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David Herzhaft releases "Pacific Lounge" on Pacific Waves

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His instrument of choice is small enough to fit into your hip pocket. But through Pacific Lounge (2016, Pacific Waves), author, instructor, composer, arranger, producer and instrumentalist David Herzhaft expresses a big vision for the diatonic harmonica.

“I first fell in love with the Pacific when I traveled to the West Coast in 1992 and ever since then I had a need to return,” he recalls. “I just had to go back.” Born in Lyon, France, Herzhaft was invited to Los Angeles for session work in the early 2000s. There he met, among others, Ricky Martin’s guitarist Yussi Wenger, with whom Herzhaft performed as a duo called Acoustic Connection in and around the city. Herzhaft eventually moved to California in 2012 and, renewed by his surroundings, began formulating his Pacific Lounge project.

“I had been writing a lot after I moved to Los Angeles. I got inspired by the heat, light, palm trees, Malibu beach, the clubs, but most of all the Pacific Ocean,” Herzhaft explains. “That’s the main aspect of Pacific Lounge–the Pacific Ocean and how to compose music, centered around the mood more than the instrument, by using what’s around you. Each tune relates to places or people I met during the process. It wasn’t really intentional, it just sort of happened.”

“I had already written half the album and pre-produced tracks by 2013. But then I kind of sat on it because I was trying to find a way to do a cohesive album with a stronger lounge and jazz direction,” he continues. “Once I had everything down and the right vision I invited some extra musicians to polish it up. I didn’t want too much harmonica but something more musical, so there are a lot of other instruments.”

Pacific Lounge sounds just like warm and clear, streaming California sunshine, sweet but not saccharine, like a classic Creed Taylor production for his namesake CTI label. Guest musicians include guitarist Wenger, session guitar aces Carl Verheyen (Supertramp) and Brent Mason (Alan Jackson), percussionist Martin Flores and Dick Aven on baritone and tenor saxophone. Mason, Aven and Herzhaft brightly converse through “Lost in Death Valley” (where the harmonica player even blows a little “Jingle Bells” to cool them off), while Wegner sketches flamenco shades into “Grand Canyon,” which the leader explores through a howling sound as big as this title. “I had been in touch with Brent Mason for a while. Even though he’s labeled as a ‘country guitarist,’ I really like his playing,” David explains. “He did some very nice jazz recordings here and there, so I thought about him for ‘Malibu’ and ‘Melody Maker.’ And Carl Veryehen lives just five minutes away!”

Pacific Lounge follows Jazzin' Around (2007, H-Land), which teamed Herzhaft with Levy and guitarist Frank Gambale, and his first solo album in France (Des Mots d'Harmo) in 2000.

To learn more, visit his website or read his harmonicablog.

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Personnel

David Herzhaft
harmonica

Album information

Title: Pacific Lounge | Year Released: 2016 | Record Label: Pacific Waves

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