Hall & Oates’ Saxman ‘Mr. Casual’ Charlie DeChant To Release Single, ‘SIX’
“Mr. Casual” Charlie DeChant, performer of some of the most iconic sax solos in pop music history, has announced the release of his new single with his Orlando-based band, The Kings.
“SIX,” DeChant’s first-ever single, will be released and available on Friday, July 31. It is a compilation that features six of DeChant’s top sax solos that he originally performed with Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Daryl Hall and John Oates. Charlie DeChant & The Kings’ medley includes DeChant’s solos featured in “I Can’t Go For That,” “Your Imagination,” “One on One,” “Say It Isn’t So,” “It’s a Laugh,” and “Maneater.”
“This single is literally 40 years in the making,” said DeChant, who still serves as the longest-running band member of Hall & Oates [first performing with the duo in 1976]. “I have often thought about putting something together of some of my favorite sax solos played with Daryl and John, but time got away from me. Then, two years ago, it came up again in conversations and, thankfully, the timing was right. Within a month, ‘SIX’ was born.”
The Kings are comprised of Orlando-area musicians James “Cadillac” Cardarelli [drums], Tommy Calton [guitar], Steve Sienkiewicz [keyboard] and Larry Jacoby [bass]. They have performed throughout Florida with DeChant for much of the past 30 years.
Dubbed “Mr. Casual” by Daryl Hall in the late 1970s, DeChant has been a mainstay of the Hall & Oates band since he joined them in 1976. At that time, the duo had already garnered success with “Sara
Smile” [peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard charts in June 1976] and 1973’s “She’s Gone.” “Once we heard Charlie, we knew we needed him, too, but little did we know what an integral part of our sound he would become,” John Oates said in his 2017 book, “Change of Seasons: A Memoir.” “We always had great players with us up til this point, but it also always seemed as if there was a soft spot or two. Now it was time to go to another level.”
DeChant was brought on not only to add his distinctive saxophone sound, but also as a keyboard player and vocalist — roles that continue to this day. “Charlie — I don’t know any sax player that’s better than Charlie,” Daryl Hall said of “Mr. Casual” on Hall & Oates’ “Live in Dublin” 2014 DVD. “As well, he plays great keyboards, he’s a great guitar player, and a great singer.”
With DeChant assisting with their unique rock and soul sound, Hall & Oates became the best-selling music duo of all time. From the mid-70s to the mid-80s, the duo would score six No. 1 singles, including “Rich Girl,” “Kiss on My List,” “Private Eyes,” “I Can’t Go For That,” “Maneater,” and “Out of Touch” from their six consecutive multi-platinum albums. The era would also produce an additional five Top-10 singles: “Sara Smile,” “One on One,” “You Make My Dreams,” “Say It Isn’t So,” and “Method of Modern Love.” In those that featured his sax sound, DeChant was, in a sense, the creative contributor who not only performed the woodwind notes, but also helped write and develop them.
Besides continuing to tour with Hall & Oates, DeChant spends much of his time working on new projects from his Central Florida home. This past April, he launched a new online class to assist intermediate-and-advanced-level saxophone students and players [“Sax Education with ‘Mr. Casual’ Charlie DeChant”] on Udemy.com, and is beginning to work on a new album with The Kings. He also works creatively with his wife, Sheila, on her musical projects.
ABOUT “MR. CASUAL” CHARLIE DECHANT
“Mr. Casual” Charlie DeChant has proven to be one of the premiere saxophone and keyboard artists of the past 40-plus years. Many of his sax solos, from “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)” to “Maneater” are considered iconic within modern pop music. An integral part of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Daryl Hall & John Oates band since 1976, he has also performed with such artists as The Temptations, Mick Jagger, and Tina Turner. While still touring as a member of the Daryl Hall & John Oates band, “Mr. Casual” resides in Orlando, Florida with his wife, Sheila, author of “The Outside Looking In.” “Mr. Casual” is represented by 20 A-M Productions, LLC. To learn more about “Mr. Casual” or to purchase his original music, please visit www.CharlieDeChant.com. Follow Charlie at: YouTube @Mr. Casual Charlie DeChant | Facebook @MrCasualCharlieDeChant | Twitter @TheRealMrCasual | Instagram @MrCasualCharlieDeChant
