Win a pair of tickets to see the Orlando Magic take on the Boston Celtics with renowned sax-flute superstar Najee!
Grand Prize Winner Receives:
Two (2) tickets to attend the Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics basketball game on December 25, 2009 at the Amway Arena (One Magic Place, 600 West Amelia, Orlando, FL 32801) at 2:30PM EST with Najee [Winner may bring one (1) guest]
Special performance by Najee of the pre-game national anthem
Prize pack of Mind Over Matter – Najee’s latest CD and poster!
Must be 21 years or older to enter.
Transportation not included.
NAJEE EXERCISES MIND OVER MATTER ON NEW HEADS UP RELEASE
Includes guest appearances by Eric Benét and Jeff Lorber
Sometimes making music is all about the mechanics – balancing the melody with the harmony and the rhythm, making sure the tempo is right from the beginning of the song to the end, matching the right vocalist to the story within the lyrics, knowing when to come in with the solos and when to hang back…the litany of technical details to consider in crafting a piece of good music can be endless.
But sometimes the process is much more intuitive and effortless. Sometimes the planets line up and the right groove emerges on its own, and all anyone needs to do – musicians and listeners alike – is get on board and ride into a realm of limitless possibilities.
That intuitive approach is at the heart of Mind Over Matter (HUCD 3156), the new recording by saxophonist Najee set for release on August 25, 2009, on Heads Up International, a division of Concord Music Group. In addition to Najee’s fine balance of songcraft and musicianship, the album also includes songwriting and guest appearances by keyboardist Jeff Lorber and vocalists Eric Benét and Gary Taylor.
The album title, says Najee, is inspired by Miles Davis’ approach to songwriting, especially in the latter part of his career. “In his later years, he took a very loose and improvisational approach,” he says. “He would start with nothing more than a groove that Marcus Miller or some other member of his band would lay down. And from there he would just develop these melodies that were very simple but at the same time very compelling and very memorable. It was a creative process that bypassed the nuts and bolts of the song and just got right to the essence of it.”
It’s not hard to find the groove in Mind Over Matter. It’s evident from the opening bars of the midtempo “Love You a Lifetime,” a song that positions Najee’s smoky sax lines alongside the solid horn arrangements charted by fellow saxophonist Will Holton (who also shares the writing credit with Najee on the track). “This song has a bit of the neo-soul element,” says Najee. “That’s a groove that works very well when we play live. People love to get up and dance at our shows. Will was able to bring that spirit to this song.”
The upbeat followup track, “Sweet Summer Nights,” is co-written by Najee and Darren Rahn, “one of the most under-utilized songwriters in this genre,” according to Najee. “He’s a well-kept secret who has written for Wayman Tisdale and many others. He’s very good at writing songs that contemporary jazz radio likes to play.”
Equally upbeat and breezy is the title track, a composition that showcases not only Najee’s ability to build a sophisticated solo on a simple riff, but also the engaging solo work of keyboardist and track co-writer Will Brock.
Eric Benét provides some whimsical and suggestive vocals on “We Gone Ride,” a track that balances his distinctive voice with the work of a carefully layered horn section. “When I recorded that song with Eric, he said to me, ‘I had Roy Hargrove do the original horn arrangement.’ Then producer Demonte Posey and saxophonist Mike Parlett (Solar Radio) took Roy’s charts, made some modifications and came up with the arrangement you hear on this track. It’s complex, but it allows plenty of room for everyone in the section – Mike on tenor and alto, John Papenbrook on trumpet and Andrew Lipman on trombone.”
“The Journey,” co-written by Najee and pianist Darryl Woodson, is a gentle, introspective piece that sets up a softer dimension to the overall recording. “That’s a song that follows a very simple melody, but it speaks a lot in terms of how it comes across,” says Najee. “The track is so full of opportunities for a soloist, and I had to control my urge to play all over it. For me, it is the most personal song on this record. One take, and that was it.”
Jeff Lorber lends a hand with writing/producing and keyboards on the playful “Stolen Glances” and the insistent “One More Thing.” Although they’ve shared numerous festival dates in recent years, Mind Over Matter was the first opportunity for Najee and Lorber to collaborate in the studio. “I ended up spending a lot of time at Jeff’s house and recording there,” says Najee. “I really didn’t expect to spend as much time working with him there as I did, but we ended up having a lot of fun with these songs. We recorded six to seven ideas and ended up with these two”.
Laid back and easygoing, “Moon Over Carolina” closes the set with mellow vocals by Gary Taylor – who also provides all instrumentation aside from Najee’s saxophone work. “Gary’s a very prolific R&B writer who has written with Anita Baker and Will Downing,” says Najee. “He brings that same great R&B sound to this song as well.”
Whatever the groove – be it R&B, neo-soul, contemporary jazz or an intriguing blend of all these styles and more – Mind Over Matter adds another layer of sophistication and polish to Najee’s substantial and diverse body of work. “Whenever I go into the studio, I try to make a record that’s a little different from the last one,” he says. “I want people to get the same Najee that they’re familiar and comfortable with, but at the same time, I want them to hear something fresh, something interesting, something unpredictable – with a couple extra voices in the mix that they haven’t heard on my records in the past.”
Dig into the groove that is uniquely Najee’s. Experience Mind Over Matter.
Najee/Orlando Magic
Official Rules & Regulations
No purchase necessary to enter this contest. Any purchase will not improve your chances of winning. By entering this contest, all entrants agree to abide by these Official Contest Rules, waive any rights to claim ambiguity with the rules, and agree that the decision of the Sponsor is final in all matters relating to this contest. Void where prohibited by law, or where the registration or filing requirements of any federal, state, provincial, municipal or local law have not been complied with.
Entering Contest
The contest will begin on December 9, 2009 and end on midnight (12:00 a.m.) December 21, 2009. All entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. on December 21, 2009. To enter this contest, complete the required fields on the entry form located online at www.headsup.com/najeemagic. Entrants are limited to one entry per person. No copies, facsimiles or mechanical reproductions will be accepted. Online entries received prior to or after the contest period will be disqualified. Any effort by the entrant to misrepresent themselves through the use of aliases will be disqualified. The foregoing requirements and restrictions will be strictly enforced and any submissions that do not comply with all of the foregoing requirements will be disqualified in the sole discretion of the Sponsor.
Eligibility
This contest is open to all legal residents of the United States and those who are twenty-one (21) years of age and over at the time of entry in the contest. The contest is not open to the employees, immediate families, or household members of Concord Music Group, Inc. and each of its respective parent companies, affiliates and subsidiaries. The Winner will be subject to proving eligibility, including, but not limited to, verification of the prize Winner’s name, age and social security number. If the Winner cannot furnish verifiable and valid proof of age within twenty-four (24) hours after being notified of winning the contest or the Winner cannot be contacted within a reasonable period of time, an alternate Winner may be chosen from among the eligible entries received, in the Sponsor’s sole discretion. Void where prohibited and restricted by law. Additional restrictions may apply.
Prize
One (1) winner (“Winner”) will receive two (2) tickets for the December 25, 2009 the Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics basketball game at the Amway Arena (located at: One Magic Place, 600 West Amelia, Orlando, FL 32801) at 2:30PM EST with Najee, where Najee will be performing the national anthem. Transportation and accommodations are not included. The Winner will also receive a copy of Najee’s latest Heads Up release Mind Over Matter and a poster of Mind Over Matter. Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”): $400. The Winner and his/her guest are responsible for providing their own transportation, accommodations and obtaining any and all necessary documents (including but not limited to valid photo identification) prior to departure. The tickets are valid only on the date specified. Tickets will be located at the “Will Call” window (on the east side of Amway Arena, facing Revere Road). Winner will be required to show valid photo identification to obtain tickets. The Sponsor is not responsible for any delays. The Winner is required to comply with and is solely responsible for any and all applicable federal, state and local tax that may become due upon the Winner’s receipt of the contest prize. The prize is non-transferable, non-refundable, and cannot be exchanged for cash. Any other expenses not specifically mentioned as being included as part of the prize are excluded and are the sole responsibility of the Winner. No substitution, transfer of the prize or any part of the prize package is permitted, except by the Sponsor due to prize unavailability at the time of awarding the prize. Some restrictions may apply.
Selection and Notification
The Winner will be randomly selected from all eligible entries received by the Sponsor and conducted on or about December 22, 2009. The Winner will be notified by email, telephone and/or first-class mail prior to the date of the Orlando Magic game. The contest dates shall be subject to change at the Sponsor’s sole discretion. All incomplete and inaccurate entries are void. The Sponsor reserves the right to substitute any prize of comparable value.
The Sponsors shall not be liable for failed, returned or misdirected notifications or the prizes based on inaccurate information provided by the Winner, entries and responses to winner notifications which are lost, late, incomplete, illegible, unintelligible, misdirected, damaged or otherwise not received by the intended recipient in whole or in part or for computer or technical error of any kind.
To receive a copy of the Official Rules or a list of winners, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to: Heads Up International, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc., 23307 Commerce Park Road, Cleveland, OH 44122. All requests must be received by December 30, 2010. All requests must specify the Najee Magic Contest Winner List or Official Rules of the Najee Magic Contest.
Release
Except where legally prohibited, the acceptance of any prize constitutes permission by the Winner for the Sponsor to use the Winner’s name, photograph, likeness, voice, address (city and state) and testimonials, in printed, broadcast or new media now known or hereafter devised, in perpetuity, in any manner the Sponsor deems appropriate in connection with promoting this or any other contest and/or promotion sponsored by them, without further compensation to the Winner. The Winner must each sign: (a) an affidavit of eligibility and a release of Najee, the Sponsor, and their respective parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, licensees, service providers, and agencies, and their respective directors, officers, agents, employees, attorneys, and any other person or entity associated with such entities from any and all liability, claims, demands, and causes of action for personal injury and/or damage, theft, or loss suffered in connection with this promotion or the use or acceptance of the prize or any portion thereof to be eligible for the prize; and (b) where permitted, a promotional release granting the right to use the Winner’s name and likeness for advertising and publicity purposes without additional compensation. The Winner must also complete all legal documents and return them to the Sponsor within three (3) working days after receipt of such documents. Noncompliance will result in disqualification and an alternate will be selected by the Sponsors from the remaining eligible entries.
General Conditions
This contest is void where prohibited by law and is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. In the event of non-compliance or violation by the Winner of these Official Rules, the Winner will be immediately disqualified and terminated as the Winner of this contest and an alternative winner will be awarded the respective prize.
By participating in this contest, entrants agree that Najee, the Sponsor, those involved in the development, production, implementation and distribution of this promotion and their respective parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, licensees, service providers, and agencies, and their respective directors, officers, agents, employees, attorneys, and any other person or entity associated with such entities and/or promotion shall not be liable for any and all claims, damages, losses or injuries to entrants, including any third party claims, arising from or relating to, in whole or in part, this contest, including (1) entry and participation in this contest, (2) acceptance, possession, use or misuse of the prize, and (3) traveling to, preparing for, or participating in any prize related activity. Najee, the Sponsor, and their respective parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, licensees, service providers, and agencies, and their respective directors, officers, agents, employees, attorneys, and any other person or entity associated with such entities and this contest are not responsible for (I) any technical malfunctions of the telephone network, computer online system, computer dating mechanism, computer equipment, software, internet service provider, interruption or inability to access any website or online service via the internet due to hardware or software compatibility problems; (ii) any loss of the entry form through the U.S. postal delivery system; and/or (iii) any damage to entrants’ (or any third person’s) computer and/or any lost or delayed data transmissions, omissions, interruptions, defects or any other errors or malfunctions. If this contest is not capable of running for any reason, including, but not limited to, computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes beyond the control of the Sponsor, the Sponsor reserve the right at their sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend this contest. The Sponsor further reserves the right to modify the rules of this contest in any way or at any time, as long as reasonable notice is given. If this contest is terminated prior to the stated expiration date, notice will be posted on the website www.headsup.com/najeemagic.
Any person attempting to defraud or in any way tamper with this contest will be ineligible for prizes and may be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, including criminal prosecution, and the Sponsor reserves the right to seek remedies (including attorneys’ fees and costs) and damages. By participating in this contest, entrants agree that the California courts shall have sole jurisdiction over any controversy, dispute or litigation arising from or relating to this contest, that this contest shall be governed by California law, and that the venue shall be only in Los Angeles, California.
Sponsor
The Najee Magic contest is sponsored by Heads Up International, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc. (“Sponsor”).
