ballad that showcases Joan Collaso's sweet vocals." "Ellington's In a Sentimental Mood is not only technically good, but shows why McClerkin followed in Herbie Hancocks footsteps in high school. McClerkin closes things with the upbeat Cancel Me Out, featuring a strong bass from John Whitfield and throaty sax from Duke Payne. This is a strong ending to a good release." (Carmen Miller, JazzUSA Monthly, July 1, 2001)

"The keyboardist, on the other hand, feels that electric jazz, whether it's called smooth, contemporary or even fusion, is part of his heritage, just like traditional jazz. Therefore the first seven tracks of Island of Dreams are decidedly smooth, while the rest is blowing straight ahead music." "McClerkin" perched on top of his keyboard with one hand in the past and the other firmly in the future." (Mark Ruffin, JazzUSA Monthly, August 1, 2001)

More about Corky McClerkin:

Since the 1960's Corky has performed professionally throughout the Chicago area. He has an undergraduate degree from Roosevelt University and a M.A. in Urban Studies at Loyola University. In addition to writing his book, Undercurrents (1978) Corky has held positions as a columnist, musical director and arranger within Chicago. Corky recorded his first album in 1983, Searchin' for the Soul (WinCor Records, 1983), with the title song later selected for re-release in Europe (Soul Jazz Records, 1992). Traveling and performing in the Far East in 1986 energized Corky's creative talents and stimulated ideas for his second collection, The Power Of One (Southport Records, 1993).

The Corky McClerkin Trio advanced to the finals in BET's search for Best Jazz Instrumentalist Groups in 1996 with the live video airing frequently today. The Corky McClerkin Trio's television appearances include: WLS Chicago's "Weekend Edition" (renamed "Chicagoing"), and WTTW's "Common Ground." His solo concerts range from performing Duke Ellington's music in Orchestra Hall to "playing" tribute by performing the music of "Jazz Giants" such as Horace Silver, Herbie Hancock, and Thelonius Monk in The Chicago Cultural Center.

"When I perform live, I treasure the special relationship I have between myself and my audience. We create and establish an energetic interplay that, hopefully, satisfies the needs of each other. I would like every note I play to resonate as part of some chain of chords, touching the core of each and every individual hearing my music."

Musician, writer and public speaker, Corky McClerkin has been quietly and steadily building a loyal following around the world with his "Total Jazz" sound. His talents and accomplishments in these three areas have shaped the Corky McClerkin we see and hear today.

"The style and professionalism exhibited by Duke Ellington impressed me but my favorite pianists were Art Tatum, Thelonius Monk, Horace Silver, and McCoy Tyner. Lewis Ogletree, my mother's brother-and himself a fine Chicago musician-my music
teacher, Rosa McGill, plus my mother and father must be included whenever I speak about my 'support' group during my early formative years"

More Reviews of Corky McClerkin and His Live Performances

"This man... has captured his experiences through creative expression that ranges further than music. What he produces must be termed performance art" (Billboard, Singapore Business Times, July 25, 1986).

"... through his " seductive... lush and soulful reading," blending "harmonies in fresh and distinctive ways" that render his work "perpetually exciting and forward driving" (Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune, 1995).