Archive for March, 2019

Leonard Rogowski – Listen Feel Imagine

Film and TV Composer Leonard Rogowski was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music from UCLA and continued his music studies completing The CAP Program (Composing and Arranging Program) at The Dick Grove School of Music. Leonard Rogowski has composed music for various production music companies in Hollywood including MX47 Production Music, Music Licensing of Hollywood, and the Hollywood Jukebox record label. He has had multiple music placements into Film, TV, Commercials, and Interactive Media.

As a recording artist, Leonard Rogowski has been a member of the world-class music team Cinematone. He contributed to music tracks for the albums “Martini Heaven” and “Mondo Condo” by Cinematone released on the boutique record label Hollywood Jukebox. Leonard Rogowski’s music has been influenced by Smooth Jazz, Chillout, Ultra-Lounge, Synth-Pop, and New Age. He has just released his first solo album on CDBaby titled Listen Feel Imagine.

Available for download only at CDBaby.

2019
03/31
CATEGORY
Smooth Jazz
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Will P Lyte – Smooth Jazz EFX (Remix)

Willie Polite aka Will P Lyte is a passionate musician performing music since his youth, during his military service and later in the creative arts ministry at Right Direction Church. Lyte EFX is his debut album offering a variety of grooves and rhythms (smooth jazz, latin groove, West Indies rhythm, Funk and Go Go) from the heart of a percussionist. His sophomore album Smooth Jazz EFX is featuring Nigel Blanding, Darius Starks, Avery Brown, Timeka Smalls Tucker, Darin C. Ginyard, and more. His third album I Hear Music Everywhere is still on sale.

Now he returns with Smooth Jazz EFX (Remix), available on CDBaby.

2019
03/30
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Smooth Jazz
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Bill Cornish – Waking Dreams

Bill Cornish was from the early 80s through the mid-90s, keyboardist for Crystal, a band with whom he spent twelve years touring throughout the western United States, Alaska and Japan. During that time he opened for artists such as Kansas, Steelheart, Joan Jett, Steppenwolf, Firehouse, The Romantics, Pat Travers, and many others. The Crystal album Collection was among the top ten selling melodic rock CDs for German distributor AOR Heaven in the year 2000.

The fourth album from the Odd Get Even was released last year and Bill’s latest solo CD was released in January, 2019 entitled Waking Dreams. A second album from his rock project Reason’s Edge is also coming this year. An eclectic instrumental mix of jazz, world fusion, new age – for fans of Windham Hill, Private Music label artists.

Available on CDBaby.

2019
03/29
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Smooth Jazz
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Marcus Mitchell – In My Own Lane

Marcus H. Mitchell founded in young years the label 24th Music, a division of MHM Entertainment Group. In 2005 he released on this label his debut album Jumpin’. His second album R&R – Rest & Relaxation followed in 2007. His album All About You (2015) was his fifteenth. His new album is titled In My Own Lane (2019).

It is a phenomenon of the times that many musicians write all songs themselves and record them as multi-instrumentalists. Marcus goes a few steps further. He produces and mixes the songs and markets them on his own label. He even has made under his own name some of the musical instruments he plays on.

But let us turn our attention to the present album. In My Own Lane Talk is, so to speak, the greeting from the kitchen, a sound painting as a small prelude followed by the Intro itself. Starting with a hard beat Marcus develops a captivating melody on sax accompanied by two minimalistic chords. That way the focus stays on the theme.

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2019
03/28
CATEGORY
CD Reviews
Smooth Jazz
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The Rippingtons – Open Road

The Rippingtons featuring Russ Freeman are back with a new album: Open Road. The Rippingtons and Russ Freeman have been at the forefront of the contemporary jazz, smooth jazz, and instrumental pop music genres! They have sold over 3.5 Million albums to date. Every new Rippingtons album has debuted in the Top 5 of the Billboard Jazz Chart including 4 number 1 debuts! With every album a new chapter has been written with their innovative song writing, in-studio production and inventive instrumentation, and Open Road is no exception.

Order your album at Amazon.com.

2019
03/27
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Smooth Jazz
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Phil Madeira – Crickets

A Nashville mainstay, Phil Madeira was Americana before it was a thing. His venerable pedigree as a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and arranger is assured, backed by Grammy-winning credits and a lengthy discography boasting collaborations with Garth Brooks, Emmylou Harris, The Civil Wars, Elvis Costello, Alison Krauss, Toby Keith, Amy Grant, Mavis Staples, Keb Mo’, Bruce Hornsby and Vanessa Williams. Yet when this musician’s musician sits at the piano backstage or at home, it’s jazz-blues riffs that he noodles. On April 26, Mercyland Records will release Madeira’s first instrumental album, “Crickets,” comprised of ten new songs that he wrote and produced for a jazz quintet.

The straight-ahead jazz rhythms and bluesy harmonies Madeira scripted for “Crickets” harken back to another jazz era.

“It’s slightly sophisticated blues, right out of the 50s and 60s playbook. I can hear bits and pieces of what turned me on as a kid – Ramsey Lewis and Herbie Hancock, and of course, Monk, whom I later discovered. I composed the music that became ‘Crickets’ thinking I would pitch it to a music licensing company for use in film. But then I realized that I had created something far more personal,” said Madeira, who recorded all ten songs in one day accompanied by Aaron Smith (drums), James Hollihan (guitar), Rahsaan Barber (saxophone) and Chris Donohue (bass). Continue reading →

2019
03/26
CATEGORY
Contemporary Jazz
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Lebron – Undeniable

Saxophonist Lebron was influenced by his father who played the identical instrument professionally. Later Hugh Lovelady, the lead alto player for Frank Sinatra’s band, was his teacher. He started his solo career with the album Shades (2013) on CutMore Records. His sophomore album New Era was released in 2015 on Trippin ‘N’ Rhythm Records. Now he returns with his third project Undeniable (2019) on the same label.

Most tunes are written by Michael Broening, who also produced great parts of the album and plays keyboards, piano, drum programming and bass. Some of the tunes are produced by Matt Godina who performs keyboards, bass & drum programming and guitars. Additional musicians on selected tracks are Freddie Fox (rhythm guitars), Mel Brown (bass), Lin Rountree and Cindy Bradley (trumpet), Kendall Lee Gilder (guitar), and Anthony Saunders (vocals). Lebron performs soprano, alto and tenor saxophones.

The album starts with the grooving Issa Party that combines the stomping rhythm guitar sound of Freddie Fox with the tight horns of saxophonist Lebron and trumpet player Lin Rountree. On Feels like ’84 Lebron performs in lead position on his alto saxophone adding some horns in overdubbing mode, while Kendall Lee Gilder lets his guitar sing.

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2019
03/25
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CD Reviews
Smooth Jazz
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Elan Trotman – Dear Marvin

Sax salutes sexy soul on Elan Trotman’s “Dear Marvin,” a collection of ten of Marvin Gaye’s best-loved songs that drops on April 2, the late legendary R&B singer’s 80th birthday. Preceding the set’s arrival is the single “Got To Give It Up,” a vibrant reboot of one of Gaye’s funky dance tracks that is the No. 1 most-added single on the Billboard chart this week as an instrumental from the Woodward Avenue Records album produced by Charles Haynes (Marcus Miller, Erykah Badu, Queen Latifah) and Trotman.

“It’s amazing how this project came about. ‘Got To Give It Up’ has been a huge part of my live show for the past two years and has always been a crowd favorite. That is just one of the many factors that inspired me to record the song and to dig deeper into Marvin’s catalogue and life story. I had no idea that his 80th birthday would be coming up around our time of completing the album, but once I found out, I knew we had to release it on April 2 to mark the occasion,” said Trotman, an award-winning saxophonist who has topped the Billboard singles chart more than ten times.

In reimagining Gaye’s catalogue in instrumental form, Trotman shares the spotlight on “Dear Marvin,” with premier soloists, including Grammy-winning keyboardist Jeff Lorber, seminal urban-jazz flautist Najee, esteemed trumpeter Patches Stewart, soul-jazz-hip hop-funk trombonist Jeff Bradshaw and veteran guitarist Sherrod Barnes. Trotman strategically deploys vocals to illumine a few key tracks. Ray Greene (Santana, Tower of Power) begs on “Mercy Mercy Me”; rapper Obadele Thompson plies his come-on skills to “I Want You”; and Tim “Smithsoneon” Smith provides the cure through “Sexual Healing.” Members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra enhance a pair of tracks with strings. Including Haynes, Trotman’s core collaborators are his former colleagues from Berklee College of Music: keyboardist Mitch Henry (Marsha Ambrosius), bassists Kyle Miles and Keithen Foster (H.E.R.), and percussionist Atticus Cole. Continue reading →

2019
03/24
CATEGORY
Smooth Jazz
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James Dawkins – Phenomenon

James Dawkins is an accomplished Smooth Jazz Pianist from Miami, Fl. He’s traveled, toured and performed with some of the biggest names in the music industry. James Dawkins recently released his debut solo project called Smile for Me in 2015 and its creating a buzz all over the world in places like the USA, Germany, Spain, Japan, and Korea just to name a few! Please keep James on your radar because been he’s been a great sensation to the Jazz community!

His new album is entitled Phenomenon, James Dawkins’ third studio release. Early recordings began in early 2017 until June 2018 and released on August 3rd, 2018. There were many obstacles and alterations in between as well as last minute additions that brought this album to where it stands now. The fusion of jazz, funk and soul make the album a unique instrumental masterpiece. The album features vocals from Lady Blakkbyrd, David Olivieri and JeRonelle (who recently was a contestant on the show “The Four”) Many amazing musicians filled the feel good album with musical notes complimenting James’ keyboard playing. On drums we have Matias Menarguez & Nat Stokes, guitar with Hubie Wang, Tremaine Young & Andrew Paiva, and a special feature from saxophonist Donald Hayes. This album has been detailed from beginning to end where it takes you on a musical journey.

Phenomenon is on sale at iTunes.

2019
03/23
CATEGORY
Smooth Jazz
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Ed Brown – Legacy Volume I

His father played the guitar, the oldest brother, William picked up the drums, the youngest sister (at the time) Angela, started to sing lead, the youngest brother, Daniel, also picked up the guitar and before you knew it, the family even joined by Mom, Patsy, was out singing and playing as “The Souls Of Unity” gospel singers. The Souls of Unity grew apart and around that time, Ed was attending college in Landover, MD where he met Stanley Jones (who is now the keyboardist for the likes of Johnny Gill and Toni Braxton). Stanley was a member in the band “A New Beginning.” After seeing this band a few times and hangin’ out with Stan, Ed Brown knew he had to start a band of his own. Kharisma (pronounced the same as the word charisma). Tough Act To Follow was his next band. The duo group Salamy & Brown his next project.

In December, 2006, while Ed was preparing for a Tough Act To Follow reunion, he received an email that Diamond Alley was looking for a bass player. He contacted Doug Macuch (DA drummer/manager) and set up an audition. It was a very satisfying experience. And it was made clear that the job was mine if I wanted it. Well, here I am!

Ed Brown comments: “How many of use dream about making money with our music? Well, I’m one of them, but I have to say, this stuff ain’t easy. I’ve been trying to learn studio hardware, software and plugins on top of spending time learning how to be a better musician. I have played music for a very long time, but all I ever did was play by ear. So basically, I’m the old dog that has to learn new tricks…and old habits are truly hard to break.  After only playing by ear for so long, it was pretty jarring to find out how much I didn’t know about my instrument and I’m working extra hard to improve on that front. This album is called Legacy Volume I because it represents the starting point. I want to become a better producer, song writer and musician…and I have to start somewhere. I made a commitment to break the ice with this project so it could be a gauge for the continued Legacy projects.”

Legacy Volume I is Bass player’s heaven on CDBaby.

2019
03/22
CATEGORY
Smooth Jazz
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