Choose artist...
Home   >   Projects   >   Neptune Beach
Pete Calandra and Straight Up

Neptune Beach

self-released
Release Date: January 14, 2022

Press Release

Read press

Artist Details

Read bio

Website

Visit
1 Neptune Beach  

Neptune Beach is an upbeat, funky piano driven track composed and produced by Pete Calandra that is both contemporary and retro. Pete’s playing on this track is squarely in the Joe Sample, Bob James, Herbie Hancock school. Some of the rhythms and other keyboard sounds show the influence of Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway and 70’s soul music. NYC based flutist, Dave Weiss adds energetic flute playing to the track with a Herbie Mann-ish feel to it. Mixed by Bob James longtime engineer, Ken Freeman.

Pete Calandra and Straight Up is a project started by composer/pianist Peter Calandra to have an outlet for new music that is separate from his New Age/Ambient/Film Score output. Straight Up was a group he played in one summer between semesters of undergraduate school. The group worked 11 gigs a week for that entire summer. The foundation of this work was a 5 afternoon per week residence on the boardwalk at the Neptune Beach Club in Westhampton Beach, NY.

The group’s music was Contemporary Jazz and Reggae. They played the music of Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters, Spyro Gyra, Tom Scott and the LA Express, Return To Forever, Grover Washington, Stanley Turrentine, Bob James, Bob Marley and others. The music Pete is outputting for this project is an updated version of those styles.
 

  • Pete Calandra and Straight Up - Neptune Beach gets silver medal at 2022 Global Music Awards
    Posted At: July 19, 2022 12:00 AM
    Neptune Beach is an upbeat, funky piano driven track composed and produced by Pete Calandra that is both contemporary and retro. Pete’s playing on this track is squarely in the Joe Sample, Bob James, Herbie Hancock school. Some of the rhythms and other keyboard sounds show the influence of Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway and 70’s soul music. NYC based flutist, Dave Weiss adds energetic flute playing to the tr...
    Bookmark and Share

  • Pete Calandra w/Straight Up latest latin-influenced sultry groove track 'Walking To The Moon' makes JAZZIZ playlist
    Posted At: July 18, 2022 12:00 AM
    The editors of JAZZIZ have the good fortune of being able to listen to new music before it’s officially released in stores and streaming platforms. And because we’re always listening to new tunes, we always know just what to recommend. That’s why we’ll bring you a roundup of ten songs each Monday, featuring music from our favorite new albums, singles and other tunes that may have flown under your radar. And...
    Bookmark and Share

  • Pete Calandra and Straight Up - The Beachcomber could easily become the anthem for summer 2022 / Mainly Piano
    Posted At: July 15, 2022 12:00 AM
    The Beachcomber is the latest release from Pete Calandra and Straight Up. The track features Antonio Hart on soprano sax, Tom Barney on bass, Dennis Mackrel on percussion along with Pete as composer playing piano, keyboards and guitar. Upbeat and fun, the music is a nod to the soulful sounds of artists like Donny Hathaway, The Crusaders, Bob James and Grover Washington.Pete Calandra and Straight Up is a pro...
    Bookmark and Share

  • Pete Calandra's 'Same As It Ever Was' makes JAZZIZ Editors Choice
    Posted At: March 24, 2022 12:00 AM
    Same As It Ever Was is an upbeat, flowing contemporary piano track composed and produced by Pete Calandra.Pete Calandra and Straight Up is a project started by composer/pianist Peter Calandra to have an outlet for new music that is separate from his New Age/Ambient/Film Score output. Straight Up was a group he played in one summer between semesters of undergraduate school. The group worked 11 gigs a week fo...
    Bookmark and Share

  • Pete Calandra chats with Long Island's 90.1WUSB
    Posted At: February 4, 2022 12:00 AM
    Peter Calandra is a prolific composer and keyboard player who has been immersed in the New York City music scene for most of his life. He has scored over 70 films and written over 2000 compositions for television. He's composed music for every major television network including the FIFA World Cup Theme for FOX Sports, the Special Olympics World Games and Invictus Games Theme for ESPN as well as writing musi...
    Bookmark and Share

  • Pete Calandra and Straight Up - Neptune Beach makes Spotify: Smooth Jazz - Instrumental playlist
    Posted At: January 31, 2022 12:00 AM
    Neptune Beach is an upbeat, funky piano driven track composed and produced by Pete Calandra that is both contemporary and retro. Pete’s playing on this track is squarely in the Joe Sample, Bob James, Herbie Hancock school. Some of the rhythms and other keyboard sounds show the influence of Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway and 70’s soul music. NYC based flutist, Dave Weiss adds energetic flute playing to the tr...
    Bookmark and Share
Go to artist details