“I grew up listening to all of those songs,” said keyboardist Myron McKinley about the cover songs like The Carpenters’ “Close to You” and Nat King Cole’s “Will You” that is on his debut solo album “Sound Alchemist.”
The “Sound Alchemist” project features Verdine White (Earth, Wind, and Fire) on bass; Grammy-winning Gerald Albright on sax; Gary Bias on sax; Reggie Hamilton on bass; Munyungo Jackson on percussion; Morris O’Connor on guitar; Reggie Young on Trombone, and vocalists Danny McClain, Isabella Chiappini and Denaine Jones.
When I asked the veteran musician why debuted with a solo album now after all these years, he laughed a little and said, “It takes a while anytime you’re a perfectionist and work around perfectionists.”
“I grew up with musicians pushing the boundaries…outside the box,” he added about his style.
“It has different genres of music…styles of music. Different influences from different people,” McKinley said about what the solo debut has to offer.
He launched the “Sound Alchemist” debut album at The Miracle Theater in Los Angeles with Earth, Wind & Fire’s Verdine White on bass and Gary Bias on sax.
Trained in Classical and Jazz, Myron grew up influenced by the Hip-Hop culture. He can also play fluently R&B and Funk. McKinley said that the album offers the kind of music you want to listen to over and over again, “because you just like the song.” www.MyronMcKinley.com
SYNDICATED COLUMN: Dr. Eunice Moseley has an estimated weekly readership of over one million with The Pulse of Entertainment. She is also a Public Relations and Business Management Strategist and Consultant at Freelance Associates and is the Promotions Director (at large) for The Baltimore Times. www.ThePulseofEntertainment.com EVENTS: “Uplifting Minds II” Entertainment Conference (ULMII), founded by Eunice in 1999, is in its 24th year. The next events are coming to Baltimore via Zoom Saturday, April 15, 2023, and to Los Angeles via Zoom Saturday, November 11, 2023. The ULMII event is a free entertainment conference offering a Professional Industry Panel Q&A Session, a Professional Talent Showcase, and National Talent Competition (vocal, songwriting, dance, and acting) where aspiring artists have a chance to receive over $18,000 valued in cash, product, and services. Log onto www.UpliftingMinds2.com, a 501 c3 organization, for more information or to RSVP for Zoom Access email [email protected].