For Derek Turner, the keyboard has a heart. It beats not only to the rhythmic patterns of its owner but to the warm touch of the soul as well. 

On Turner's latest effort, Sharing the Groove, synthesized melodies generate a silky-smooth caress. Even when the keyboards become awash in dreamy atmospherics, there is no denying the real feelings emanating from them. The jubilant opening track, "Warm Breeze," echoes the chilled-out vibes of a buoyant spring afternoon. There is a kick in Turner's step, his elevated spirits reverberating through the bouncy synthesizers. "Lasting Love," on the other hand, is a vivid portrait of a blooming romance. Lush keyboards glide across a funky riff, illustrating the marriage of the emotional and the physical. 

Turner's fascination with synthesizers began the old-fashioned way. "There was always a piano around," Turner recalled. "My dad, uncles and aunts played piano, and I grew up with a piano in the home. This is the piano I loved to tinkle around with. I would climb on the seat as a three-year-old." As Turner grew older, his tastes went high-tech. "When MIDI keyboards first came on the scene and I found out I could create a band sound, I decided to become a keyboard player," Turner recalled. "I was around the age of 15. I remember my first keyboard. A suitcase model Fender Rhodes. The first synthesizer was a Roland Juno 106. The Roland had multiple sounds: strings, horns, and effects. This is the keyboard that had the most influence on me." 

Turner's instrumentals are embedded with pop hooks.....no coincidence. "My musical evolution started with R&B and soul," Turner explained. "I would listen to artists like Teddy Pendegrass, Barry White, and Lou Rawls. Then I went on to groups like Earth, Wind & Fire, Gino Vanelli, Ramsey Lewis, and many others. I think I've grown do to the fact music has become God knows what. This has caused me to reach within myself. So what you hear is a combination of all those groups I've mentioned."

More Information: http://www.dturnermusic.com

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