Gorden Campbell has never known a time when music was not a part of his life. He does not recall when he started playing the drums - he just plays them. His grandfather was the pastor at Best Temple Church of God in Christ (COGIC), the pentecostal denomination that has brought a steady stream of powerful musicians to the world, from Sister Rosetta Tharpe all the way to Kim Burrell. This is where he also learned how to play Keys/organ and bass guitar. Church was a constant, with conventions that connected Gorden with other young drummers and musicians - Robert ‘Sput’ Searight, Little John Roberts, Doobie Powell, and more would find an empty room at the convention and shed.
Playing in school, church and anywhere else he had the chance, Gorden set his sights on the larger circuit of professional musicians. Having played the conventions, he had solid experience playing the style and performing in front of large audiences. As he moved on to Howard University, he got his first big tour with an R&B group called SHAI. In a minute he was living in LA and on the road, which led to an illustrious career spanning the next 20 some years working with Earth Wind & Fire, George Duke, Lalah Hathaway, Gerald Albright Eric Benet, Mary J Blige, Whitney Houston, Jessica Simpson (musical director), NeYo (Musical director) and many many more. He has performed on countless televisions shows, award shows and movie soundtracks such as Dreamgirls, Sing, The Wiz (TV special) and Be Cool. Known for musical directing and putting shows together for many artists, Gorden became a "first call" musical director on the LA music scene. He has written and produced music for many artist including MAJOR, Elijah Blake, Antonique Smith, LA Mass Choir, and had his music placed in movies (most recently "Night School" featuring Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish) and many television shows (MTV networks, Free Form network, Oxygen network).
All the while Gorden was writing and producing his own music, and finally the time seemed right. After 20 years on the road he settled in to a producer and educator role in Los Angeles, turning down major gigs to make the necessary changes, and the next step was naturally to record his own album. Titled Conversations, the album takes us on a journey through Gorden’s world. Impeccably produced, the album features Harvey Mason, Kamasi Washington, Sheila E, PJ Morton, Terrace Martin, Morgen Campbell, BJ The Chicago Kid, Alex Isley, B. Slade, Peter Collins, Neka, Gene Noble, Eddie Brown, and Angie Fisher, Brandon Eugene Owens, and more. Now THAT is a lineup.
When I first started thinking about my album, I wasn’t sure what musical direction that I wanted to go in because I like so many different styles of music, so I decided to just write what I felt that day, if it was jazzy, I wrote a jazzy song. If it was soulful, I wrote a soulful song, if it was funky, I wrote a funky song. BUT it was all made with Love and that’s what I want people to feel when they hear my music. I want them to feel the love.
- Gorden Campbell