Mr. GREGG

René Grégoire aka Mr. GREGG is  hailing from Germany and currently living in the Siebengebirge ( Seven Mountains),

on the river Rhine.

 

He started his music career as a keyboarder and choir singer in the Cologne-Porz  Rockband " Fango Music ".

With this band he had his first studio experiences and live gigs.

Then he moved to Lille (Northern France) and began to get to know jazz. First through vocal jazz in several SATB vocal jazz groups accompanied by musicians.

With the " Couleur Swing Quartet " he experienced several performances of the musical " The crazy day of Radio Swing ".

 

With the vocal quartet and a big band he performed among others in Paris on the " Place de la Concorde ".

The highlight came in 1998 , when he appeared as frontman and lead singer and support group of Diana Krall at the North Jazz Festival.

 

Last band in France was TRIoST. (bass , guitar, vocals)

 

In Germany he is now a member of the jazz-funk group UPAJAH.

 

He is currently working on his first studio solo album with producer Robert Niegl in Germany ( Himberg) and other arrangers in France.

 

Mr.GREGG can not hide that he is a big fan of Sting, Michael Mc Donald and especially Donald Fagen ( Steely Dan), his constant inspiration. He loves this kind of jazz tinged  rock: Complex chord changes and a special attention to the backing vocals. He had the opportunity to hire Steely Dan drummer Keith Carlock for one song , and that was for UNDER SHABBY BRIDGE .... Also, one of the Danettes (BV ists with Steely Dan), I mean: La Tanya Hall, sings on another song:  INDIAN SUMMER.

 











I think - and I say this in all modesty – I can be a little proud of my skills as a singer songwriter.

With a twinkle in my eye I always think of the beginnings, the first years of STEELY DAN, when even Donald Fagen wasn't ready to sing lead. Fortunately he decided to sing himself after all.

Maybe it was the above-mentioned songwriting skills that led to the fact that I could attract  musicians all over the world… that so many and also known artists have participated in this project.

I would especially like to thank drummer KEITH  CARLOCK (former STING , TOTO  drummer and still current drummer with Steely Dan).

 

I would also like to thank excellent soloists COLM LINDSAY (Ireland), TOM BEEK and the singer ROSANA  ECKERT who collaborated with such dedication and passion.

I am a huge Steely Dan fan and would be very happy if Donald Fagen, my master, one day would have the time to songs by Mr. GREGG.

During the compositional processes, I feel continuously inspired by him.

My past as a keyboard player in the 70s in a rock group in Germany and my musical activities as a jazz singer in France (as a solo singer, as a member of a SATB  Jazz quartet, with Big Band etc.) have helped me a lot to return to my old love :

 the jazz-tinged yacht rock à la Steely Dan ....