Jessy J - True Love (2009) “she is back with her sophomore effort ‘True Love’. It moves Jessy J closer yet to her Latin heritage while again drawing heavily on Paul Brown’s talents as a writer, producer and performer. With stellar contributions from bass player Roberto Vally, keyboard maestro Gregg Karukas and drummer Sergio Gonzalez, ‘True Love’ is already well on the way to emulating the success of ‘Tequila Moon’.’.  Out on Peak Records in the USA and due for release in the United Kingdom on September 28 ‘True Love’ confirms that Jessy J has claimed a unique position in the welcoming hinterland that lays somewhere between smooth and Latin jazz.”    Smooth Jazz Therapy,  CD Discography, Website, and MySpace Music page.

Ken Navarro - Dreaming of Trains (2010) "The new CD “Dreaming of Trains” by Ken Navarro (released nationally on March 16th 2010) is a dazzling display of multiple talents by the versatile guitarist. Navarro’s 19th release in a prolific and acclaimed career sparkles with innovation and delight at every turn. What struck me almost immediately, and kept on striking me throughout the disc, is a fearless sense of movement. Navarro leaps from tone center to tone center with joyous abandon, changes meter with deft ebullience, changes tempo midstream, shuffles mode at will. What might seem to the casual listener to be an overly cerebral, self-absorbed tactic, it is really nothing of the sort; to me, it is a gleeful statement of personal ideas that invites you to follow along; and rewards your tenacity with dimension, harmonic complexity, and textured nuance." ~ Phil Traynor - Jazz Artistry Now,  CD Discography, Website, and MySpace Music page.

Walter Beasley - Free Your Mind (2009) "Walter Beasley is in the envious position of enjoying mutually inclusive careers as both music educator and headlining performer. Indeed his tenure at Berklee College of Music, which now extends to over twenty years, seems to sit easily with the fourteen solo albums currently to his name. In fact it all started back in 1987 with his self titled debut and since then a string of recordings on Mercury, Shanachie and, most recently, Heads Up have seen him maintain a position as a major purveyor of soulful contemporary jazz. For his latest Heads Up recording ‘Free Your Mind’, which was released earlier this year, Beasley has teamed up with some of the best songwriters in the business to deliver an eclectic selection which serves as a commentary on the emotionally charged events that have recently impacted his life." ~ Smooth Jazz Therapy,  CD Discography, Website, and MySpace Music page.

David Sanborn - Only Everything (2010) "Only Everything is alto saxophonist David Sanborn's second straight release paying homage to one of his greatest and earliest influences, Ray Charles. While some jazz purists may dismiss Sanborn as a slick TV personality and practitioner of smooth or pop jazz, he's always had firm roots in bluesy, R&B-based jazz, dating to his early days playing with the likes of Albert King and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. And along with his more commercially calculated recordings, he's released some excellent straight-ahead, even experimental albums over the years, notably 1991's out-of-left-field Another Hand (Elektra), which featured Sanborn in the company of Charlie Haden, Marc Ribot and Bill Frisell, among others. " ~ Joel Roberts - all about jazz,  CD Discography, Website, and MySpace Music page.

Wayne Shorter - Speak No Evil (1964) "It is not too difficult to place Wayne Shorter’s third album as a leader for Blue Note as the darker twin sister of Herbie Hancock’s “Maiden Voyage”. Recorded less than five months earlier with an essentially similar line up, “Speak No Evil” offers on the surface at least the distaff side of the uplifting themes of “Maiden Voyage” with its concentration on themes such as witchcraft and folklore (“Witch Hunt”, “Speak No Evil”), childhood nightmares (“Fee-Fi- Fo-Fum”), animated morgue bodies (“Dance Cadaverous”), all this spelt out in comments from Wayne Shorter reported in Don Heckman’s liner notes and implied in the spooky cover photography. Just as with Herbie Hancock’s master work, this suggests music with a programme. And again there are influences from the late nineteenth century classical composers. “Dance Cadaverous” owes a debt to Sibelius’ “Valse Triste” a composition that Wayne Shorter plays explicitly on his later album “The Soothsayer”. Yet just as ‘Maiden Voyage” escapes the best programmatic intention of its author, so these six Wayne Shorter compositions are not limited by the legend, magic and folklore bunkum in which they are packaged. There is nothing doom-laden or oppressive about this music; it has lightness, almost a playfulness, that belies the themes it is supposed to be portraying. The album is a landmark in jazz composition and realization to set alongside “Maiden Voyage” in its importance." ~ 100greatestjazzalbums.blogspot.com,  CD Discography, Website, and MySpace Music page.

Greg Osby - Level 9 (2008) "After ending a sixteen year tenure with Blue Note Records, leaving his signature as one of the most forward thinking, outspoken, and at times misunderstood artists in contemporary jazz, saxophonist/ composer Greg Osby returns with 9 Levels, the first release on his new Inner Circle Music label. The music which is based upon Osby's perspective on the Zen like principles of "The 9 Levels of Humanity," personifies the artist: geometric time signatures, hip modernistic imprints, blues and bop touches and some new surprises, delivered with the usual high level of musicianship. The sharp movements of Osby's horn and music are intact but the recording speaks of a freshness that is free from the constraints of normal conventions and is articulated by a new band of rising artists who are poised to leave their own marks. " ~ Mark F. Turner - All About Jazz,  CD Discography, Website, and MySpace Music page.

Carol Duboc - Burt Bacharach Songbook (2009) "Selections on the CD range from a playful take on "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" to a paired down, heartfelt version of "Anyone Who Had a Heart." Duboc's trademark sensuality comes through in her simmering interpretation of "Walk on By" and her refreshing perspective as a songwriter is highlighted on the disc's only original track "My Melody." The album also features intricate and effortless contributions by world-renowned flautist, Hubert Laws as well as musicians Danny Embrey on guitar, Joe Cartwright on piano, Bob Bowman on bass, Tim Cambron on drums and Luis Conte on percussion." ~ PM - Jazz Chill Blogspot,  CD Discography, Website, and MySpace Music page.

Jack DeJohnette - Music We Are (2009) "Since the inception of his Golden Beams Productions imprint, Jack DeJohnette has been busy releasing music ranging from the meditational Music in the Key of Ohm (Golden Beams, 2005) and world music-inflected Music from the Hearts of the Masters (Golden Beams, 2005) to the more decidedly improvisational The Elephant Sleeps But Still Remembers (Golden Beams, 2006). A freedom of spirit infuses all his releases, but it's been over a decade since the veteran drummer has released an album as a leader that fits squarely into the jazz category. A combination of original music and one relatively obscure Latin cover, Music We Are brings three friends together for a recording that, hopefully, signifies the beginning of a longer-term partnership." ~ John Kelman - All About Jazz,  CD Discography, Website, and MySpace Music page.

Branford Marsalis - Eternal (2004) "Coming as a complete contrast to the saxophonist's often turbulent output in recent years, Eternal is a collection of introspective ballads. Marsalis states that he's primarily concerned with the naked emotional content of these selections. He isn't weighed down by the responsibility of adhering too slavishly to their melodic core. The listener can find solace in misery; melancholy can be an attractive proposition. There are many ballad albums that can run the risk of erring towards mellow blandness, but this disc knows the secret of romantic wistfulness. Its bittersweet mixture of desolation and ecstasy is finely balanced." ~ Martin Longley (2004-12-07) - BBC Music,  CD Discography, Website, and MySpace Music page.

Lee Morgan - The Sidewinder (1964) "The Sidewinder album was released in July 1964. Even with only a modest advertising campaign, by October the record was selling faster than Blue Note could press it. The album steadily climbed the charts and by the final week of 1964 had reached #35 on Billboard’s LP charts, an unusual achievement for a jazz album, and it peaked at #25. Since the title track was the primary reason for the album’s success, Blue Note issued that track as a 45 rpm single in an effort to meet demand, and it entered the Billboard Hot 100 list for singles, reaching #81, another rare event for a jazz track. It also was unusual for a new jazz track to be taken up by the advertising agencies, but that happened to "The Sidewinder" when Chrysler used it as background music for high-profile television commercials during the 1965 World Series. The success of "The Sidewinder" revived the struggling finances of both Lee Morgan and Blue Note, and likely saved the record label from bankruptcy. Morgan became a cornerstone of the Blue Note label with 25 albums, many of which were financially successful, but none struck commercial gold like 'The Sidewinder'. " ~ WINC Public Radio (90.5FM),  CD Discography, and MySpace Music page.

John Pizzarelli Trio - Fumbling Towards Ecstasy (1993) "Rockin' In Rhythm: A Tribute to Duke Ellington is certainly guitarist-singer John Pizzarelli's finest CD collection to date, and each performance is a showcase work and reflects the musical genius of composer Duke Ellington.These songs have a sense of enjoyment and verve which just becomes more entertaining each time they are played. John Pizzarelli is in top form with these Ellington songs.  This tribute to Duke Ellington is a must have for both Ellington and Pizzarelli fans. Those new to the great jazz sounds of Pizzarelli will fall in love with this collection. As perfect as it comes, highly enjoyable, very literate are three ways to describe this remarkable CD featuring John Pizzarelli and friends. " ~ Lee Prosser - jazzreview.com,  CD Discography, Website and MySpace Music page.

Sarah McLachlan - Fumbling Towards Ecstasy (1993) "Although 1991's Solace made Sarah McLachlan a star in Canada, her international breakthrough arrived two years later with Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, a softly assured album that combined the atmospheric production of Pierre Marchand (a former apprentice -- and evident disciple -- of Daniel Lanois) with some of McLachlan's strongest songwriting to date. At the center of everything was her voice, an ethereal, lilting soprano that helped pave the way for Paula Cole, Lillith Fair, and a decade's worth of successful female songwriters." ~ Answers.com,  CD Discography, Website and MySpace Music page.

Dave Brubeck - Jazz At Oberlin (1953) "Dave Brubeck has enjoyed the status of "legend" for so many years now, it is hard to imagine the impact this concert had in 1953. The Brubeck Quartet’s appeared at Oberlin College in March of that year was something of a breakthrough for a couple of reasons. Until then, jazz was still associated with “gin-joints,” and a pretty unsavory lifestyle. Brubeck’s clean, clear arrangements showed an audience of classical music snobs just how sophisticated his music could be. The fact that Jazz At Oberlin was one of the first commercially released live jazz recordings is of no small import either." ~ Greg Barbrick - blogcritics.org,  CD Discography, Website and MySpace Music page.

Jean-Luc Ponty - The Acatama Experience (2007) "Back in January (of 2007) we covered two of JLP's albums from the early eighties at once, to examine a turning point in this French violinist's approach to jazz-rock. This time around, there's a brand new release to examine and twenty-five years later, Ponty is still effectively leveraging much of the same ideas he came up with then, and at other points of his career...the master fusion violinist from Avranches, France gives his fans from downtown Paris to Bombay to Santiago another strong set of tracks" ~ Author: Pico - blogcritics.org,  CD Discography, Website and MySpace Music page.

Grover Washington Jr. - Reed Seed (1978) "Reed Seed was a fitting way for Washington to leave the Kudu/Motown stable; it's a high-quality, wonderfully memorable set of mid- and uptempo funky jazz from a master. In addition, while the charts may not support this assertion, it is, along with his other records for these imprints and CTI before them, arguably the best and most consistent string of albums he ever recorded, as well as the platform that launched him into superstardom first with Elektra and then with Columbia." ~ Thom Jurek - All Music Guide,  CD Discography, Website and MySpace Music page.

Boney James - Send One Your Love (2009) "Smooth jazz has always been partially fueled by recording artists covering classic, timeless songs while putting their own style, heart and soul into the arrangements.  Boney James has long been one of the shining lights of the contemporary/urban/smooth jazz scene". JazzReview.com - Randall Parrish,  CD, Website and MySpace Music page.

Corinne Bailey Rae - "The Sea" (2010) "As she first exhibited on her eponymous debut in 2006, Bailey Rae naturally betrays a certain amount of pathos and fragility in her voice. On The Sea, she now resonates with those qualities all the more. Still throughout, she does so with serenity and resilience, never coming across as dour or self-pitying. The Sea was co-produced by Bailey Rae with Steve Brown, and Steve Chrisanthou, who produced many of the songs on her first record. It’s an album of real depth that crosses boundaries with mostly outstanding songs, all of which are lovingly crafted. It’s an enchanting, mature collection, which ebbs and flows through loss of love and memories of happiness, both a reflection of Bailey Rae’s emotional turmoil as well as a celebration and an acceptance that the show goes on. Highly recommended.To the contrary, she is enchanting and at times zestful, personifying the latter especially well on "Paris Nights/New York Mornings" and "Paper Dolls," both cuts benefiting from rich, irresistible grooves." ~   Tony Hardy - consequenceofsound.net, MySpace, Website and CD Discography.

Eddie Harris "Freedom Jazz Dance"(2009) "The title tune is Eddie Harris’ most famous composition and he wails as only he can, supported by the great drumming of Billy Hart, George Mraz on bass and Jacky Terrasson on piano. Billy Hart is ferocious and drives the quartet to inspired heights... Highly recommended for fans and a great place to start for listeners new to Eddie Harris’ unique contributions to jazz music." ~   Rick Bruner - All About Jazz, MySpace, Website and CD Discography.

Cal Tjader "Los Ritmos Calientes" (1973) "Vibraphonist Cal Tjader's 1950s recordings for Fantasy did a great deal to popularize Latin jazz and solidify its innovations. This CD has the complete contents of the two LPs Ritmo Caliente and Mas Ritmo Caliente. With such fine sidemen as flutist Jerome Richardson, pianists Richard Wyands, Eddie Cano, Manuel Duran and Vince Guaraldi, bassists Al McKibbon, Boby Rodriguez and Eugene Wright, and quite a few percussionists (most notably Armando Peraza and, on three songs, Mongo Santamaria and Willie Bobo), the fusion of bop and Latin music results in some exciting playing. In addition to group originals, tunes such as Ray Bryant's "Cubano Chant," "Mambo Inn," "Bernie's Tune," "Perdido" and even "Big Noise From Winnetka" receive lively treatment." ~   ~ Scott Yanow - All Music Guide, CD Discography, and MySpace page.

Norman Brown "Stay With Me" (2007) "Brown, a guitarist and vocalist who sings as well as scats, is in that niche where smooth jazz meets R&B, old-school soul and a bit of pop. The Grammy-winning artist was born in Shreveport, La., and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. His inspirations include such guitar giants as Jimi Hendrix, Wes Montgomery and George Benson, the latter of which is closest to Brown in overall style." ~ Woodrow Wilkins - All About Jazz, CD Discography, Website and MySpace page.

Alicia Keys "Elements of Freedeom" (2009) "Alicia Keys is the real deal. In the increasngly prefabricated world of contemporary R&B, she is a fresh alternative. She can sing. She can play the piano. She can write. She's elegant yet sexy. And she strategically strikes that difficult balance between art and commerce. The Element of Freedom, her anticipated fourth collection of new tunes, merits repeated listens." ~ MARIO TARRADELL - DallasNews.com, CD Discography, Website and MySpace page.

Al Di Meola "Elegant Gypsy" (1977) " Elegant Gypsy is unique because, while it features heavily di Meola’s furious fretwork, the solos compliment the compositions instead of the other way around. At six songs, some of the sweeping, epic tracks may sound a bit dated today, but their unfolding majesty cannot be denied, like on the Santana-esque “Flight Over Rio” or the frantic closer, “Elegant Gypsy Suite”. The showstopping track, though, is the one prominent acoustic song (yet another element that sets di Meola apart from many of his peers). “Mediterranean Sundance”, an acoustic guitar duel between di Meola and guest musician Lucia, is absolutely breathtaking. " ~ Andy - Favorite10.com, CD Discography, Website and MySpace page.

Alex Bugnon "Going Home" (2009) "Alex Bugnon comments his new album: “I really liked that idea of doing a a ‘60s inspired record, with a Les McCann/Eddie Harris or Jazz Crusaders vibe , but I wanted to include a little more jazz than that, more towards a Herbie Hancock/Blue Note era Quintet or Sextet kind of vibe. You know, with two horns or three horns. That’s what I was going for." by smoothjazzdaily, CD Discography, Website and MySpace page.

Lee Ritenour - Rit's House (2002) "This 2002 release has a soul-jazz/post-bop outlook that often recalls the late '60s and early '70s; for the most part, it is the sort of album that guitarist Grant Green would have been comfortable recording during that era. Arguably, 1992's Wes Bound is still Ritenour's best studio album -- certainly from a jazz perspective. But this CD is also respectable, and those who enjoyed hearing the guitarist stretching out on that mostly straightahead disc will also find a lot to enjoy about Rit's House." Alex Henderson, All Music Guide/font>, CD Discography, Website and MySpace page.

Jill Scott - Real Thing Words And Sounds Vol. 3 (2007) "It’s only her third album 'proper' since debuting in 2000, but given the amount of other stuff she's done (publishing a book of poetry, appearing in several movies and TV shows and releasing an collection of joint recordings earlier this year called Collaborations, as well as touring exhaustively…etc.), that’s quite an achievement. North Philadelphia's queen of 'neo soul' is on fine form throughout The Real Thing: Words And Sounds Vol. 3, " Jon Lusk - BBC Music Review, CD Discography, Website and MySpace page.

Joshaua Redman - Compass (2009) "With the exception of "Moonlight" all the tunes are group originals, most of them written by Redman. Sometimes, as on the boppish "Hutchhiker's Guide" and "Round Reuben," the Pat Metheny-esque "Faraway," or the Eastern-undertoned, soprano vignette "Ghost," Redman's tunes are conventionally conceived. Almost as frequently, they resemble exercises or motifs, skeletal and reiterative, but with each nonetheless possessing a recognisable emotional character—the restless "Insomnomaniac" and manic "Un Peu Fou" are as their titles suggest. An album of vigorous, passionate, improvised music built on simple tunes and unfussy arrangements, Compass is Joshua Redman's first undeniably colossal album. " Chris May - All About Jazz, CD Discography, Website and MySpace page.

Brian Culbertson - Bringing Back The Funk (2008) "Each piece, while a distinct component of the whole, is quite capable of carrying the album by itself if one chose to simply jam out on one cut for a whole album. Combined with the other tunes, however, the production is a magnificent funkfest with unstoppable energy and momentum. It's classic Culbertson with classic Bootsy ("Funkin' Like My Fathers"), classic EWF ("Always Remember"), classic Larry Graham ("The House of Music"), among others, all striving for the ultimate groove. This album truly speaks to Culbertson's commitment to smooth jazzers by continuing to pump out quality of the highest levels. From his days as a very young and budding keyboardist with notable rhythm and potential to his rise to the iconic status he now enjoys in smooth jazz circles, this artist has remained true to his calling--and, boy, are we grateful! Bringing Back the Funk just keeps the love affair going full speed ahead for this virtuoso and the party he throws. " Ronald Jackson - JazzReview.com, CD Discography, Website and MySpace page.

Pat Metheny - Tokyo Day Trip Live (2008) "Subtitled Live EP, Tokyo Day Trip is a specially priced gift for those who've missed the opportunity to see guitarist Pat Metheny and his trio of the past couple years, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Antonio Sanchez. At half the length of what a CD can hold, it's 41 minutes of pure gold from the best trio of Metheny's career. The spark that is by no means absent from the trio's studio recording, Day Trip (Nonesuch, 2008), is simply that much brighter on Tokyo Day Trip" John Kelman - All About Jazz,    CD Discography, Website and MySpace page.

Bob James - Angels of Shanghai (2007) "The "angels" as James describes them in the liner notes were five students from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and the collaborations were recorded during two sessions in 2004 and 2005. The Chinese students played the er-hu (a two-string violin), pipa (similar to a lute), guzheng (a cross between a harp and a zither) and the dizi (different sized bamboo flutes). The results begin to kick in as James weaves his piano with the Asian modes and scales of the Angels on the charming "Dream With Me" and "Angels Theme: The Invention of Love." The music throughout Angels of Shanghai is among some of the loveliest and beguiling James has ever made and the charms of this inspired collaboration become more apparent with repeated listens. James seems invigorated by his cross-cultural band and the proof comes through with the reworking of his biggest hit, "Angela (Theme from Taxi)" which takes a cab ride through Chinatown and comes out on the other side with a little New Age sheen on it." Jeff Winbush - All About Jazz,    CD Discography, Website and MySpace page.

The Temptations - Sing Smokey (1965) "The groups sound had solidified and the album on recent re-masters simply sounds superb. The bands doo-wop roots continue to shine through on a number of songs, 'Baby, Baby I Need You' is just wonderful, such superb vocals especially the falsetto. 'What Love Has Joined Together' has such a silky smooth, impressive vocal that it really does amaze and spellbind a listener into submission. What's sandwiched in between these two songs is of course even better, the all-time classic 'My Girl'. Such a thing is hard to imagine being written or barely existing. Right from the distinctive bass riff through to the David Ruffin lead vocal ( what a lead! ), 'My Girl' is a smash. Oh, and 'i've got so much honey, the bees envy me' - this is the kind of poetry Dylan was talking about when he dubbed Smokey 'the greatest living poet'." adriandenning.co.uk,    CD Discography, and MySpace page.

Gerald Albright - Sax For Stax (2008) "It's all about Memphis with Gerald Albright's Sax for Stax. The veteran saxophonist revisits the sounds of the 1960s and '70s that helped define a label and, to a certain degree, a generation of soul musicians..."  "Though this is mostly a cover album, it represents some of Albright's finest work. The selection of songs is excellent and the arrangements do justice to the originals without sounding trite. But more importantly, Albright shows his versatility in playing different saxes, flutes, and bass. Sax for Stax is a fine tribute to the Memphis-based label and its artists." By Woodrow Wilkins - All About Jazz, CD Discography, Website and MySpace page.

Brian Bromberg - It Is What It Is (2009) "Acclaimed bassist and producer Brian Bromberg has garnered a hard-earned reputation as one of the most versatile and respected players in music, amassing an enviable catalog of straight ahead and contemporary jazz showcasing both upright and electric basses. Confounding the music industry with a string of innovative, eclectic releases since 1985, Bromberg has spent the last decade recording projects driven by very specific sounds and themes – from Wood (acoustic bass) and Metal (electric bass) to other diverse projects celebrating the artistry of fretless bass pioneer Jaco Pastorius (Jaco) and his Grammy®-nominated smooth grooves of Downright Upright. On his fourth project for the Mack Avenue label imprint Artistry Music, It Is What It Is, Brian unleashes another wide palette of styles letting the chips fall where they may. It’s a decidedly funky 13-track set...”" by hbh - Smooth Jazz Blog, CD Discography, Website and MySpace page.

Return To Forever - Returns (2008) "This dual CD set of the long-awaited reunion tour of Chick Corea's Return to Forever features the potent lineup of keyboardist Corea, bassist Stanley Clarke, drummer Lenny White, and guitarist Al Di Meola. Thirty-two years after "Romantic Warrior," the last studio album with Di Meola and White, the music herein is an impeccable magnum opus by a quartet of influential musicians who had much to do with the fusion and modern jazz movement of the latter part of the 20th century. Although most of the concert was filmed and recorded live at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Florida, the recording also contains two from the Bank of America Pavilion in Boston, Massachusetts, and one from the Montreux Jazz Festival, all from the summer of 2008." Brian D. Holland - modernguitars.com, CD Discography, Website and MySpace page.

Herbie Hancock - River: The Joni Letters (2007) "Like the Possibilities album, Hancock's new River: The Joni Letters is also an album of collaborations with famous pop stars like Norah Jones and Tina Turner and some not-so-famous. However, unlike the former album, the sound here couldn't be further away from pop, as Hancock turns his musical ear back towards jazz to interpet the songs of another musical chameleon, the incomparable Joni Mitchell. From the first song on this disc, a torchy version of Mitchell's "Court And Spark" with a smoldering vocal by Norah Jones, it becomes clear that what Hancock seeks to capture on this loving tribute is the essence of Mitchell's artistic ingenue. For her own part, Jones is more than up to the task of channeling the jazz-based atmospherics of Mitchell." Glen Boyd - BC "blogcritics" Music, CD Discography, Website and MySpace page.

Diana Krall - The Look of Love (2002) "'More than any version I have heard since the Frank Sinatra recordings of 1942 and 1947, Krall's treatment of "The Night We Called It a Day" embodies the essence of the Tom Adair-Matt Dennis song. Claus Ogerman's writing for the London Symphony Orchestra enhances the sense of loss Krall brings to this demanding ballad, but no more than do her piano accompaniment and the support of Russell Malone, Christian McBride and Peter Erskine on guitar, bass and drums. The maturity of her lyric interpretation is apparent everywhere in the song, devastatingly so in the ache she imparts to the crucial line, "...but the sun didn't rise with the dawn." She displays the musicianship undergirding her vocals in a piano solo that builds from a carefully considered single-note line into rich chords and an allusion to Herbie Hancock's "Dolphin Dance," which was first recorded the year after she was born. The woman is a listener." Doug Ramsey - Jazz Times, CD Discography, and MySpace page.

Bob Dylan - Together Through Life (2009) "'When all is said and done, however, it might just be that the most inspired decision undertaken in the execution of Together Through Life might be one of mere personnel. There’s no underestimating just how much the addition of the Los Lobos accordionist David Hidalgo brings to the table. ...  He’s the lilting wheeze that permeates If You Ever Go to Houston like a thermal current. Without him This Dream of You would have sounded like an inspired cross-pollination of Save The Last Dance For Me and Under the Boardwalk, but his Tex-Mex embellishments adorn what may be Dylan’s most beautiful song for years." Pete Paphides - Times Online , CD Discography, and MySpace page.

Tim Warfield - One For Shirley (2008) "'Saxophonist Tim Warfield�s fifth CD as a leader on the Criss Cross label, his first in six years, is a diverse collection of original compositions, obscure and known jazz standards, a traditional gospel song, and a 60s pop hit. The music�s common thread is that it was inspired by, performed by, or performed with the late organist/pianist Shirley Scott (1934-2002) one of Warfield�s mentors on the Philadelphia jazz scene, a musician best known through her recordings with saxophonists Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and Stanley Turrentine, her husband at the time, during the 50s and 60s." Greg Turner - jazzreview.com, CD Discography, and MySpace page.

Miles Davis - In A Silent Way (1969) "'This is the kind of album that gives you faith in the future of music. It is not rock and roll, but it's nothing stereotyped as jazz either. All at once, it owes almost as much to the techniques developed by rock improvisors in the last four years as to Davis' jazz background. It is part of a transcendental new music which flushes categories away and, while using musical devices from all styles and cultures, is defined mainly by its deep emotion and unaffected originality." LESTER BANGS - Rollingstone, CD Discography, and MySpace page.

Shilts - Jigsaw Life (2008) "'It’s his first album from NuGroove Records, the label that brought audiences the music of Down To The Bone, whom Shilts joined in the 90s and occasionally still plays the saxophone with live on stage. Since embarking on a solo career in 2001 with his self-released debut album See What Happens, Shilts has been creating a separate identity for himself and cemented his signature funk jazz style with his second record HeadBoppin’. His solo material allows him to fuse his creative ideas with his musical influences and music experiences from his past into the music of his present." Susan Frances - jazzreview.com, CD Discography, MySpace page and Website.

Karrin Allyson - Imagina: Songs Of Brasil (2007) "'Allyson has a voice of many colors. She can capture the delicacy of a melody and also can display a slight raspiness of tone for a more dramatic impact. Her diction is precise in both languages and she is able to convey the emotional quality of each song even if you don't understand the language. She does a masterful job of navigating her way through the lovely twisting melody of Jobim's "Double Rainbow" and a sensitive reading of the title track, the first song Jobim ever wrote. But most notable is her rendition of a true love song, "Outono (Stay)," which has a wonderfully sensual English lyric by Paul Williams." Marcia Hillman - All About Jazz, CD Discography, MySpace page and Website.

Nils - Up Close and Personal (2009) "'The album is the perfect combination of the familiar merged with the new and ‘Catalina’, a cut that is as magical as the island from which it takes its name, offers the same warm and comforting groove on which Nils has built his considerable reputation. ‘Happy To CU’ stays very much with his own west coast sound and ‘Getting Hooked’, despite having a similar feel, is right in the pocket and as catchy as they come. Nils notches down the tempo for ‘Until I See You Again’ and in doing so delivers a chilled out delight. It’s a tune that shows off a more sensitive side to his music and with the evocative ‘Winter Rain’ he conjures up a deconstructed masterpiece. The album’s only cover is his bluesy take on the Santana classic ‘Europa’ and while keeping it mellow for ‘East Bay’ he, true to type, makes it hugely infectious too."
CD Review - SmoothJazzTherapy.com, CD Discography, MySpace page and Website.

Hiromi - Another Mind (2003) "'Hiromi is a dazzling, slight, sprite of a lady who, on stage, dominates the instrument with a confidence-exuding, physical swagger in a manner that can only be claimed by those at the highest levels of performance in the world today. In fact, her perfect posture and barrier-free technique are reminiscent of the great Frenchman Jean-Michel Pilc, but in very different context. The music mixes dashes of nuevo samba, funk, odd-time regalia, microtonality and steroid-laced ragtime and Tin Pan Alley into a heady brew of high-energy jazz that is closest in classification to, dare I say, fusion - all of which lends itself incredibly well to the sonic pallette that Hiromi creates on electric and acoustic axes."
Phil DiPietro - AllAboutJazz.com, CD Discography, MySpace page and Website.

George Benson & Al Jarreau - Given' It Up (2006) "'Givin' It Up' not only brings two musical icons together under one umbrella, the sidemen accompanying George and Al are major influences in their own right...
'Givin' It Up' provides a vocal history of George Benson and Al Jarreau that re-examines their most memorable classics and also allows the two to push the envelope on some cover tracks also."
Sheldon T. Nunn - Jazz Review.com, CD Discography, MySpace page and Website.

Pharoah Sanders - The Impulse Story (2006) "Pharoah Sanders began his recording career as a fully paid-up, card-carrying member of the extreme fringe of the mid-'60s new wave. His first album, in 1964, was for ESP-Disk, a tiny but influential independent run by sonic ninja Bernard Stollman, who was also an early champion of Albert Ayler (he recorded Ayler's world-changing Spiritual Unity and Bells albums in 1964 and 1965). In 1965, John Coltrane began regularly calling on Sanders to augment his late-period outer-reaches band. Sanders is one of the saxophonists frightening the horses on Ascension, Live In Seattle and Meditations (recorded in 1965) and Live At The Village Vanguard Again! (1966). He's also heard (though poorly, due to the sound quality) on The Olatunji Concert: The Last Live Recording (1967). " Chris May - All About Jazz, CD Discography , Website and MySpace.

Carlos Santana - Supernatural (1999) " So how come most of it sounds so damn good? The truth of the matter is, it's been too long since Carlos Santana delivered a new studio album worthy of his awesome gifts, and for whatever reasons, all the high-profile attention he receives here appears to have reinvigorated his muse. Eclectic, lively and only occasionally goofy, Supernatural offers a glossy but winning context of musical fusion that highlights Santana's unique ability to make that guitar of his cry expressively." David Wild - Rollingstone, CD Discography , Website and MySpace.

Christian Scott - Live at Newport (2008) " (JVC Jazz Festival, Aug. 2008) features 70+ minutes on the CD and over 100 minutes of video footage, reprising the CDs tracks (minus The Crawler). Scott deftly mixes rock rhythms with arena-like standard jazz. There is a mixture of tension and release with heady power trumpet and up front rock rhythm drumming leading to atmospheric passages of lyrical beauty... This is jazz that fans can introduce to their teenage rock loving children to bring them into the fold. One can imagine Christian Scott’s group holding their own in a rock arena show with Radiohead headlining." Jeff Krow - Audiophile Audition, CD Discography and MySpace.

Paul Brown  & Marc Antoine - Foreign Xchange (2009) " The Foreign Exchange begins with the seductive blend of both guitars over a laid back, easy swaying groove on the perfectly titled “Feel The Love” before the two amp up for a romp through a thumping funk groove and sweet sensual atmospheres on “Wine Night.” No Antoine project is complete without a nod to the joyful spirit of Rio, and Brown’s crisp electric melody intertwines beautifully with Antoine’s acoustic harmonies on the balmy samba “Flight of the Concords.” Antoine plays bass and drums in addition to his guitar on the happily jangling drive-time vibe of the title track, which features the Brown-Antoine chemistry enhanced by the always sizzling Jerry Hey horns." Jonathan Widran - JazzMonthly.com, CD Discography, MySpace page and Website.

Marion Meadows - The Secret (2009) "'Regardless of the genre, an acoustic drum kit generally makes for a better sound than an electronic program. However, when the latter is done well, the difference can be staggering. That's one factor that makes Marion Meadows' Secrets function....
The title song features an easygoing groove. The backup ensemble of Broening, Brown, Fox, and drummer Michael White, is effective, with Maria Meadows offering some wordless vocals. The soprano sax is smooth without sounding trite or sugary." Woodrow Wilkins - All About Jazz, CD Discography, MySpace page and Website.

The Rippingtons - 20th Anniversary (2006) "An oddity about the Rippingtons is that while the group is considered a pioneer of smooth jazz, it's not a jazz band. Freeman has described it as more of a rock group. However, marketing forces tend to call predominantly instrumental popular music jazz, no matter what the intent of the songwriter. Whatever the classification, the Rippingtons are one of contemporary music's dominant forces: each recording is different from the last, and their live shows rock with energy. With a twenty-year track record, Freeman and the Rippingtons continue to move forward while acknowledging the past."    allaboutjazz.com - Woodrow Wilkins, CD Discography, MySpace page and Website.

Pat Martino - A Tribute to Wes Montgomery (2006) "Make no mistake—this is a tribute not only to Wes Montgomery, but also the resilience of human creativity. While this might smack of hyperbole, it should be remembered that Martino completely forgot how to play the guitar some 26 years ago as a result of brain surgery, and if diligence and application can supply the kind of results heard here, then any suggestion of hyperbole is surely questionable. ". allaboutjazz.com - Nic Jones,  CD Discography, MySpace page and Website.

Alice Coltrane - Impulse Story (2006) "Alice Coltrane has always had a raw deal from the jazz world. Either patronized or dismissed out of hand, she's suffered the double whammy of one, being a woman in what (until very recently) was overwhelmingly a man's world, and two, being John Coltrane's widow—and therefore, by some strange logic, not a serious artist in her own right. ". allaboutjazz.com - Chris May,  CD Discography, and MySpace page.

Esperanza Spalding - Esperanza (2008) "For the purist who wants to know what all the excitement is about Esperanza Spalding, they can skip directly to track 11—"If That's True"—of her sophomore album Esperanza, where she works out on the acoustic bass in an all-out jam with Donald Harrison on alto saxophone and Ambrose Akinmusire on trumpet. It flat-out smokes, and showcases the Berklee-trained bassist as potentially one of the more promising young talents in jazz.". AllAboutJazz.com - Jeff Wimbush,  CD, Website and MySpace Music page.

Leonard Cohen - LIVE IN LONDON (2009) "Live In London is a wonderful souvenir of Cohen's gig at London's O2 Arena in July 2008 (with an accompanying DVD also released). The 25 song setlist takes in many eras of Cohen's back catalogue, and the man himself sounds in fine voice - in fact, that famously deep bass rumble sounds better than ever, with not even a hint of a shake in the vocals". MusicOHM.com - John Murphy,  CD and MySpace Music page.

Earl Carter - Project X (2009) is the latest music compilation by Earl Carter, and is described as being "Catchy melodic phrasing, tasteful guitar solos, brilliant music production and strong rhythms".  It is a lot good music put together with many well known musicians to accompany him.  Listen to tracks on his MySpace Music page.

Nate Birkey - Almost Home (2008) "This laid-back, mostly cool jazz album with echoes of the West Coast 1950s sound also bespeaks a certain dramatic intensity"... "straightforwardly a man's expression of who he is, and that is the true essence of jazz. Eminently listenable, Almost Home is also a valid musical expression of the human heart."
Victor L. Schermer - All About Jazz

Terrence Brewer - Groovin Wes (2008) "Groovin' Wes provides a special tribute to one of the greats of jazz who though long gone, has never really left us and is a live and well in the music of Terrence Brewer." 
ejazznews.com - Edward Blanco

Jane Monheit - The Lovers, the Dreamers and Me (2009) "With her new release, Jane Monheit further demonstrates her skill as a song interpreter and her willingness to stretch her voice to tackle difficult material. Fans of Surrender may be surprised at the slight change in tone and material, but The Lovers, The Dreamers, and Me represents an artist in continuous creative development. New and longtime fans alike should enjoy Monheit's latest effort."   Kit O'Toole - BlogCritic.org

SMV - Thunder (2008) "Bring together three titans of the electric bass, and you're in for something downright special. So it is with Thunder by S.M.V. (Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten). While the three mostly play electric bass, Clarke uses the acoustic on a few tracks, and Miller contributes other instruments, including bass clarinet, alto and tenor saxophones, synths and beat programming."   Woodrow Wilkins - AllAboutJazz.com:

John Mayer - Where The Light Is: Live In Los Angeles (2008)"  Recorded at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles, CA, Where the Light Is: John Mayer Live in Los Angeles finds singer/songwriter and guitarist John Mayer performing in three different band settings: acoustic trio, electric trio, and large ensemble...""Admittedly sprawling and ambitious, Where the Light Is is nonetheless a dynamic showcase for Mayer, who never fails to shine." Billboard.com:  Matt Collar, All Music Guide

"No Limits" (2008) by Nick Colionne, "is an enthusiastic mixture of R&B, blues, vocals and contemporary jazz.."
  - Read it at Jazz Review 
"No Limits", "a cd whose title well reflects his current philosophy on life and music. The project illustrates Colionne's coming of age"
 - Jazz Lynx Review