In this Dedicated To You by Jorge Garcia album review, I’ll reveal what makes this recording special. The big news is that it includes two previously unissued tracks that Jorge did in collaboration with the late alto sax player, Richie Cole!
Jorge has assembled an all-star cast to give you this great collection of jazz tunes that you won’t want to miss!
I previously reviewed his last album, “Crossover,” which was a jazz interpretation of some of his favorite famous rock standards.
Keep on reading to discover more about this new album!
You can use the table of contents below to take you to the area that interests you. Click on the little box to open it and then click on the section of the article you want to read, or you can read from start to finish if you want the full Dedicated To You experience!
Artist Biography – Jorge Garcia
Jorge is one of Jazz’s best-kept secrets. He was born in Cuba and currently lives in South Carolina. Early exposure to classic rock as a child by listening to the radio stations of Miami broadened his love of music. During that time, he developed a curiosity and an affinity for the guitar.
Jorge got his first guitar at 13 years old and became seriously involved with jazz. He was profoundly influenced by players such as Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery, Pat Martino, George Benson, and Pat Metheny.
Jorge first began playing with Richie when Cole lived in Key Largo, Florida, in the 1990s.
As a seasoned and well-respected guitarist, Jorge has traveled the world and played with Bucky Pizzarelli and backed up Tony Bennett and Andrea Bocelli.
Jorge recorded “Let The Music Play” in 1996 with his band “Athenas” with Tony Smith on bass, James Cotmon on drums, and Paul Banman on keyboards.
He also played on “The Hot Club of The Americas,” a Latin and Gypsy Jazz band led by the extraordinary violinist Federico Britos, with Cecile McLorent Salvant and Gonzalo Rubalcaba.
Album Background
Jorge released this album in February 2022 to commemorate his musical association with Richie Cole, who passed away in May 2020, and harmonica virtuoso Hendrik Meurkens.
Dedicated To You includes two previously unissued tunes with Richie Cole, ‘Minority, and “This One’s for Richie. Jorge began his relationship with the alto saxophonist back in the 1990s when Garcia joined his Alto Madness Orchestra.
The other 5 tracks on the album were recorded in June and July of 2021.
If you’re familiar with Cole, you have probably run into the music that came out of that era in Richie’s career.
To quote Richie, “The idea of the Orchestra is the concept and sound of an eighteen-piece big band using only seven instruments, four of which are horns. Not only does this have the big band ensemble sound, it also allows us plenty of room for improvisation as if we were in a quartet setting.”
However, this album goes beyond the included Cole tunes to deliver a jazz/bebop experience that will thrill you from start to finish!
Here is the Electronic Press Kit (EPK) that highlights the songs on the new album!
Audio Specs And Quality
Jorge released Dedicated To You in February 2022.
The album can be streamed online or digitally downloaded as MP3 files. A self-released audio CD in collaboration with SDG Records is available through his website.
The recording is high-quality throughout, including the tunes previously recorded with Richie Cole, and all the instruments are very well balanced in the mix. It sounds as if it was mixed, mastered, and produced by a big record company.
Album Packaging
The CD comes as a cardboard eco-friendly two-panel single-disk Digisleeve.
Stephen Shooster created the artwork that appears on the front and back of the Digisleeve.
This rear cover of the CD also contains a listing of the musicians, the tracklist, and an album dedication written by Jorge.
Songs And Artists
Track List
Here is a listing of the songs on the album with a snapshot of the featured artists.
| Tune | Featuring |
|---|---|
| 1. Minority | Richie Cole – Sax, Jorge Garcia – Guitar, Rick Doll – Bass, James Cotmon – Drums |
| 2. This One’s For Richie | Richie Cole – Sax, Jorge Garcia – Guitar, Rick Doll – Bass |
| 3. With You Always | Hendrick Meurkens – Harmonica, Jorge Garcia – Guitar, Jaime Ousley – Bass, James Cotmon – Drums |
| 4. Somewhere Over The Rainbow | Wendy Pederson – Vocals, Jaime Ousley – Bass, Gino Castillo – Percussion, John Yarling – Drums |
| 5. You Fascinate Me So | Paul Banman – piano, Jaime Ousley – Bass, John Yarling – Drums |
| 6. S’Wonderful | Jorge Garcia – Guitar, Jaime Ousley – Bass, James Cotmon – Drums |
| 7. Dedicated To You | Jorge Garcia – Guitar, Paul Banman – Piano |
Total Run Time: 27 Min 3 Seconds
Featured Artists
Richie Cole
Richie was a jazz/bebop alto sax player and the mastermind behind his “Alto Madness Orchestra,” which he began in the early 90s. He was born in New Jersey and passed away in 2020.
Richie won a full scholarship to attend the prestigious Berklee School Of Music in Boston, Mass. He worked with the likes of Buddy Rich, Lionel Hampton, and Doc Severinsen. During his career, he recorded over 50 albums!
Hendrik Meurkens
Hendrik is a chromatic harmonica and vibraphone player. He was born in Germany before moving to New York. He majored in vibraphone at Berklee and then moved to Brazil to pursue his love for Samba and Bossa Nova.
Meurkens is considered to be one of the most important jazz harmonica players since Toots Thielemans, who played with Benny Goodman and Oscar Peterson.
Jamie Ousley
Jamie is a highly educated and in-demand bass player with a doctorate in jazz bass performance from the University of Miami. He started playing violin at age 5. During his career, he has performed with a long list of musicians, including Benny Golson, Bucky and John Pizzarelli, and Wendy Pedersen, who sings Somewhere Over The Rainbow on the album.
Wendy Pedersen
Wendy is a dynamic vocalist with a Master’s degree in Jazz Performance from Florida International University. She has performed and recorded with noted artists such as Gloria Estefan, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Lopez, Julio Iglesias, Enrique Iglesias, and James Brown.
Musical Performance Highlights
These tunes really showcase Jorge Garcia’s playing, along with the stellar contributions of his talented bandmates!
You can find more info on the remainder of the performances in the section entitled “My Favorite Songs.”
You Fascinate Me So
You Fascinate Me So really swings with tasty flurries of notes from Garcia’s guitar lines and intriguing chord voicings from Paul Banman on the piano. Jaime Ousley’s bass solo fits in there just right!
This is the longest tune on the album at 5:26. It’s definitely worth a close listen because it takes you where you want to go, musically speaking.
S’Wonderful
If you enjoy George Gershwin tunes, then you’ll love this great bebop version of S’Wonderful! The guitar work is to die for, and Cotmon’s cymbals really keep everything moving in the right direction. An absolute “must-hear!”
Dedicated To You
Dedicated To You is the shortest tune on the album, clocking in at just 1:49. Jorge Garcia adds just enough space between each note to make the melody shimmer in front of Paul Banman’s keyboard. It’s a brief musical statement, but it tells the whole story.
Musical Equipment
Jorge Garcia was kind enough to supply me with the following information regarding the equipment he and some of the other musicians used to record Dedicated To You.
Jorge Garcia
Guitars
- Fender D’Aquisto – recorded with a shire SM 57 mic
- Takamine TC132SC classical nylon-string – recorded with a Shure Stereo mic (VP88) right in front of the guitar soundhole, an EV RE20 down at the bottom, and the direct out of the guitar.
Amplifier
- Fender Deluxe Reverb
Jamie Ousley
Bass Guitar
- 1982 Horst Gruenert – 4/4 model bass from Germany.
Rick Doll
Bass Guitar
- Kay bass – American-made
John Yarling
Drums
- Tempus drums and PAISTE Cymbals
James Cotmon
Drums
- Red rosewood Pearl drums 16″x18″bass drum. 10″x 12″ mounted tom. 15″x 15″ floor tom. 14″x14″ snare. Sabian 22″ ride cymbal. Paiste 18″ flat ride cymbal. Two 14″ hi-hat cymbals. 12″ Zildjian splash cymbal.
My Favorite Songs
I almost ended up putting every song in this section! It’s nearly impossible to choose the tunes that really stand out in this album. They’re all awesome, each in their own way!
Everyone will have their own favorites based on their particular musical preferences and past experiences. Good luck trying to figure that out.
Minority
Minority, originally recorded by Gigi Gryce, is the album’s opening track. It was recorded in Southern Florida by Cole and Garcia back in 2009. This uptempo version features great soloing efforts from both players.
I love the way Cole plays the melody line of this tune against Rick Doll’s walking bass line. Garcia comps wonderfully with Rick and then takes a blistering solo. Great stuff! I dare you to listen to it just once!
This One’s For Richie
This is the second of two tunes on the album that Jorge does with Richie. It features Cole’s long flowing sax lines. It sounds like a remake of “There Will Never Be Another You” by Harry Warren.
Garcia’s harmony is understated but elegant. James Cotmon adds drum breaks in all the right places.
With You Always
This is a wonderfully light tune in the bossa nova style. Hendrick’s harmonica just floats above Jorge’s nylon-string guitar. It makes you feel like you are walking on clouds or sitting on a beach in Brazil drinking a Caipirinha cocktail; take your pick!
Somewhere Over The Rainbow
This jazz version of the famous tune sung by Judy Garland features a smoking hot solo by Garcia over the fabulous vocal lines done by Wendy Pedersen in four-part harmony!
If you remember the sound-on-sound vocals that Les Paul did with Mary Ford’s voice, then this song will be hauntingly familiar and an absolute “blast from the past.”
Is “Dedicated To You” Worth Purchasing?
Dedicated To You is another excellent offering by Jorge Garcia that seeks to build an album around two previously unreleased tunes he did with Richie Cole during his time in Miami.
The two Cole tracks, “Minority” and “This One’s For You Riche,” alone are worth adding this album to your collection!
The other songs really fit together well and collectively make the musical experience fascinating and unique!
I definitely recommend streaming or purchasing this album to treat yourself to an outstanding and uplifting listening experience!
Check out Jorge Garcia’s rendition of “Minority,” played at Blues Boulevard, a premier jazz and blues venue in Greenville, SC. The other musicians are the stage are Kevin Bearsdley on bass, Justin Watt on drums, and Paul Banman on keyboard.
Beware Of Pirated Bootleg Copies
Please do not buy pirated bootleg copies of this album, which may be available for purchase on various websites, especially as digital files for download.
The audio is typically substandard and, in some cases, too poorly done to be worth a listen.
Also, it is illegal to purchase these copies, and it could cheat the performers out of well-deserved income.
Final Thoughts
Dedicated To You by Jorge Garcia is an outstanding jazz album that is essentially built around two previously unissued tracks that Jorge Garcia did in collaboration with the late alto sax player, Richie Cole.
The album also brings together Rick Doll on bass and James Cotmon on drums, both of whom played with Richie during their Miami sessions in 2009.
All of the players are also top-notch and create a collective musical interaction that is second to none!
Jorge’s musical style comes from his diversity of appreciating many musical genres. For more info, see Crossover By Jorge Garcia -Jazz’s Answer To Classic Rock!
Tell Me What You Think
Please leave a comment below if you enjoyed this article, have any questions about “Dedicated To You,” or want to give your point of view. I will be happy to help you.
- Have you heard of Jorge Garcia and his music before reading this article?
- Are you familiar with the music of Richie Cole or the other musicians on this album? How so?
- Are you a jazz guitar player? What guitar do you have?
- After reading this article, are you planning on streaming the album “Dedicated To You?”
Very cool and interesting article, Jorge, would be proud. I use to play trumpet in high school and college, in the jazz band. So, usually when I listen to jazz I listen to other great trumpet players. However, I really enjoyed listening to his smooth guitar sound. It was relaxing, he is full of so much talent.
I think all musicians should listen to artist outside of their specialty and genre. It will spark so much more creativity by listening to the greats and putting your own spin on it.
Even though I haven’t heard of any of the musicians from your article I’ll definitely be downloading and adding to my rotation.
Hi, Ashley
Thank You for your comments!
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the article! Jorge contacted me and said he liked it too!
That’s awesome that you were (and still are) a trumpet player! You should definitely consider picking it back up, or maybe the guitar. I totally agree that listening to other instruments is the way to go. I steal a lot of sax lines from great players and rearrange them for guitar.
Great to hear that you will be checking out Jorge’s new album!
Frank
I had never heard of Jorge, probably because I don’t typically listen to purely jazz music. My thing is more along the lines of jam bands that incorporate jazzy improvisations. The title of your article caught my attention, so I decided to expand my horizons a bit.
Fortunately, I have a subscription to Amazon Music and was able to listen to the album. I haven’t purchased a music album in a long time, pretty much ever since the time that music streaming began. For those who still purchase albums, I have to agree with you. This album is a gem and is definitely worth buying.
I am now a fan of this style of jazz. What musicians similar to Jorge would you recommend?
Hi, George
I’m delighted this article led you to discover new music you enjoy!
Most people don’t buy CDs anymore, but streaming gives you more variety.
Check out Earl Klugh, Joe Pass, Jim Hall, Wes Montgomery, Pat Metheny, Lee Ritenour, Barney Kessel, and Larry Carlson. These are all great Jazz players.
Frank
Hey Frank, great review of Jorge Garcia’s new jazz album “Dedicated to You.” I am just learning to appreciate jazz finally at 74 years of age. I’ve recently married a wonderful lady from the Philippines, and she loves jazz, especially Earl Klugh and George Benson. I, too am a guitarist. Grew up under the influence of the Beatles, Rolling Stones, etc., you get the idea.
Played in a band into my early 20s when I attended a music college in Alberta, Canada for 4 years studying Classical Guitar. I really like the way you have given us a brief bio of the musicians on the album and, of course, your favorite tracks. I will definitely be checking it out further.
Hi, William
Thank You for your comments!
I’m really happy that you enjoyed my article! There’s a second article you can read, which is a review on Jorge’s previous album, “Crossover.” Just put that word in the search bar on my site, and it will come up. Jorge is a monster guitar player and a very nice guy!
There’s nothing better than studying Classical guitar to be able to handle any musical style. Many of the greatest guitar players have music degrees, from Al Di Meola to Steve Vai!
I love all the bands you have named! If you like Earl Klugh, then check out Peter White!
Please come back to revisit my website!
Frank