VOA标准英语2010年-Albright's New Album Finds Him 'Pushin

Jazz saxophonist Gerald Albright likes to test his boundaries with each new album. Albright's spirit of adventure is alive and well on his latest effort, Pushing The Envelope.

Gerald Albright's versatility¹ has placed him at the forefront of the "smooth" jazz scene.  As Albright points out, sax isn't the only instrument he plays on the album.

"A lot of people don't know that I play the other instruments like bass² guitar and a little bit of keyboards," Albright says. "I also play flute³, and all the saxophones and clarinet and EWI, which is an electronic wind instrument.  So, I like doing different things.  It's just the passion for trying to reach the higher ground in this wonderful music business."

Albright pays tribute to "The Godfather of Soul" James Brown on the track, "What Would James Do?"  He says Brown, and the great horn players that accompanied him, provided plenty of inspiration while growing up. 

"One of my early influences was James Brown, and I have an older brother who literally⁴ had every James Brown record that he had made," Albright explains. "And we used to play this music over and over again in our household, so this is what I was digesting as a young kid.  In listening to James Brown I heard Maceo Parker and Fred Wesley and all these wonderful horn players as part of James' group.  So, it just really inspired me, and that R&B richness is definitely in my blood, and that's what comes out in my productions, my songwriting, and even in my live performances.  I have to have that R&B influence in a very strong way."

Albright's "What Would James Do?" features James Brown's longtime band member Fred Wesley on trombone.

Other highlights include remakes of Michael Jackson's "Get On The Floor," and The Carpenters' hit song "Close To You," as well as Albright's foray into world music.   

"We also have a tune⁵ called 'Cape⁶ Town Strut⁷' which hints at the South African flavor of music, and 'Bobo's Groove⁸' which is, of course, Latin," Albright says. "So, you have all these elements within the project that will hopefully make it global, and the whole planet will embrace this CD as one that makes them feel better."

Also featured on Pushing The Envelope is "The Road To Peace," dedicated⁹ to the people of Haiti, as well as a tune featuring Grammy-winning guitarist Earl Klugh  called "I Found The Klugh." 

 

1 versatility   

n.多才多艺，多样性，多功能

参考例句：

• Versatility is another of your strong points,but don't overdo it by having too many irons in the fire.你还有一个长处是多才多艺，但不要揽事太多而太露锋芒。
• This versatility comes from a dual weather influence.这种多样性是由于双重的气候影响而形成的。

2 bass   

n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴

参考例句：

• He answered my question in a surprisingly deep bass.他用一种低得出奇的声音回答我的问题。
• The bass was to give a concert in the park.那位男低音歌唱家将在公园中举行音乐会。

3 flute   

n.长笛；v.吹笛

参考例句：

• He took out his flute, and blew at it.他拿出笛子吹了起来。
• There is an extensive repertoire of music written for the flute.有很多供长笛演奏的曲目。

4 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

5 tune   

n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整

参考例句：

• He'd written a tune,and played it to us on the piano.他写了一段曲子，并在钢琴上弹给我们听。
• The boy beat out a tune on a tin can.那男孩在易拉罐上敲出一首曲子。

6 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

7 strut   

v.肿胀，鼓起；大摇大摆地走；炫耀；支撑；撑开；n.高视阔步；支柱，撑杆

参考例句：

• The circulation economy development needs the green science and technology innovation as the strut.循环经济的发展需要绿色科技创新生态化作为支撑。
• Now we'll strut arm and arm.这会儿咱们可以手挽着手儿，高视阔步地走了。

8 groove   

n.沟，槽；凹线，（刻出的）线条，习惯

参考例句：

• They're happy to stay in the same old groove.他们乐于墨守成规。
• The cupboard door slides open along the groove.食橱门沿槽移开。

9 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。