Archive for the ‘ Smooth Jazz ’ Category

George Duke – Dreamweaver

OK, let’s pretend that we don’t know about the recent tragedy in George Duke’s life and let’s pretend that I haven’t been a crazy fan for over 35 years – it’s going to be hard! Also, I’ll try to stay away from comparisons with other artists’ music – I’ll tell you how these songs make me feel.

I love the way that George conjures up a mood with a short intro – or outro. The one at the start of “Reach for It” has always grabbed my attention, and the synth-heavy title track here has the same effect. It’s spacey, slightly threatening and over headphones you are completely absorbed, despite its brevity. The scene is perfectly set for “Stones of Orion”, which finds George at the piano and Stanley Clarke (of course – you cry!) on upright bass providing a wash of cinematic sound, filled out with flute and some gorgeous brass. It is – and I mean this in the most complimentary way – 70’s big-city cop show writ large. Or at least it is until the rimshots mark a different tempo and George’s love of Latin music reveals itself. You’d expect Stanley to step forward with a solo and it’s a tasteful one. The whole song feels like an embrace for me and far from transporting me to another world, it makes me long for the warm sunshine of California.

Dukey funk meets the best of clipped urban beats on “Trippin’” and the sparse production here is sublime. There are whispers of muted trumpet, acoustic guitar, that squelchy Dukey synth and George’s vocal, which – let me tell you – sounds as good as ever. Hypnotic stuff. On “AshTray”, Dukey funk (or should that be ‘fonk’?) meets more Dukey funk. Crisp drumming, filthy slapped bass, some crazy guitar licks and some tasty electric piano make this a funk jam that you’ll be playing for days!! That’s before you dig out all your other Dukey treats…

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2013
05/23
CATEGORY
CD Reviews
Chris Mann
Funk
Smooth Jazz
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Alan King – Something More

Something MoreAlan King‘s ultra melodic, instantly infectious Something More–a perfect and promising title for what he’s offering throughout—he takes the exotica factor to exciting new territory with R&B flavor, Latin Rhythms and Eastern koto sounds.

Test his new album at CDBaby.

2013
05/21
CATEGORY
Smooth Jazz
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Craig Sharmat – Bleu Horizons

Should the guitarist Craig Sharmat be unknown to the reader, he was the composer of trailers for movies like King Kong, Ghost Rider, Eragon, Anchorman, wrote songs for the TV series like CSI Miami, Without A Trace and many more. He also arranged songs for Rick Braun, Peter White, and Mindy Abair.

He gave his debut with the album So Cal Drivin, which was released in 2009. His sophomore album Outside In followed in 2010. With his new album Bleu Horizons Craig ensures continuity. On his new project he is supported by a variety of professional musicians. I discover in the liner notes Craig Manning (keyboards), Rayford Griffin (drums), Hussain Jiffry (bass), Peter White (accordion), Rick Braun (trumpet, flugelhorn), Luis Conte (percussion) and several more.

With sound collages like First Stop NYC and Manhattan Morning Craig lures listeners into the magic of his new work. On A Day In Paris he captures with intense sounds the appeal of the French capital. The bring into play of Peter White on accordion is simply ingenious. In his guitar playing, he emphasizes the picturesque interpretation and not technical sophistication. This French life sense of savoir vivre also transmits Craig Sharmat on his next song La Seine Strut. Rick Braun on trumpet and Benedict Breyden on the violin are exponents of this way of life.

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2013
05/20
CATEGORY
CD Reviews
Smooth Jazz
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Phillip Doc Martin – Good Day At Work

Good Day At WorkPhillip‘Doc’Martin a rising alto saxophone star who’s heartfelt, humble melodies are wooing live audiences across the country. Phillip’s third and current release Realization, features 14 new songs that don’t passively fit traditional smooth, instrumental or funky rhythm genres. His tunes flex, bounce & bend offering audiophiles a new sax diagnosis.Martin plays his horn with a warm and clear tone supplemented by a chronic range that takes you on a soulful and energetic journey.

Realization is a toe-tapping finger-snapping,get out of your-seat groove CD. Martin’s unique eclectic style takes you on a musical journey from smooth to straight ahead jazz. Jazz star Jeff Lorber says”Doc Martins horn always blows with the energy of a live club recording something sadly missing from most smooth jazz artists these days”.

Legendary George Benson says, Doc Martin is “Someone to watch!”In following his ambition, he attended the University of Central Florida and played as a sideman with Grammy Award winner Sam Rivers, Grammy nominee Kirk Whalum, Sunnie Paxton, Wes Hamrick & the Sounds of Soul. As Phillip continued to hone his skills, he became influenced by saxophone greats Charlie Parker, Grover Washington Jr.,Dave Koz & Gerald Albright.

In 2003, he recorded his first CD, Saxappeal, with music producer, keyboardist, Tony Hemmings. After moving to Washington, D.C.Martin became a member of the Marcus Johnson Project; and graduated from Howard University College of Dentistry hence the moniker ‘Doc’. While in dental school,Martin realized he was able to do it all and through studying on a plane between gigs, his new release Realization on his own label Saxtime Entertainment became a reality/vision for the new CD.

Phillip performs in festivals/venues throughout the U.S./Caribbean including the St.Lucia Jazz Festival,Bahamas Jazz Festival,Carolina Music Festival, Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival,Washington, D.C.’sBlues Alley,Philadelphia’s Dell East, and many more.

Jazzy, Funky and Smooth all describe the Innervision Records Debut of sax-man Phillip ‘Doc’ Martin, “Good Day at Work“! Available at CDBaby.

2013
05/18
CATEGORY
Smooth Jazz
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Jeanette Harris Band & Jeanette Harris

reflectionsFor an enjoyable jazzy, R&B, and soulfully influenced musical experience that includes original compositions and a unique interpretation of some popular songs, you cannot go wrong with this latest musical excursion of the Jeanette Harris Band.

Reflections was released in 2007 and is now available at CDBaby.

2013
05/17
CATEGORY
Smooth Jazz
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I.P. Network – Switched On

Switched OnMusician with a “mission”.

The person behind I.P. Network is Inge Wenzel, keyboard-player, composer and arranger with a goal: to give (unknown) talented musicians a chance to be heard and to bring contemporary Smooth Jazz on air in The Netherlands. As different styles have already integrated in the Dutch culture, she thinks Smooth Jazz is a natural move along the other styles of jazz and could be a “bridge” to people who are not familiar with any form of Jazz.

Inge plays also keyboard in the band Out of the Box – Smooth Jazz. This band was formed to bring out USA Smooth Jazz covers in The Netherlands. In 5 years this band has grown from 3 to 5 persons. Now, in full setting Out of the Box performs all over the country. For their debut CD “Steppin’ Out”, Inge has written the songs.

I.P. Network is a solo CD project from Inge. I.P. are her initials: “Ingrid Pauline”, the network symbolizes the people of I.P. Network. “Switched On” is the first CD of I.P. Network aiming hopefully to more future CD projects. On this CD known and unknown talented musicians will be introduced.

The song Oceans Deep from the I.P NEtwork CD has been recently rearranged and co-written by Chieli Minucci tripple Emmy Award winner, 10 nominations and leader of the Grammy nominated group Chieli Minucci & Special EFX. This song will be released as separate song on CD baby!

The network has one goal to go: bring out these talentful musicians and contemporary smooth jazz on air in the Netherlands!

Switched On is now available at CDBaby.

2013
05/16
CATEGORY
Smooth Jazz
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Dave Koz And Friends – Summer Horns

SummerHornsEight-time GRAMMY® nominee Dave Koz remembers a time when the summers lasted forever, and the most popular rock, R&B, soul and funk bands of the day were propelled by high-octane, richly arranged horn sections. Indeed, from the late 1960s through the ‘70s, bands like Sly & the Family Stone, Tower of Power, Earth Wind & Fire, Chicago, Blood Sweat & Tears and other brassy juggernauts of the era ruled the airwaves and opened his young ears to the saxophone’s limitless possibilities as a solo instrument as well as a collaborative voice with the trumpet and trombone.

Four decades later, Koz has assembled three of his most talented and trusted colleagues – Gerald Albright, Richard Elliot and Mindi Abair – to revisit this golden age with new arrangements of classic songs from this period in the history of popular music. Dave Koz and Friends Summer Horns, produced by Paul Brown (Al Jarreau, George Benson, June Tabor, Boney James), is a collaborative effort that throws the spotlight on four high-profile saxophonists, and augments the team with several other equally talented musicians and vocalists. Summer Horns, set for release on June 11, 2013, on Concord Records, turns up the heat just in time for the summer tour season.

“The first album I ever bought was Back To Oakland, the 1974 recording by Tower of Power,” says Koz. “I’ve always been fascinated with that sound. There are few things in music that are as exciting as the energy that comes from a really tight horn section. Over the years, that sound has graced some of the greatest records of all time by bands like Sly & the Family Stone, Earth Wind & Fire, and so many others. That’s what Gerald, Richard, Mindi and I are recreating on this recording.” Read more

2013
05/15
CATEGORY
Smooth Jazz
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BWB – Human Nature

HumanNatureIndividually, they are three titans of contemporary music: Rick Braun, the gifted trumpeter/flugelhornist with the golden voice; GRAMMY® Award-winning tenor saxophonist Kirk Whalum, the Memphis-born wunderkind who mixes Beale Street, gospel, the blues and bop; and Norman Brown, the GRAMMY®-winning guitarist who brings a Louisiana lilt to his Wes Montgomery/George Benson influenced six-string soulful strut. They came together eleven years ago as the supergroup known as BWB and their historic album Groovin’, made them one of the most sought-after groups at that time.

This terrific triad reassembles with the June 18, 2013 release of Human Nature on Heads Up International, a division of Concord Music Group (international release dates may vary). This long-awaited sequel to their debut project spotlights BWB’s stupendous reimaging of eleven selections made famous by the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.

“We made the first BWB record in 2002 when we were all on Warner Bros. Jazz,” Braun says. “We did a world tour behind the record. And then we’ve all been off doing our own thing – so this is really a reunion. We have an incredible amount of respect for each other: We phrase together. We complete each other’s sentences, musically. We’re really just a good bunch of guys making music, and grateful to be doing that.” Read more

2013
05/14
CATEGORY
Smooth Jazz
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Brian Simpson – Just What You Need

Just What You Need2013 is a banner year for Smooth Jazz keyboardist Brian Simpson. Highlights from Just What You Need include a percolating “D’Groove” featuring sax icon Gerald Albright, the romantic “In the Rain” featuring Marc Antoine, a brilliant guest performance from Dave Koz on the Jobim classic “Girl From Ipanema”, and much, much more.

Both as a solo performer and the featured keyboardist and music director of the Dave Koz Band, Brian performs in front of an incredibly large number of smooth jazz fans on a non-stop basis. And as winner of the American Smooth Jazz Keyboardist of the Year Award, frequent guest on nationally syndicated radio shows and music director of the Smooth Jazz Cruise, his visibility is tremendous.

Just What You Need is on sale at Amazon.com.

2013
05/13
CATEGORY
Smooth Jazz
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Lawson Rollins – Full Circle

FullCircleHaving traversed the world in search of intriguing sounds from virtually every corner of the globe with his beloved Spanish guitar en tow, Lawson Rollins has come full circle on his aptly titled fourth solo album, “Full Circle,” which will be released July 16th by his Infinita Records.

Adopting a “less can be more” philosophy on the twelve new songs that he composed allows the focus to be on Rollins’ captivating melodies and dexterous fretwork that unfold over worldbeat rhythms and multicultural instrumentation. Radio listeners will be introduced to the collection Rollins produced with multi-platinum producer Dominic Camardella (Ottmar Liebert, Flora Purim, 3rd Force) when the first single, “Momentum,” is shipped to stations in June.

Just as he has on his previous releases, Rollins entered the recording studio with Camardella (keyboards, piano) and a gifted ensemble comprised of Grammy-winning violinist Charlie Bisharat, bassist Randy Tico, percussionist Dave Bryant and saxophonist/flutist Richard Hardy. Rollins plays classical, flamenco and electric guitars on “Full Circle” along with keyboards and drum programming. The multilingual etchings of the erudite guitarist fluctuate in tone and speed. Read more

2013
05/11
CATEGORY
Smooth Jazz
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