Product Description

Upon first listen to Nils new album Up Close & Personal it is apparent that this already chart topping artist is deserving of the many accolades he has received including Song of the Year from Radio & Records magazine. Nils' live appearances have been wowing audiences from Coast to Coast and feature a top lineup of musicians including Clydene Jackson, Oliver Brown, Ricky Lawson, Reggie McBride and Alex Al. All of these players are featured on the new CD in addition to Shilts who plays sax on We're Having a Party. Nils says that 'this album is about the hottest players, recorded live not using any loops or synthesized sounds in the recording'. His two previous albums Pacific Coast Highway & Ready to Play garnered numerous chart topping hits. National concert tour planned for Spring/Summer 2009.

Track Listing

1. Soul Mates
2. Up Close & Personal
3. Jazz Cruise
4. Europa
5. Never Let Go (Of The One You Love)
6. 60 10 29
7. Until I See You Again
8. East Bay
9. Happy To C U
10. Getting Hooked
11. Catalina
12. Winter Rain

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #38802 in Music
• Brand: NILS
• Released on: 2009-03-17
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .18 pounds

Customer Reviews

Fresh and vibrant.
Nils was born and raised in Munich, Germany. He picked up his first guitar as teenager. While his first inclinations were to follow the lead of his idols Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin, it wasn't until he was introduced to funk music that he was hooked. He spent "endless nights" learning and copying rhythm players like Nile Rogers, Al McKay and Paul Jackson, Jr. "But growing up in Germany", he says, "the chances to become a full time musician were rather slim, unless you wanted to play Top 40 or polkas. The schooling options were either a strictly classical Conservatory or a small private music school".
In the mid-80s he moved to L.A. where he studied music composition, arrangement and film composition.
In the mid-90s he starting working as a rhythm guitarist for everyone from Rick Braun to The Temptations and George Benson.
This is his third solo album, after the critical and popular acclaimed "Pacific Coast Highway" and "Ready to Play".
"Up Close and Personal" showcases his signature musical style that was created years ago and still sounds as fresh and new today as it did when he started.
Melodic keyboards and driving percussion are all anchored by the guitar styling of Nils.
Over the years he has deserved a great reputation among Smooth Jazz fans for producing albums of the highest quality.
This one will please those who appreciated his first two.
Grooves like "Jazz Cruise", "Getting Hooked", and the breezy "Happy To C U" are typically West Coast style smooth tunes.
Vocal choruses add another dimension to "Soul Mates" and "60 10 29". Nils' playing shines on the mellower "Catalina' and again on the lovely melody on "Until I See You Again".
You may also like the pleasant "East Bay".
The use of a real drummer (Ricky Lawson) and bass guitar give the album a vibrant feel that a similar set with programming would not have.
Personnel: Nils (vocals, guitars, keyboards, programming), Clydene Jackson (vocals, keyboards), Eddie Brown (vocals), Gary "Dov" Gertzweig (strings), Ricky Lawson (drums), Oliver Brown (percussion).
Pacific Coast Highway
Ready to Play

Nils does it again
Nils has become one of my favorite jazz artists. On this cd, his cover of Santana's "Europa" is awesome and I can't get enough of "60 10 29". This cd is the reason that I love contemporary jazz.

SmoothJazz.com Review
Guitarist Nils has launched yet another winner with his latest release, UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL. This CD features a dozen powerful tracks, one being a stunning cover of Carlos Santana's and Tom Coster's immortal "Europa." The other 11 tunes are Nils originals, imbued with his signature guitar work... crisp and edgy, but always accessible and appealing. Radio's first single is "Jazz Cruise" with Shilts guesting on tenor sax, and it's already racing rapidly up the charts. UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL, as with Nils' previous successes, has a distinctly California vibe to it, which gets my attention, and is reflected in titles like "Catalina," "East Bay," and "Winter Rain." This is top-notch stuff, just as we've come to expect from this talented artist. Expect to be hearing songs from Nils' UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL for many weeks and months to come. Yes, he's done it again... created another smash hit album! ~SCOTT O'BRIEN