Young Forever

"Forever Young" features melodically inventive, harmonically sophisticated and rhythmically alert jazz, composed by Norwegian-American guitarist Jacob Young and played by a spirited team of contemporaries. Young and saxophonist Trygve Seim are friends since school days, and have been heard on the Norwegian jazz scene in numerous combinations and contexts over the years. They are joined on this album by the Polish pianist, bassist and drummer widely known as the Marcin Wasilewski Trio, a group with its own 20 years playing history.

It's good that guitarist Reggie Young is Forever Young, as he waited until he was almost eighty years old to record the album of that name, the first as leader of his own group(s) after six decades of backing innumerable pop stars including Elvis Presley, Neil Diamond, Dusty Springfield and Willie Nelson. While Young shows he can still play a mean guitar, he has brought along some baggage, namely the sort of pop-rock frame of mind on which he built his undeniably successful career.

More than twelve years in the making, Young Forever distills and explores the sounds, adventures, insights, and wisdom gleaned from Damian McGinty's decade on the road with Celtic Thunder, his time on PBS and Glee, his years living in LA, and his observations and experiences of the human condition. This pop-infused album runs the gamut from the upbeat "Sweetest Goodbye," to the powerful "Home Sweet Home," to the hopeful "Love on Rainy Days," to the haunting "Blue and Red Lights." The songs on this album reflect a deep understanding of our universal humanity: our common struggles, triumphs, relationships, and loneliness; our longing for love, escape, and discovery. Young Forever was produced by Cian Sweeney, Matt Weir and Pete Wallace.

With a career spanning six decades, guitarist Reggie Young has contributed to scores of hit recordings. “Forever Young” marks his album debut as a recording artist in his own right. While the name might not be instantly familiar, Reggie Young’s laidback guitar has been a staple of Southern music’s evolution, gracing countless recordings and scores of hits. Elvis Presley’s ‘Suspicious Minds’, ‘In The Ghetto’ and ‘Kentucky Rain’, Dusty Springfield’s ‘Son Of A Preacher Man’, Dobie Gray’s ‘Drift Away’, the Box Tops’ ‘The Letter’ and ‘Cry Like A Baby’, Neil Diamond’s ‘Sweet Caroline’, J.J. Cale’s ‘Cocaine’, Kenny Rogers’ ‘Lucille’, Willie Nelson’s ‘Always On My Mind’ and Billy Swan’s ‘I Can Help’ are but a few of the classics to have benefited from Young’s relaxed, economical and seemingly effortless touch. Not for nothing did Eric Clapton dub him “one of the best guitarists I ever heard.”