Distel released his first CD, Stepping Out of a Dream, in 2007, enlisting some of the same musicians for this project. GEORGE FLUDAS is a first-call drummer in Chicago. He and Distel became friends and musical compatriots when they performed together every weekend for four years at the renowned Pump Room. He worked with Distel to get this project off the ground, helping him assemble the band and the material. The first two musicians they brought on board were two acclaimed instrumentalists, PETER MARTIN and CARLOS ENRIQUEZ.  Martin is an esteemed pianist who, among his many accomplishments, performed on and arranged Diane Reeve's Grammy winning CD, Good Night and Good Luck, the soundtrack

to the George Clooney film. Enriquez is a highly respected bass player who performs with the Wynton Marsalis Septet and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

 

Chicago is rife with gifted jazz players, and Distel recruited some of the top players in the region, including trumpet player BRIAN SCHWAB. Schwab, who is also a top-notch mixing and mastering engineer, co-produced this CD with BOB BOWKER, who produced the vocals. Bowker is the founding artistic director of the Lakeside Singers, and he's worked with dozens of jazz, classical, and pop singers such as Beverly Sills and Barbra Streisand.  Added to the mix are JIM GAILLORETTO, who wrote the string arrangements for Kurt Elling's Grammy winning CD, Dedicated To You, who plays woodwinds and wrote the string arrangements and a three-horn arrangement for Distel; HOWARD LEVY on harmonica is one of the founding members of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones; guitarist DAVE ONDERDONK began his career as a classical guitarist before switching to jazz over 30 years ago and has since played with Kurt Elling, Cassandra Wilson and many other jazz luminaries; Brazilian percussionist GERALDO DE OLIVEIRA, who has the distinction of being a guest artist on the last album recorded by Buddy Rich; and in-demand trombonist RAPHAEL CRAWFORD. Distel is also accompanied by a large, virtuoso string section.