Just Driftin' Through

RICK de YAMPERT
ENTERTAINMENT WRITER

As a 13-year-old fledgling guitarist growing up in Detroit, Earl Klugh was spellbound the first time he saw master musician Chet Atkins play guitar on Perry Como's TV variety show. A scant four years later, Klugh (pronounced "clue") was playing in the band of another master axe man, George Benson.
    
Reflecting a range of influences -- jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery, jazz pianist Bill Evans, Burt Bacharach, the Beatles, Motown and others -- Klugh recorded his debut album in 1976 and proceeded to produce 32 albums over the next 25 years. He garnered 12 Grammy nominations, in both the jazz fusion and pop instrumental categories. His one Grammy win came in 1980 -- for Best Pop Instrumental Performance for the album "One on One" with pianist Bob James.
     
After a six-year break from recording and a move to Atlanta, Klugh released the aptly titled "Naked Guitar" in 2005, and followed with "The Spice of Life," a more orchestrated album, in 2008.
     
Klugh and his band perform Sunday as part of Halifax Uncorked, a food and jazz festival (sax player Richard Elliot performs Saturday).
     
Klugh talked about "Driftin'," his recent smooth jazz hit, and his bluegrass dream in an e-mail interview with The News-Journal.

Your song "Driftin'" spent a lot of time on top of the smooth jazz charts. What was the inspiration for the song, and did you feel the song was special when you wrote and-or recorded it?
 
The song for me was a throwback to the '50s and reminded me of Sam Cooke's "What a Wonderful World" and Ricky Nelson's "Traveling Man" -- two of my favorites. Both have different melodies, but the same intent. "Driftin'" for me takes me to a similar place.
 
"Driftin'" was labeled "smooth jazz" and your album "The Spice of Life" was nominated for a pop instrumental Grammy. Given your recording history with jazz and your work with legends from Miles Davis and Chick Corea to George Benson and others, do the terms smooth jazz and pop make you squirm?
 
There are only two types of music to me: music that I enjoy, or music that hasn't grown on me yet! I try to find something positive in all music because I believe it's there. I feel there is a need to communicate a positive light on an artist's work. I don't like labels of any kind because it places boundaries on creativity. 
 
"Spice of Life" includes a variety of musical spices: a Thelonious Monk song, the funky "Snap!," the intricate classical tapestries of "Venezuelan Nights" and "The Toy Guitar," lush orchestrations. Has there ever been a song, composition or style that you thought about performing and recording, but you talked yourself out of it? For example, I'd like to hear your take on Led Zeppelin's "Black Dog."
 
Boy, what a good question! I'm sure that has happened because I do second-guess myself, especially when I'm in the middle of recording. I've thought about recording with a bluegrass band but haven't gotten around to it.
 
Did your move from Detroit to Atlanta directly affect your music? Are you absorbing and reflecting different musical vibes since the move?
 
I can't really say. I travel so much all around the world. I think I take in a lot as I travel. But Atlanta is a great place to live, write songs and have quality down time. You can't beat the weather, most of the time.
 
If you could perform with any one musician from any time in history, living or deceased, who would it be?
 
Burt Bacharach. He created the greatest songs that ever happened, in my opinion. I met him in Atlanta a few years ago and he invited Denise (his fiancee) and I to a concert in New York. Ronald Isley and Burt were promoting their album together. It was my favorite live show ever!
 
Who will be your backing band for your Daytona Beach date?
 
My band: David Lee and Al Duncan on keyboards, Al Turner on bass, Ron Otis on drums and Lenny Price on saxophone and wind synthesizer. I have a great band. We've been together for more than 15 years! The guys have played with almost everyone you could imagine -- Sly Stone, Aretha Franklin, Kem, Nancy Wilson, Roberta Flack, the Funkadelics and many, many of the jazz greats as well.
 
I gather we'll hear a lot from "The Spice of Life" album. What else will we hear at your Daytona concert?
 
I love to feature the band so everyone gets the spotlight, so you'll hear lots of them. We will play music from all throughout my career, and I especially enjoy playing songs of mine from my early recordings. They bring back great memories -- sometimes it's hard to believe I wrote them!

If You Go
WHAT: Halifax Uncorked
WHO/WHEN: TV food personality Ted Allen, 2 p.m. Nov. 21 and 1 p.m. Nov. 22, plus concerts by Richard Elliot, 8 p.m. Nov. 21 and Earl Klugh, 7 p.m. Nov. 22
WHERE: News-Journal Center, 221 N. Beach St., Daytona Beach
ADMISSION: Weekend pass $109-$220, daily passes $69-$79, "Culinary Experience" daily tickets $39, plus service charge. All passes/tickets include food, wine and beer. Tickets available at the Daytona Beach International Festival Box Office at News-Journal Center, or online at dbif.com.
INFORMATION: 386-226-1927