Posts Tagged ‘ Pop ’

Ella & The Bossa Beat – In The Moment

inthemomentElla & The Bossa Beat is a father & daughter duo founded by Ella and Magrus Borges. They present a Brazilian jazz/pop music style that combines Bossa Nova grooves with a soulful jazz influence.

In 2020, they released their first album together called ˜My Remedy’ which caught the attention of jazz and pop fans around the world.

Ella and Magrus released their second album titled ‘In the Moment’ in November 2022, which introduces a soulful and classy style. It is becoming increasingly popular among jazz enthusiasts, Brazilian jazz listeners and soul/jazz followers.

Read more …

2023
03/10
CATEGORY
CD Reviews
Jazz
Patrick Van de Wiele
Pop
Soul
TAGS





Leave a comment

Christophe Goze – Slow

slowGuitarist, writer and producer Christophe Goze can already look back on twelve solo albums and his thirst is far from quenched. Only recently I reviewed his album Soul To Soul, released this year, and already he surprises us with a new album.

The album is called Slow and this title is also the program. Stylistically the album can be classified in many areas, lounge, chill, smooth jazz & even pop. All fourteen pieces have one thing in common, they are slow and relaxing. Predominantly songs there are also instrumental interludes, more about that later.

The album opens with the areal Dreams & Promises featuring singer Cathy Battistessa. A dreamy song that makes you forget the worries of everyday life and takes you to the dreamscape of oblivion. The melancholic ballad She Said presents vocalist Odis Palmer. Actually a voice you’d expect to hear in R&B or hip hop, Odis believably brings emotion across.

Read more …

2022
05/20
CATEGORY
CD Reviews
Chill Out
Lounge
Pop
TAGS




Leave a comment

DiCosimo / Pagán – Con Moto

When bassist Jimmy Haslip produces an album, you know what’s going to come out: a jazz fusion album. The initiators of the same are organist Bill DiCosimo and bassist Edgar Pagán, who have been working together for more than twenty years. The album, which will be released in January 2021, is called Con Moto, which means “with movement”.

Contributors to the album are, who would be surprised, Jeff Lorber, Gary Novak, Jeff Richman, Jose Varona, Paulie Cerra and more. People know each other. For example, Edgar has already worked on Jeff Lorber’s joint album Eleven with Mike Stern or Jeff and Jimmy have played on Edgar’s album What A Feeling.

The album starts with the aptly titled So It Begins. A piece that flows along with a continuous rhythm like mercury. The piece is structured comparable a mathematical challenge and bass, rhythm guitar and keyboard complement each other seamlessly like a laying puzzle.

Read more …

2020
12/28
CATEGORY
CD Reviews
Contemporary Jazz
Jazz Fusion
Jazz Rock
Latin Jazz
TAGS






Leave a comment

Paul Hardcastle – Hardcastle IX

Many have remembered Paul Hardcastle through his huge hits King Tut, 19, Just For Money or Rainforest. However, he was never able to build on these really great successes again.  But the smooth jazz community knows him all the better through his numerous series like Kiss the Sky (with Jaki Graham) and The Jazzmasters, as well as under his real name Paul Hardcastle.

The latest The Jazzmasters album was VII in 2014, Hardcastle VIII was released in 2018, The Chill Lounge Vol. 3 in 2015 and The Chill Lounge Vol. 4 in April, 2020. If you want to get an overview of his complete works, I recommend this website.

Paul Hardcastle is one of those musicians who deny themselves live performances. This is probably mainly due to the fact that he creates most of his albums as a multi-instrumentalist. Also on his latest album he crafts his music on this solo way. Flugelhorn player Gary Winters, saxophonist Rock Hendricks, and vocalist Maxine Hardcastle, his daughter, are as well on this recordings.

Read more …

2020
07/27
CATEGORY
CD Reviews
Pop
Smooth Jazz
TAGS



Leave a comment

Bluey – Tinted Sky

He is regarded as the forefather of the British acid jazz and jazz funk movement. In the main profession musician, in the secondary profession band founder and talent promoter. The Mauritius born music genius Jean Paul Maunik, better known as Bluey, co-founded the band Light Of The World before he achieved world fame with the group Incognito. Never self-sufficient, he founded the side projects Citrus Sun and Innershade and to complete the portrait he already released his solo albums Leap Of Faith (2013) and Life Between The Notes (2015).  With some delay his third solo album Tinted Sky will be released in June on Dôme Records (UK) and Shanachie Entertainment (USA).

Bluey performs on the new album lead guitar, keyboards and vocals. Richard Bull plays guitar, keyboards and all other instruments. He is also responsible for programming, recording, mixing and mastering. All songs were produced, written and arranged by both.

Bluey also provides the explanation for this intimate two-man project. “When you live in a large family in one house, it’s great to pack up in the middle of the night and disappear where nobody knows your name, live off the land and to do things without the big picture in mind. Just do! That’s what this is!”

Read more …

2020
05/23
CATEGORY
Acid Jazz
CD Reviews
Pop
TAGS



Leave a comment

Kirk Whalum – Humanité

Sax legend Kirk Whalum is as I already stated in another review a wanderer between the two worlds of smooth jazz and Gospel music. With his new album Humanité he breaks through this scheme.

Humanité is an album, whose music is formed in mosaic shape by the musicians and their involved personalities they have brought in to the recording process. Among many others the following musicians are participating: Japanese jazz pianist Keiko Matsui, the young bass phenomenon Barry Likumahuwa, gifted singer/songwriter Grace Sahertian and global pop star Indonesian singer/actor Afgansyah Reza, known to many as Afgan, vocalist/guitarist Zahara, one of South Africa’s biggest stars, Kasiva Mutwa of Nairobi, and the veteran UK jazz vocalist Liane Carroll.

Curtis Mayfield’s song Move On Up has lost none of its radiance since its inception in the ’70s. Especially in the last months you can meet his song in ever new variations. Kirk Whalum goes his own way with his interpretation which is settled near a jazzy attitude in a Weather Report way. Singer Brendan Reilly is sensationally excellent.

Read more …

2019
10/29
CATEGORY
CD Reviews
Gospel
Jazz Fusion
Pop
World Music
TAGS





Leave a comment

Maxine Hardcastle – The Collection

Smooth jazz/soul vocalist Maxine Hardcastle,  daughter of Paul Hardcastle, has released her first album The Collection feat. Paul Hardcastle, Nate Harrasim, Daren Rahn, Dewey Bunnell and Ryan Farish.

From a very young age Maxine was influenced by her father, Paul Hardcastle, an iconic 80’s pop star & music producer. A collaboration between the two hit no.1 on the American billboard charts, and Maxine went on to produce and sing on releases with labels including Universal, Ministry of Sound, Pacha, Hed Kandi, Deeperfect, Nurvous, King street records, regularly hitting top spots across the Beatport charts.

The Collection presents Maxine’s vocal contributions to hit albums like Nate Harasim’s Different Kind Of Love from his album Rush, Darren Rahn’s Speechless from the same titled album, Paul Hardcastle’s A Horse With No Name from his album Hardcastle 8 and many more.

The album is on sale at iTunes.

2019
05/22
CATEGORY
Pop
Smooth Jazz
TAGS



Leave a comment

Neamen – Moment Of Truth

Arizona native sax performer Neamen Lyles aka Neamen began his solo career striving to be a smooth jazz star. In this rare case, claim and reality coincide. Recordings and performances with the likes of Jeff Lorber, Rick Braun, Mel Brown, Mindi Abair and sharing events with Dave Koz, Jay Soto, Greg Karrukas and others speak a clear language.

He dispelled all doubts with his debut work So Free (2011), which was highly praised by critics. Now he continues his earlier success and has released his second album Moment Of Truth together with Jay Soto, with whom he also produced his debut album.

Neamen performs on the new album tenor, alto and soprano saxophones, Jay Soto guitars and keyboards. Jay also made mixing and engineering. Additional musicians are Austin Carthell, Rachelle Youngberg, Eric Loveres,  Erika Schiff, Steve Lane and Crystal Stark (lead vocals), Jodi Light (background vocals), Tom Gioia, Marlon McClain (guitars), Mikey B (B3), Mel Brown, Mario Mendivil (bass), Tony Mora, Yon Yokobian (drums and percussion), Rick Peron, Carlos Chavez (trumpet), Bobby Hastings, Bradon Larson (tenor sax) and Hiram Perez (baritone sax).

Read more …

2019
02/17
CATEGORY
CD Reviews
Pop
R&B
Rock
Smooth Jazz
TAGS





Leave a comment

Kere Buchanan – If You Need Somebody

This album along with the previous one called Starting Over features many artists both from Australia and international guests like Bill Champlin, (ex-Chicago), Louie Shelton, (Seals & Crofts/Lionel Richie/Boz Scaggs) & Robbie Buchanan, (Whitney Houston/George Benson/Sergio Mendes).

A mixture of West Coast Jazz/Pop/RnB like artists Al Jarreau/ George Benson/ Randy Crawford/ Anita baker/ Toto/ James Ingram/ Steely Dan/ Rufus etc.

If You Need Somebody is the vocal alternative available on CDBaby.

2018
11/06
CATEGORY
Pop
Smooth Jazz
TAGS



Leave a comment

Appleton – Appleton’s Choice

The band Appleton was founded in 1967 by brothers John (piano, keyboards), Chris (bass), and Stephen Brenninkmeijer (drums). They performed as cover band in the local area of Frankfurt. After a long hiatus the group restarted in 1998 joined by Chris Perschke (trombone), Karen Schäfer (sax), Thomas Siffling (trumpet) and Barbara Drennan (vocals). Andreas Pompe replaced Karen Schäfer in 2010 on sax. Belgian jazz singer Carol Vanwelden succeeded the English singer Barbara Drennan in 2015. Further member is Harry Terkowsky (guitars).

The formation released 40 (2007), Friesian Chair (2010), The White Christmas Album (2012), Here, There And Everywhere in 2015 and this year Appleton’s Choice. The album is the substrate of the personal musical preferences of the respective band members.

The album starts with a rendition of Lisa Stansfield’s song The Real Thing from her eponymous album (1997). Caroll Vanwelden has that certain timbre that puts her in dangerous proximity to Stansfield. Abracadabra is a song by American rock group Steve Miller Band from the same named album (1982). Appleton takes a more leisurely approach to their interpretation and brings it into the realm of cabaret.

Read more …

2018
10/20
CATEGORY
CD Reviews
Pop
Smooth Jazz
TAGS



Leave a comment