Archive for September, 2011

Rick Britto – For Your Love

Rick Britto is a well known jazz musician from the New England area. Rick’s latest recording projects include: “For Your Love, “Conversations with Erik & I”, Trine: ” +1″ and “In The Sky” all released on the new TrineArc Music label in the last two years from 2009-2011. Previous releases on other labels include: The Lord’s Orphans: “Holy City”, Trine: “Politics”, Andy McWain Ensemble: “Resemblance” ,” One O’clock Jump Live”.

As a musician, Rick has performed with many artists and groups both nationally and locally including Karl Berger, Santi Debriano, Harold Jones, Freddie Redd, Kate McGarry, One O’clock Jump, Royal Hartigan, Wes Brown, Armsted Christian, Jim Robitaille, Semenya McCord, Marcelle Gauvin, John Harrison, Chris Poudrier, Bruce Gertz, Dave Zinno, Herb King, Kenny Wensel, Lou Columbo, Frank Wilkins, Alon Yavnai and numerous other musicians.

He has been double billed with such jazz notables as Ray Brown, Monty Alexander, Rosemary Clooney, Dick Johnson, Dave McKenna, The Artie Shaw Band, The Buddy Rich Band, and Count Basie’s Orchestra. In the world of popular music, Rick has performed with many R&B recording acts from The Drifters and The Tuneweavers to Tavares and even Queen Latifa to name a few.

Rick Britto is also a well known jazz educator from the New England area. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, he is a faculty member at both the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and Wheaton College instructing private lessons for saxophone and jazz piano, directing music ensembles and teaching Jazz Theory and African-American Music History.

For Your Love featuring jazz saxophonist, Rick Britto is a Contemporary Jazz recording of all fresh and exciting originals songs crossing from R&B and Soul to Funk and Hip Hip Hop even Reggae and Latin grooves! Get it now from CDBaby.

Eldredge Jackson – Listening Pleasure

New Orleans born saxophonist Eldredge Jackson simmers like a pot of hot, spicy gumbo when performing on stage. This multitalented musician is bringing new flavor to the music scene with his blend of traditional and smooth jazz peppered with a dash of gospel.

One of the highlights of his career was collaborating with the late great Wayman Tisdale on his debut album. The duo had been friends since middle school and watched each other develop musically over the years. One summer when Tisdale was between seasons in the NBA, he sat in with Jackson’s band at the local Greenwood Jazz Festival, and by 2008 their friendship had come full circle with the release of Listening Pleasure.

Listening Pleasure marked Jackson’s emergence onto the national scene. Among the collection’s 13 powerhouse tracks are soulful, passionate covers of two iconic R&B songs, Lionel Richie’s “Hello” and Michael Jackson’s Rock With You, produced by Brian Jones and famed R&B/urban jazz producer Preston Glass whose superstar resume includes Aretha Franklin, Kenny G, Kirk Whalum, George Benson and Earth, Wind & Fire.

Have your Listening Pleasure  at CDBaby.

Lincoln Adler – Grateful

Saxophonist Lincoln Adler was a member of the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, featuring actor/pianist Jeff Goldblum. He formed the contemporary jazz band Times 4 releasing the albums Seductivity (2005), Relations (2006), and Eclipse (2010).

He has already released several solo albums like Dream (1996), Short Stories (1997), Are You In There (1999) and Sax Therapy (2004). While Lincoln lives his jazzy roots with his band Times 4, he is going more commercial after his own words on his solo projects. Following this concept Lincoln Adler offers with his new album Grateful (2011) more mellow tones.

To create an environment of healing and relaxation is his intention. He is perfectly supported by Russ Gold (drums) and G Koop (acoustic and electric guitars) approaching this goal. To create an intimate atmosphere, in which Lincoln’s sensitive sax can blossom, his fellow-musicians stretches out for a peaceful instrumentation. That way Grateful grows with great sensitivity.

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Charlez360 – Blue

Charlez360 is a young musician from Charlotte, North Carolina, whose talents are saxophone and his vocals. He already collected more than 9.000 likes at Facebook and it looks like this young man has a bright future. Blue is his first offering, which was released in August.

Convince yourself about his quality at CDBaby.

Taijiquan – Taijiquan

Taijiquan is a band of three musicians and guest musician associates in Houston Tx, that love the sounds of the Hip Jazz erra of the 60’s and 70″s and have fused that sound with flavors from the modern Latin sounds and culture to create a rebirth of Acid Jazz with extra fire. If you like Grover Washington, and George Benson, and swinging Sambas and Bossa Novas, and straight ahead, and R&B and Ballards, and New Orleans Funk, this is the one for you.

The music on this CD is highly intellectual, creative and vibrant medicine in the form of acid Jazz, Latin Jazz and Samba, funk, with a twist of R&B for the living. Taijiquan is available at CDBaby.

Vandell Andrew – Years Later …

Hailing from the “birth place of jazz”, Vandell Andrew was immediately infected by the jazz virus. With the saxophone as chosen instrument he joined after the first lessons the infamous St.Augustine “Marching 100” band. Hurricane Katrina forced him to move to Dallas, Texas. Sharing stage with local musicians he had the opportunity to perform with Kirk Whalum and Tom Braxton.

Now it’s time for his solo career and how could it be better started than with a debut album. So I proudly present you Vandell’s first album entitled Years Later … (2011). He has written the tracks over the past five years. You’ll find much of his life experience in these tunes.

In early August 2005, Katrina was just a name. After the hurricane devastated the Gulf Coast many people lost their home like Vandrell Andrew, who describes this situation in his song After The Storm. Could This Be is the raising question featured by Vandell’s soprano sax.

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Lekan Shobiyi – Far From Home

Lekan Shobiyi is a guitarist hailing from Nigeria, Africa. He toured with many Nigerian artists. After his move to London he performed with African flavored bands like Mbawula band ( Paul Batholomew ), Marsha Garrick, Luyanda Jazile, Oren Marshal, Ozi Ozaa, Afla Sackey & The Afrik Bawantu and more.

Lekan’s debut album Far From Home introduces a new tactic to Jazz, World & Gospel music, demonstrating a remarkable freshness and maturity. The CD offers nine tracks conveying a wide range of moods & musical sentiments with a confident feel from S – F. If you like more Africa in your smooth jazz, buy this album at CDBaby.

Kim Waters – This Heart of Mine

Kim Waters is about to drop a new CD called This Heart of Mine on October 25th. Waters is the king of smooth urban jazz and one of the first instrumentalists to really hit big in the quiet storm radio world. As one of the top five best-selling instrumentalists in jazz, Kim Waters has collaborated with everyone from Al Green, Isaac Hayes and Phyllis Hyman to Kenny Lattimore and Teddy Riley and Guy, to name a few.

JazzTimes Magazine says “Waters is simply one of the planet’s best saxophonists” while The Washington Post declares, “Kim Waters is like a romantic pied piper out on a long evening stroll. Kim Waters has had 13 # one singles and over 20 top ten hits during his career.

On This Heart of Mine, Waters plays virtually all the instruments heard on most of the tracks. He is insane in the studio. In addition to winning originals he also does covers of R Kelly’s “Love Letters and J-Z and Alicia Keys’ collaboration “Empire State of Mind.” Waters also does a sublime duet with the Soul Prince, Calvin Richardson. Waters and Richardson will be shooting a video for their duet which Kim wrote called “Am I a Fool.”

Source:  Shanachie Entertainment

Down To The Bone – The Main Ingredients

Some years ago I asked Stuart Wade, the musical mastermind behind Down To The Bone, about the relationship between Smooth Jazz and Acid Jazz. Stuart answered: “Acid Jazz is not a refreshment for Smooth Jazz, it is totally different! I don’t know if my music has an influence on Contemporary Jazz. I do know there are those within the format who would like to see me and this funky style of Jazz disappear, and have tried to put barriers in my way ever since I started.”

What can be a better prove for the popularity of this group and acid jazz in particular than the fact, that DTTB has now released their 9th album and sold over 500,000 copies throughout the bands previous releases.

Stuart calls his new album a labor of love. His musical ideas were transferred into reality by Neil Angilley (keyboards and co-writer), Julian Crampton (bass) Tim Smart (trombone), Davide Giovannini ( drums), Mark Jaimes (guitar), Alex Bennett , Oli Silk, keyboards), Joe Beckett (percussion), Ryan Jacobs (trumpet), Tom Richards (sax). As special guest appears vocalist Imaani, best known by her performance with Incognito.

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Khay Jhay – My Spirit

Khay Jhay (KJ) has over 30 years of pro experience performing for such artists  as Taste Of Honey, Louise Johnson, Rahm Lee, and musicians from Gap Band, Prince among others. He is also the guitarist for the legendary group LTD.

 My Spirit is his second solo album as performing guitarist and now on sale at CDBaby.