Michael Lington

中文名：麥克·林頓

國籍：美國

Michael Lington (born June 11, 1969) is a Danish-American contemporary saxophonist, songwriter, producer, recording artist and a purveyor of soul and contemporary jazz.[1]

Lington has released 9 solo albums and has 21 singles that have charted on the Billboard and Radio & Records (R&R) contemporary jazz radio charts.[2][3]

Over the course of his career, Lington has collaborated with Michael Bolton, Barry Manilow, Aaron Neville, Mike Love, Randy Crawford, Bobby Caldwell, Kenny Lattimore, Ryan Shaw, Little Richard, Joan Sebastian, Christian Castro, Booker T. Jones, The Dap-Kings, Ray Parker, Jr., Taylor Dayne, Brian Culbertson, and many others.

Lington has performed at the Royal Wedding of Denmark's future king, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary Donaldson at Fredensborg Castle and has also played numerous other times for the Danish royal family. He is the grandson of Danish composer and band leader Otto Lington.

從藝歷程：很多帥氣的小伙子喜歡吹管樂器, 吹奏SAX的年輕白人都喜歡拿Dave Koz作為他們的榜樣, 無論是造型, 還是音樂的風格, Dave Koz都是一個標準, 而執(zhí)行這個標準最為完美的當數(shù)Michael Lington, 除了造型, 外表已經(jīng)音樂的類型風格，吹奏的技巧都酷似Dave Koz, 甚至連他最新的一張專輯都是在Koz創(chuàng)建的廠牌Rendezvous Entertainment旗下發(fā)行的, Michael Lington可謂就是一個不折不扣的Dave Koz第二。 這位年輕的小伙子的專輯唱片并不是很多，但如果注意他每一張專輯的話, 都可以深深體驗到他的進步, 當然他的音樂依舊是注重商業(yè)市場的Jazz-Pop, 和Dave Koz一樣, 開始的專輯作品都是先用優(yōu)美的旋律和性感的形象取得商業(yè)上的突破, 而在后面的專輯中開始注重技巧的提升以及風格的轉(zhuǎn)變。在介紹Kim Waters的時候, 我就提到過對于流行爵士中的SAX音樂來說，控制好旋律和技巧的有機結(jié)合是很重要的, 要不然出來的東西都是千篇一律, 分不出誰是誰了, Michael Lington在他新專輯《Stay With Me》中很明顯已經(jīng)注意到這一點, 盡管做的還不夠完善。

當紅白人SAX小生Michael Lington發(fā)行了他在在另一個蒸蒸日上的現(xiàn)代爵士廠牌，由Dave Koz創(chuàng)立的Redezvous Entertainment旗下發(fā)行的新專輯《Stay With Me》。薩克思風悠揚的旋律給人以極大的享受，讓人久久不能忘懷。

《Stay With Me》可以說是Michael Lington在商業(yè)上的又一個突破, 至少現(xiàn)在很多人都喜歡把他來和Dave Koz做對比了。第一首單曲“Show Me”是很有Koz味道的, 也是專輯中最為積極向上的單曲, 這首也成了專輯中第一首Radio Hit, 這肯定是和Rendezvous的老板Dave Koz有必然的聯(lián)系。單曲“Don’t Go”非常出色, 靈歌味十足的旋律和節(jié)奏是Michael Lington給聽眾的一個全新體驗, 而背景的人聲酷似Mindi Abair, 而接下來的“A New Day”就完全成了Mindi類型的單曲, 每個音節(jié)都是那么的象, 這樣就非常讓人期待Michael和Mindi的雙SAX管的合奏了, 期待那種合二為一的精彩?！癙acifica”是專輯中間部分的最亮點, 美國西海岸風情盡顯其中, 并且值得注意的是原聲吉他的演奏可是Paul Brown喲。而標題曲“Stay With Me”可能將成為下一個Radio Hit, 前臺深邃的SAX和后臺飄渺的女聲應該能夠創(chuàng)造一次榜單上的輝煌！

職業(yè)：Lington signed his first recording contract in 1996 with Nugroove Records and released his self-titled debut album in 1997. It produced the hit “Tell It Like It Is” (feat. Bobby Caldwell), a song that became a Top 10 Radio & Records (R&R) NAC/Smooth jazz song and a Top 20 R&R Adult Contemporary song.[8]

In 2000, Lington signed with Gold Circle Records and released his 2nd album, Vivid, which produced two R&R charting singles, “Twice In A Lifetime” (#2) and “Sunset (Por Do Sol)” (#4). The album featured Randy Crawford singing the Burt Bacharach/Hal David classic, “Message To Michael.”

In 2002, he signed with Three Keys Music and released the album Everything Must Change, which also produced two R&R charting radio singles; “Still Thinking Of You” (#5) and “Off The Hook.” In 2004, Lington signed with Rendezvous Music and released the albums Stay With Me (2004) [feat. Michael Sembello] and A Song For You (2006) (the latter of which featured a full orchestra arranged and co-produced by Randy Waldman). Stay With Me produced three Top 5 R&R charting radio singles; “Show Me” (#2), “Two Of A Kind”(#2), and “Pacifica” (#6). A Song For You also featured the notable single, “It’s Too Late,” penned by songwriter Carole King.

In 2008, Lington re-signed with Nugroove Records and released the album Heat, which reached the Top 5 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz albums sales chart[9] and was chosen as JazzTrax’s 2008 Album of the Year.[10] The album featured singers Aaron Neville and “American Idol” finalist Ace Young. It also featured Brazilian guitarist Torcuado Mariano, and the Academy Award-nominated songwriting team of Allan Rich and Jud Friedman. It was produced, in part, by Keith Olsen and Greg Phillinganes. Heat’s lead single, “You and I,” reached #2 on R&R’s Smooth Jazz radio chart.[11] Lington's duet with Neville, "That's When You Save Me," tied that year as JazzTrax Best Vocal Song of the Year.

In 2012, Lington released Pure on Trippin ‘N’ Rhythm Records, which featured guest artists Michael Bolton, Jonathan Butler, Lee Ritenour, Jeff Golub, and former “American Idol” & “Tonight Show” bandleader Rickey Minor. It produced the Billboard Top 5 radio single “Road Trip,” which also hit #1 on the instrumental radio charts.[12]

In 2014, Lington established his own label, Copenhagen Music, along with business partner Roy McClurg, on which he’s since released the albums Soul Appeal (2014) and Second Nature (2016). Soul Appeal featured vocalists Kenny Lattimore and Ryan Shaw and produced 4 Billboard jazz radio singles; “Soul Appeal,” “Uptown Groove,” “In The Pocket” and “Taking Off.” The self-titled first single becoming the #1 song of 2014 on the Groove Jazz music chart.[13] Lington released Second Nature in April 2016. The album has been described as an “audio love letter to the city and sound of Memphis,” a place that the artist has said influenced him significantly as a young man.[14] Special guests on the album include vocalists Taylor Dayne and Sy Smith, as well as Booker T. Jones, Ray Parker Jr., Paul Jackson Jr., and Brian Culbertson. Second Nature debuted at on #3 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz sales charts and #7 on the Billboard Combined Jazz sales chart. The album’s first radio single, “Beale Street,” was a Top 15 Billboard jazz radio single.

Lington has toured regularly his entire career, averaging 60-80 shows per year. In recent years, from 2010 to 2013, Lington joined Michael Bolton on tour as his opening act & special guest. Lington and Bolton performed over 350 shows together in more than 40 countries. Venues on the tour included Royal Albert Hall, Sydney Opera House, Universal Amphitheater, and the Kuwaiti Embassy in Washington DC (where they performed for President Bill Clinton). Lington was also featured on Bolton’s Motown tribute album, Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.[15]

In February 2016, Barry Manilow invited Lington to join his “One Last Time” arena tour. Lington opened the show and joined Manilow on the song “Brooklyn Blues” during the headliner’s main set.[16]

In Nov. 2016, Lington performed for the Memphis Music Hall Of Fame ceremony, honoring 2016 inductee, (Memphis saxophonist) Charles Lloyd. Stax Records soul singer William Bell and Snoop Dogg also performed at the induction ceremony.[17]

Lington is signed to the Agency for the Performing Arts (APA) for worldwide representation and has a publishing administration deal with Kobalt Music Publishing. He is an ASCAP songwriter/publisher and a 20-year voting member of the Recording Academy (NARAS). He is a Yamaha Saxophone, Vandoren reeds, Westone audio and Sennheiser performing artist.[18]

Michael was nominated for International Instrumentalist of the Year at the 2009 Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards.

International Musician Magazine featured Lington on the cover of the November 2008 issue.