What's your American Dream? What would you do if you managed to put aside your paychecks and save up?
Chances are, you didn't say "I'd start up my own 17-piece jazz/worldbeat orchestra!" But Ralph Revello never wanted anything more out of life. The son of a bassist who was a proud member of the New York Musicians' Union Local 802, Revello grew up listening to the strains of Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra and Sarah Vaughan. After school he took a job as a doorman and shop steward and started saving. In 2006, tired of having only a pipe dream, Revello began haunting New York's jazz clubs and hanging around jazz musicians, in particular the circle of pianist/arranger and teacher Mike Longo. After one of Longo's gigs with the New York State of the Art Jazz Ensemble, Revello struck up a conversation with bassist Christian Fabian, and confided his grand plan for a multi-hued jazz orchestra that included exotic beats and foreign language vocals. "You should talk to Gates Thomas, this is right up his alley," said Fabian.
Two years into Revello's dream, InterContinental Express now boasts a full book of Gates Thomas' uniquely-flavored arrangements and original works, as well as a roster of New York's finest jazz, classical and studio musicians. The group's debut CD, "Build A Dream", is scheduled for release in January 2009. Come with us as we build a musical dream for a harmonious and colorful world!
