Musician
Featured this week,
Larry Brown is a straight-ahead jazz pianist, performing in the Mid-Atlantic region. He received his Bachelors Degree in Music Theory from Towson University, where he studied with arranger/composer Hank Levy. He earned his Masters of Music degree from Catholic University in Washington, DC, where he studied Composition and Electronic Music with Professor Emeritus H. Emerson Meyers, who died in 1990. Larry released, “Hard Bop Café” which "reprises the hard-bop style of the legendary Blue Note era" in 2006, and later that year the group received the WAMA (Washington Area Music Association) award for "Best Jazz Recording for 2006" and a Wammie award for "Best Jazz Group". He launched his next album, “Peace” (Lush Life Records in 2008), with a CD release party at Blues Alley in Georgetown. Larry is noted for his "rendering of ballads”, and his unique style again brought him to the attention of the Washington Area Music Association (WAMA), which awarded his band "the Best Jazz Group for 2008". Larry and his group can be heard performing at many venues in the Mid-Atlantic region.
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Keiko Matsui |
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Keiko Matsui - The Road (2011)
"Keiko Matsui is a master on the piano or the keytar, and she’s demonstrated her technical skills both on record and onstage—especially during her remarkable four-hand piano gigs with Bob James. But throughout her distinguished career, Matsui hasn’t been overly concerned with garnering recognition for her virtuosity. The Tokyo-born artist, although often placed in the contemporary-jazz category, has always been more about inspiration and hope. Her lovely runs on the ivories have shuttled her to the top of the new-age charts."
Brian Soergel - Jazz Times, CD Discography
, Website
and
MySpace.
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Keiko Matsui - Moyo (Heart and Soul) (2007)
"Moyo (Swahili for "heart and soul") was recorded with local musicians in South Africa, marking the return of "live" bass and drums for the first time since Sapphire (Shout! Factory, 1995). For her first self-produced effort, Matsui sought out familiar musicians from previous albums, including drummer Akira Jimbo, saxophonist Paul Taylor, bassist/vocalist Richard Bona and the still-kicking-butt-after-all-these-years trumpet of South African native son, 68-year-old Hugh Masakela. Matsui has enjoyed much commercial success and is a staple of smooth jazz programming though she's always followed her own direction rather than comforming to the rules of the genre. Moyo is a fascinating next step in Matsui's growth and advancement as a musician of depth, range, grace and talent."
Jeff Wimbush - All About Jazz
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Patrick Yandall |
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Patrick Yandall Patrick Yandall - Samoa Soul (2006)
"Smooth jazz has many complexions and one particularly distinctive hue is that which shines back from the laid back
music confines of San Diego. Maybe this is due in part to the now legendary winery events that populate the musical calendar
of the area. Perhaps it’s simply the routinely wonderful weather that gives the plethora of great open air shows at hotels and
resorts their own special feeling. Whatever the reason, a sure thing is that if one musician epitomizes that San Diego vibe it
is guitarist Patrick Yandall."
~ Smooth Jazz Therapy,
CD Discography and
Reverbnation page.
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 Patrick Yandall - - Acoustic Dreamscape (2012)
"Smooth Jazz Therapy has followed the career of guitarist Patrick Yandall since 2006 and the release of his excellent CD ‘Samoa Soul’.
In fact this San Diego resident has been a solo artist since 1994 when he made his debut with ‘That Feels Nice’ and now, eighteen
years later, he is back with his fourteenth album, the terrific ‘Acoustic Dreamscape’. Produced and engineered by Yandall (who also
writes nine of the eleven tracks) this is very much his own project and, given he also plays all instruments, there is little doubt that
‘Acoustic Dreamscape’serves as a resounding showcase for his abundant talents."
~ Smooth Jazz Therapy
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Feist |
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 Feist - Open Season (2012)
"Just when you thought that you had heard the last of “Mushaboom,” or that the song couldn’t get any better, Canadian songstress Feist returns with a series of remixes called Open Season with four, count `em, four different versions of that incredibly catchy song from early 2005. Consisting mostly of reworked songs from Feist’s Let it Die, this bonus treasure also contains three collaborative songs that might be new to some listeners. Despite having been a part of Peaches’ stage show, and working with writing partner Gonzales, Feist claims to be fairly oblivious to the idea of the remix, or so she claims in her liner notes. Despite the claim, Feist and her collaborators have put together an interesting and eclectic compilation that, while it may not be as good as Let it Die, is at the very least a solid record with a handful of spectacular moments. "
~ Ernest Simpson (2006) - Treble Media, CD Discography,
MySpace, Facebook and
Website. |
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 Feist - Metals (2011)
"On “Metals,” the Canadian American harnesses all her gifts to create something essential: the matter-of-fact gorgeousness of her voice, best illustrated on her massive 2007 hit, “1234”; the way she mixes complicated emotions with equally complicated arrangements while making it all seem so effortless; and a versatility that allows her to craft a compilation’s worth of sounds and approaches without lapsing into pastiche. Granted, “Metals” isn’t a particularly dangerous record; your mom and dad will dig this, so will your daughter. But at least they’ll agree on something.”.
~ Randall Roberts - latimes.com.
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Stanley Clarke |
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Stanley Clarke - The Stanley Clarke Band (2010)
"Jazz In the Garden is an exciting new release from jazz bassist Stanley Clarke. Because of his strong association with jazz fusion, it must be pointed out that this is Clarke's very first acoustic jazz trio album. Backed by longtime collaborator Lenny White on drums, and the extraordinary pianist Hiromi Uehara, Clarke turns out a masterful straight-ahead jazz classic. An wide variety of textures and moods keeps the album interesting for its duration. For pure bass virtuosity, "Bass Folk Song No. 5 & 6" is a hypnotic unaccompanied solo that demonstrates why Clarke is so revered. "Global Tweak," an improvised duet between Clarke and Hiromi, left me slack-jawed at the dazzling interplay between these two musicians. I hadn't heard Hiromi before, but I will definitely be seeking out more from this thirty-year-old dynamo. Though Clarke is nearly twice her age, with decades more experience, she more than holds her own. In fact, her solos consistently steal the show. That's not to take anything away from Clarke, who is clearly in command throughout."
~ Phil Wain - notreble.com, CD Discography,
Website,
Facebook and
MySpace page.
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 Stanley Clarke
- Jazz in the Garden (2009) "Jazz In the Garden is an exciting new release from jazz bassist Stanley Clarke. Because of his strong association with jazz fusion, it must be pointed out that this is Clarke's very first acoustic jazz trio album. Backed by longtime collaborator Lenny White on drums, and the extraordinary pianist Hiromi Uehara, Clarke turns out a masterful straight-ahead jazz classic. An wide variety of textures and moods keeps the album interesting for its duration. For pure bass virtuosity, "Bass Folk Song No. 5 & 6" is a hypnotic unaccompanied solo that demonstrates why Clarke is so revered. "Global Tweak," an improvised duet between Clarke and Hiromi, left me slack-jawed at the dazzling interplay between these two musicians. I hadn't heard Hiromi before, but I will definitely be seeking out more from this thirty-year-old dynamo. Though Clarke is nearly twice her age, with decades more experience, she more than holds her own. In fact, her solos consistently steal the show. That's not to take anything away from Clarke, who is clearly in command throughout.”
~ BlogCritic.com |
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Kiku Collins |
Kiku Collins -
Red Light (2011)
“An interesting blend of jazz/blues polish and sass is what we have here from trumpeter/vocalist Kiku Collins on her latest project, Red Light. The former Beyonce trumpet player who’s worked with the likes of Michael Bolton and Jill Scott has a style as sexy and smooth as silk and as authentic as her persona. Using great phrasing and arrangements, the music presented here–the vast majority of which was co-written by Collins–is a combination of sweet, sexy, and “come hither” sensuality (listen to “Tag Play” for a good example) and funky, enflamed groove (e.g., “Come My Way” – check out bassist Malcolm Gold’s work while you’re here).” ~ Smooth Jazz Ride, CD Discography, YouTube,
MySpace page and
Website. |
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Kiku Collins -
Here With Me (2008)
“She’s more than just Beyonce’s and Michael Bolton's former horn player, though. She’s now stepping into the spotlight all on her own with her debut album “Here With Me” (innova 668). While Kiku has been seen around town, as well as around the world, with major pop stars including Beyonce, Dave Wakeling, TM Stevens, Carmine Appice, Robert Gordon, Sami Yaffa, Jonathan Richmond, and Pat Travers to drop a few names, she has truly found her voice in "Here With Me". This smoothly satisfying album redefines evocative jazzy compositions and rich orchestration. Her multiple tracking on the flugelhorn, muted trumpet and trombone, showcases a level of musicianship of the highest order and demonstrates what a band of Kikus might sound like.”
~ One Sheet - Innova Recordings
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Dave Koz |
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 Dave Koz - Live At Blue Note Tokyo (2012)
"In a career that spans twenty years and a dozen albums, despite establishing himself as one of the most prominent figures in contemporary jazz, the only glitch in the otherwise glittering resume of Dave Koz was the absence of a live CD. Yet anyone who has seen this consummate entertainer perform will have clearly wondered why. Well, wonder no more as on February 12, 2013 Concord Records released ‘Live At The Blue Note Tokyo’. It was recorded in 2011, independently issued in September 2012 and is now getting the wide distribution it so richly deserves."
Smooth Jazz Therapy,
CD Discography,
Facebook,
Dave Koz & Friends at Sea,
MySpace page and
Website.
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Dave Koz - Hello Tomorrow (2010) "A year after Dave Koz receiving his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in front of Capitol Records, his label since his self titled debut back in 1990, the multiple Grammy nominated saxman says Hello Tomorrow to the next phase of his extraordinary, multi media career with his wonderful debut on Concord Jazz. It’s hard to believe but it is also his first full album of all original tracks since 2003’s hit Saxophonic. In the meantime, he’s done a movie theme album (At The Movies), another Christmas project (Memories of a Winter’s Night) and a Greatest Hits package with a few new tracks." -
~ Jonathan Widran - JazzMonthly.com |
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U-NAM |
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 U-NAM & Friends: Weekend in L.A.: A Tribute to George Benson (2012)
"It has become a ritual for the musical community to produce tribute projects
and many paying homage to influential artists. However, only a few of those
aforementioned are of exceptional caliber. Whether it’s their distinctive
approach, performance excellence or a special connection with that artist, their
tributes pay an even higher compliment towards the one being honored. Two
releases in 2012 come to mind; one being the enthralling tribute to Etta James
from Etta’s soul sister Leela James and the other belonging to guitarist U-Nam's
perspective of contemporary jazz great, George Benson."
~ Peggy Oliver - the urban music scene, Website, Reverbnation,
CD Discography, YouTube and Facebook
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 U-NAM - Unanimity (2009)
"Nimble with the strings, varied in his influences and dynamic in his delivery, it has barely taken two CD's for jazz guitarist Emmanuel Abiteboul, better known as U-Nam, to establish himself as one of today's most exciting artists, producers and musicians. Elastic in his approach and eager to incorporate differing musical styles into his tracks (pop, funk and soul), U-Nam, as expected, follows up 2007's Back From the 80's with---what else?--- another delicious fusion of funk, pop, and contemporary soul.'"
~ Melody Charles - soultracks.com
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Herbie Hancock |
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Herbie Hancock - Empyrean Isles (The Rudy Van Gelder Edition) (1999)
"As a member of Miles Davis' second quintet during the 1960s, pianist Herbie Hancock rarely performed live under his own leadership, but he did take the time to record. Hancock's 1964 effort, Empyrean Isles, remains one of the most diverse and often challenging records of the pianist's tenure with Blue Note Records. It's a rare jazz record that offers both a hugely popular hit, as well as an outré masterwork of rhythmic repetition and angular melodies. As a member of Miles Davis' second quintet during the 1960s, pianist Herbie Hancock rarely performed live under his own leadership, but he did take the time to record. Hancock's 1964 effort, Empyrean Isles, remains one of the most diverse and often challenging records of the pianist's tenure with Blue Note Records. It's a rare jazz record that offers both a hugely popular hit, as well as an outré masterwork of rhythmic repetition and angular melodies."
~ Greg Simmons - All About Jazz,
CD Discography,
Website and
MySpace page.
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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
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Dr. Lonnie Smith |
Dr. Lonnie Smith -
The Healer (2012)
“Dr. Lonnie Smith has always addressed organ traditions on his own terms. He seems to intentionally avoid clichés and marketplace trends, preferring instead to chart his own course, so it's beautifully ironic that he's become something of a trendy figure-to-follow for the jazz-meets-jam crowd. While Smith recently attained septuagenarian status, he shows no signs of developing a conservative crust or going musically gentle into that good night. The Healer, culled from material recorded at the 2011 Lamantin Jazz Festival in Hungary and a date at New York's Jazz Standard in early 2012, is brimming with the bold, bizarre and beautiful.” ~ Dan Bilawsky - All About Jazz, CD Discography, YouTube,
MySpace page and
Website. |
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Dr. Lonnie Smith -
Spiral (2010)
“Vitality and age might be normally be at odds with one another, but not when discussing Dr. Lonnie Smith—the inimitable organ shaman of the modern soul-jazz epoch. Whether turning in clever takes on the music of indie rocker Beck, recasting familiar standards in his organic organ mold or shaping his own compositions to his liking, Smith never seems to be short on ideas. He furthers the traditional role of the organ in small-group jazz and puts a modern slant on things, giving the music a unique character that is also immediately accessible.”
~ Dan Bilawsky - All About Jazz
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Nils |
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Nils – City Groove (2012)
"Some artists hit the “lucky” button just right and crank out a solid seller the first go ‘round—maybe even twice—and then fizzle out, if not in presence then in material. Nils has consistency written all over him. This project shouts that out about him.
Funk and blues reign supreme on this recording from the title track with its swinging boogie/bluesy up-tempo swagger with the Chicago-like horn section blaring away to the solid nimble-fingered chording, strumming, and riffing found in the funky “Casablanca” to the crying bluesiness of “Sunset Blvd.” (very interesting choice of melody for this one) all the way through the last track, the absolutely beautiful and melodic “The Alchemist.” The guitarist—who has fellow guitarist Jeff Golub team up with him for a stirring performance on “Soul 2 Soul”—again quickly lays claim to his clear trademark sharp and crisp guitar licks and grooves"
CD Review - The Smooth Jazz Ride, CD Discography,
MySpace page and
Website.
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Nils - What The Funk? (2010) "Possessing the uniquely elite gift of deeply "feeling" every note he writes and plays, Nils, the multi-talented Munich born guitarist, has yet again given his followers grounds to rejoice. His new release on TSR/Baja Records, What The Funk?, proves to be an aural delight of the highest order. On three previous and superlative Contemporary Jazz CDs for TSR/Baja, Nils often displayed a clearly identifiable undercurrent of his R&B, Soul and Rock roots. At this moment with What The Funk? Nils has allowed the funk flavor to ascend fully to the surface with magnificent effect. Aiding him on his funky quest are many of the same trusted musicians who have graced his past work with their inspired presence. " -
~ Randall Parrish - JazzReview.com |
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Candy Dulfer |
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Candy Dulfer - Crazy (2012) “Though you usually find her albums in the “Smooth Jazz’ section, Dulfer’s music has always been about more than ‘just jazz’. She strays, or more correctly invades the lands of funk, R&B, soul, pop, techno and more. No country is safe when this sexy, high-energy , seemingly out-of-control, but always calculating lady steps on the stage or into the studio.
This marks the 22nd years since her debut album, Saxuality, in 1990. That album
was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz
Album... Once again, Candy has pushed the limits on Crazy to make an album that is high-energy,
danceable, funky, sexy and fun.” ~ The Dirty Lowdown
CD Discography, Facebook, and MySpace Music page. |
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Candy Dulfer - Saxuality (1990) “July 07, 1991 | "Lily Was Here," one of the rare instrumentals to become a Top 20 hit single, is full of the kind of funky, R&B/jazz instrumentals 21-year-old Candy Dulfer listened to growing up--in Amsterdam. "My father is a jazz musician who plays sax," Dulfer,
21, said during a recent Los Angeles visit. "There were saxes and
sax music around the house all the time. I got hooked. I was 7 when
I picked up the sax." She acknowledged that being the lone prominent woman in a genre dominated by men 10 to 20 years older has its advantages. "I'm sort of a novelty," she conceded. "If I was a guy with the same ability, I wouldn't be here doing this interview about my success.” ~ Dennis Hunt - Los Angeles Times |
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Mads Tolling |
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Mads Tolling - Celebrating Jean-Luc Ponty: Live at Yoshi's (2012)
"'Mads Tolling caught the attention of jazz violin fans for his work as a member of the wide-ranging Turtle Island String Quartet, which he left in early 2012. One of his inspirations has long been violinist Jean-Luc Ponty, who started playing bop, moved into fusion and rock, delved into world music and more. Joined by electric guitarist Mike Abraham, electric bassist George Ban-Weiss, and drummer Eric Garland, Tolling pays tribute to Ponty with a powerful set from a single evening at Yoshi's in Oakland. "
AllMusic.com, CD Discography,
MySpace , Website and DC Bebop page.
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 Mads Tolling -
The Playmaker (2009)
"Tollings' six consecutive originals, almost all dedicated to friends or influences past or present—crosses a wide swatch, from the buoyant title track to the ambling "El Duderino" and higher velocity lobbies in "Starmaker Machinery," appropriately dedicated to guitar legend John McLaughlin and featuring some of vibrant and inspired interplay between Tolling and Abraham. Virtuosity may be a given on The Playmaker, but what's most impressive is the sound of Tolling's quartet, which drives the majority of the record and, based on the results, must be thrilling live. For those who can, check out Tollings live; for those who can't, The Playmaker is a great place to start.”
~ John Kelman - All About Jazz |
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Johannes Linstead |
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 Johannes Linstead - Tales of Gypsy (2012) "Multi-award winning guitarist Johannes Linstead who has created a culture within the culture of Latin music with his flavorful style of World and flamenco offerings, is back again with another exotic treat of 11 tracks he collectively calls Tales of a Gypsy (to be released on Oct. 22), an intoxicating blend of pulsating rhythms, sweet melodies, and the diversity of World sound for which he has often been noted. As for his inspiration for this project and its title, Linstead says, “I travel around the world, and each of my compositions is like another tale to be told. I feel like I’m following in the footsteps of the original gypsies who traveled wherever they wanted and spread ideas, culture, and art as they went.” This album has that very gypsy feel in addition to that very Linstead expression and overall feel." ~ Ronald Jackson - TheSmoothJazzRide.com,
CD Discography, Website , Youtube, Facebook and dMusic. |
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 Johannes Linstead - Cafe Tropical (2006)
"Johannes Linstead is a great musician but he may be an even better composer and producer. His complete understanding of the Latin genre and specifically the flamenco sub genre are noticeable. The arrangements are beautifully balanced. Like a perfectly choreographed ballet, the instruments move in unison, never seeming out of place. The rhythms of the congas (Marcus Chonsky, Anastasios Bigas and Alex Godinez), bongo and timbales (both by Godinez) never overshadow Linstead’s guitar or other instruments. " ~ Joe Montague - JazzReview.com
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The Cookers |
The Cookers - Believe (2012) "The Cookers’ 2010 album Warriors ranked as one of that year’s top ten jazz albums here: how does their new one, Believe, just out from Motema, stack up alongside it? It’s different, and it’s even better. It’s one of those rare albums that come along a handful of times a year, that will blow you away the first time you give it a close listen. Who would have thought that all but two of the members of this perennially vital, intense veteran septet – saxophonists Billy Harper and Craig Handy, trumpeters Eddie Henderson and David Weiss, pianist George Cables, bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Billy Hart – are in their sixties or seventies? And who would have imagined that they’d come out with an album that’s mostly midtempo, with a couple of brooding ballads? This one has gravitas, rich melodic beauty and all sorts of deep playing and interplay. Interestingly, much as this band is all about power and fiery chops, it’s the compositions here that absolutely slay. The overall concept seems be something along the lines of “look, this isn’t just a superstar session, we’re a more-or-less fulltime band,” and they reaffirm that many times over." -
~ Lucid Culture, CD Discography, Facebook page and Jazz Legacy Productions.
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The Cookers -
Warriors (2010)
“David Weiss’ most important contributions to jazz have been the projects he conceives and coordinates. His latest undertaking is the Cookers, whose members have 250 years of collective experience and more than 1,000 recording credits. Weiss plays trumpet and Craig Handy plays alto saxophone and flute. Then there are five major but somewhat overlooked heavy hitters, best known from the 1960s and ’70s, who can still play their butts off: Billy Harper (tenor saxophone), Eddie Henderson (trumpet), George Cables (piano), Cecil McBee (bass) and Billy Hart (drums). The Cookers is not a typical all-star group but a tight working band. They have been together since June 2007 and play 20 to 30 gigs a year. Warriors is their first recording.”
By Thomas Conrad - JazzTimes.com
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Rocco Ventrella |
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 Rocco Ventrella - Sweet Temptation (2012) "Well, I haven’t run into a Rocco Ventrella release since 2007 when his Give Me the Groove CD made its entry into the world of smooth jazz. It’s refreshing to see that the saxman still knows how to work the soul out of a sax. Here on his latest, Sweet Temptation, he conjures up a mix of funk, slick & smooth jazz, and a nice touch of mellow R&B.""
~ Ronald Jackson - thesmoothjazzride.com,
CD Baby, Facebook, MySpace, Website, Reverbnation and DC Bebop
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Rocco Ventrella -
Give Me The Groove (2007)
“Rocco Ventrella hails from Bari, Italy. From 1983 until 2005 Ventrella played in the Big Band "J.S.O." of Bari where he appeared with an impressive list of artists such as: Lee Konitz, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Benny Bailey, Chet Baker, Paolo Fresu, Enrico Rava, Tullio De Piscopo, Ernie Wilkins, Art Farmer, Maurizio Giammarco, Gianni Basso, Lee Konitz, Tony Scott, Dizzy Gillespie, G. Gaslini, D. Goykovic, Bob Mintzer and others. His first solo project was Tribute To Grover Washington, Jr. (2005) containing three tracks: Winelight, Let It Flow and Make Me A Memory. In addition, Ventrella has some new recordings featuring his own compositions, including the soulful and haunting I Receive Your Love. The surprising success of this album especially the positive reaction of critics encouraged Rocco to record Give Me The Groove (2007).”
~ HBH - smooth-jazz.de
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Shilts |
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Shilts - All Grown Up (2012)
"If anyone was in any doubt as to the ability of sax-man Paul Weimer, aka Shilts, to ‘move on’ from his typecasting as leader and front man of urban jazz funk outfit Down To The Bone then one need look no further than his latest release, the appropriately titled ‘All Grown Up’. Its an album that majors on what might be described as his more jazzy side and is the latest installment in a solo career that started out in 2001 with ‘See What Happens’ and gained momentum in 2006 with ‘Head Boppin’. "
Smooth Jazz Therapy, CD Discography,
MySpace page and
Website.
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Shilts - Going Underground (2010)
"High-energy contemporary jazz saxophonist Paul “Shilts” Weimer certainly boasts ample street cred. He’s a founding member of the Down to the Bone and has rocked on stage with Brand New Heavies and funk kings Was (Not Was). The U.K. native moved to c-jazz friendly Southern California to advance his career and has prospered with three solo CDs. His fourth however, Going Underground, pushes aside any nicety-nice and is what it is – a full-throated, unfiltered, high-powered CD that reflects a new indie spirit as he’s now releasing music unencumbered by record companies. Good call." -
Brian Soergel - TheUrbanMusicScene.com |
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Chris Botti |
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 Chris Botti - Impressions (2012) "Few trumpeters have the tonal quality and talent of Chris Botti. But what really puts Botti in the most elite class of musicians is his ability to communicate through music, not just do a fine job of playing notes.
"Impressions" is the latest of several albums in which Botti hits listeners in the gut and takes them on his own unique musical journey. His strength comes not from muscle, power, or uptempo rhythm, but from the grace and beauty of his no-frills, bare-your-soul passion." ~ Tom Henry - Toledo Blade,
CD Discography, Wikipedia , Youtube, Facebook and Website. |
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 Chris Botti - Italia (2007)
"Word has it that since giving up his New York apartment a few years ago, Chris Botti has had no permanent residence. It’s funny to think of someone this successful as “homeless.” but truly, even if he had a pad somewhere, he’d never be there. One look at the travel itinerary on his website and it’s clear that his incredible popularity these past few years has ensured that he’s too in demand around the world to stay in one place for more than a few nights. His international agenda in early 2008 includes stops in Mexico City, Warsaw and London and he’s got bookings that run into mid-2009. Evolving from the smooth jazz roots that brought him to stardom in the 90s, Botti has taken his straightforward, subtle and melodic, Miles Davis influenced style to the top of the traditional charts and into the hearts of millions worldwide." ~ Jonathan Widran - JazzMonthly.com |
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Lao Tizer |
Lao Tizer - Downbeat (2012) "Lots of good buzz surrounding this highly anticipated new release from the jazz, world, fusion group - Tizer. The new release titled Downbeat drops on September 18th and is a magnificent mix of 12 new original tracks that run the sonic spectrum of color and flavor for those who like to roll with the more creative jazz inspired contemporary world music of the day. The explanation of style seems long and justifiably so because Tizer is not content to simply find one groove and stick with it. Aside from acclaimed keyboardist Lao Tizer who also is a formidable force working as a composer, we have contemporary and Emmy winning jazz guitarist Chieli Minucci, violinist Karen Briggs (Yanni), guitarist Jeff Kollman (Chad Smith), bassist Rufus Philpot from Down To The Bone and Cuban drum titan Raul Pineda. This release is literally top heavy with first call "A" list talent!
~ CriticalJazz.com, CD Discography, Facebook, Website and
MySpace. |
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Lao Tizer -
Diversity (2007)
“The highs and lows of Diversify take listeners on a sojourn through varying degrees of influences. Tracks such as
"A Night in the City" and the title track are spontaneous and rhythmic, while a few of the album's songs flow in a more subtle direction. Other tracks on the CD provide an introspective look at Lao's creative input as he intuitively includes Latin, R&B and neo soul dynamics as a part of his overall intent. As one examines the specified flavor of Diversify, Tizer is not single minded in the manner he has chosen to highlight himself as a composer and musician.”
By Sheldon T. Nunn - JazzReview.com
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Christina Aguilera |
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 Christina Aguilera - Keeps Gettin' Better: A Decade of Hits (2008) "When Christina Aguilera began her decade of hits back in 1999 she was instantly overshadowed by her fellow New Mickey Mouse Club alumni Britney Spears, who was first out of the gate with Baby One More Time and wound up outselling Christina and every other teen pop act this side of *NSync in the first years of the new millennium. As the 2000s rolled on, Aguilera slowly, surely began to eclipse Spears. Brit-Brit's downward spiral and arrested artistic development seemed all the stronger when compared to Xtina's restless risks and increasingly assured musical vision, a progression that's evident on Keeps Gettin' Better: A Decade of Hits."
~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine - allmusic.com, , Facebook, MySpace, Wikipedia, Website and CD Discography.
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Christina Aguilera - Christina Aguilera (1999) "Since Christina Aguilera is the third and last of the New Mickey Mouse Club alumni to hit the charts in the mid-'90s -- following two members of 'N Sync and Britney Spears -- it's easy for cynical observers to assume that she was the lesser of the three talents since she arrived last after everyone scaled the charts. That's not the case at all. If anything, Aguilera is the best of the three, blessed with a rich voice that's given the material it deserves."
~
Stephen Thomas Erlewine - allmusic.com
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Marcus Miller |
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 Marcus Miller - Renaissance (2012)
"When a new release from Marcus Miller is announced, people take
note. Marcus has, after all, been a major force in the music scene
for over three decades. As a bass player, composer, arranger and
producer, Marcus’ career has included long associations with Miles
Davis, David Sanborn and Luther Vandross, as well as collaborations
with a who’s who of some of the biggest names in the music business.
The list, cutting across all genres, includes everyone from rock
luminaries Eric Clapton and Donald Fagen to jazz icons Dizzy
Gillespie and George Benson, pop stars Paul Simon and Mariah Carey,
R&B divas Aretha Franklin and Chaka Khan, hip-hoppers Jay-Z and
Snoop Dogg, opera singers Kenn Hicks and Kathleen Battle and
countless others. And to each endeavor, he invariably adds that
inimitable “Marcus touch,” turning every project into a virtual
masterpiece.”
~ Jon Liebman - For Bass Players Only, Facebook, MySpace, Wikipedia, Website and CD Discography.
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Marcus Miller - A Night in Monte-Carlo (2011) "Miles Davis and Jaco Pastorius references, Middle Eastern influences, deep funk and lush orchestral flourishes are among the elements Marcus Miller employs on his new album, recorded live in Monaco with the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra in 2008.
The superstar bassist, producer, composer and multi-instrumentalist is joined by the likes of Herbie Hancock, trumpeter Roy Hargrove, singer-guitarist Raśl Midón and turntablist DJ Logic for a rangy set of music that mixes Miller staples with pieces tailor-made for his special guests. Under different leadership, it’s an approach that might have degenerated into variety-show contrivance. Not here. In Miller’s hands, variously wrapped around fretted and fretless Fender Jazz basses and bass clarinet, the eclecticism comes off as natural and inspired."
~
Philip Booth - Between the Grooves
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Matthew Montfort |
Matthew Montfort - Sympathetic Serenade for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar (2012) "When Matthew Montfort was working on his debut solo recording for scalloped fretboard guitar (a special guitar modified to enable ornaments characteristic of the sitar), he recorded a number of spontaneously improvised serenades. Were it not for some serendipitous sequencing coupled with the allure of alliteration, it's likely that this recording would have been released as the eighth improvisation on what became Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar. Instead, this evocative Spanish serenade/raga hybrid receives a mini-EP treatment on Matthew Montfort's Sympathetic Serenade for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar. The nearly 11 minute long track, entitled 'Sympathetic Serenade,' is available May 22, 2012, as a download complete with nine pages of digital liner notes at digital retailers such as iTunes, and as a signed CD-R exclusively at Ancient-Future.Com." -
Matthew Perpetua; July 26, 2011 - Pitchfork.com, CD Discography, Facebook,
last.fm/font> page and
Website. |
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Matthew Montfort -
Seven Serenades (2008) “Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar is best described as world fusion; Indian music is an influence, but it isn't the disc's only influence -- and Montfort also draws on everything from Spanish flamenco to blues to folk-rock. Celtic music is an influence on "Celtic Raga," which successfully combines Irish-Celtic and Indian elements. Through it all, Montfort demonstrates that even though he has considerable chops and technical prowess, he is much more interested in feeling and expression than technique. ”
Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
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Gerald Albright |
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 Gerald Albright & Norman Brown - 24/7 (2012)
"No instruments dominate smooth jazz more than the guitar and saxophone, which is why Gerald Albright and Norman Brown, two of the genre's most dominant players, make such an inspired pairing. Both musicians are on the top of their game and while 24/7 breaks no new ground, it does provide perfect listening for warm summer nights when a cool groove is required. Multi-instrumentalist Albright's array of saxophones and robust tone tends to slightly overshadow Brown's deft guitar playing at times, but never overwhelms it. Brown recedes a bit from a soloist to sideman, but seems comfortable allowing Albright to do the heavy lifting while he follows his lead.”
~ Jeff Wimbush - AllAboutJazz.com
Gerald Albight:
CD Discography, Website, and MySpace
Norman Brown: CD Discography, Website
and MySpac
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 Gerald Albright - Pushing the Envelope (2010) “Gerald Albright doesn’t try to do too much—just kidding. With his aptly named new CD, Albright simply burns on his soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxes, while also playing flute, bass, keys, drum programming, synth and the EWI. Like all of his solo work, Pushing the Envelope is a deeply satisfying, diverse collection of jazz, funk, blues and R&B. Albright can play, of course, but more important are his instincts for groove and musicianship, both of which go a long way in contemporary jazz."
~ Brian Soergel - Jazz Times,
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Corinne Bailey Rae |
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 Corinne Bailey Rae - The Love EP (2011)
"Corinne Bailey Rae has established herself as a formidable vocalist (on her self-titled 2006 debut) and a credible songwriter (on 2010's studio followup, The Sea). With her newest release, the (possibly stopgap) covers collection The Love EP, Bailey Rae stakes a claim as an effective interpreter of the work of others. This thematically cohesive collection (the songs' lyrics all deal with love in one way or another) was timed for release to capitalize on Valentine's Day.”"
~ Bill Kopp - musoscribe.com, MySpace, Website and CD Discography.
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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
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Carlos Santana |
Santana - Shape Shifter (2012) "If you've been yearning for some classic Carlos Santana, "Shape Shifter," the guitarist's first album on his new Starfaith Records label, is just the ticket. Santana's 36th album is dedicated to Native American Indians and features 13 mostly original songs he has been saving for a special release. Only one song, the Latin-flavored "Eres La Luz," features vocals (singers Andy Vargas and Tony Lindsay). The remaining instrumental tracks showcase Santana's virtuoso guitar playing in a beautifully arranged and carefully paced album.;"
~ Gene Stout, Special to The Seattle Times, CD Discography
, Website
and
MySpace.
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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
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Little Dragon |
Little Dragon - Ritual Union (2011) "Ritual Union, the band's third album, does not stray from the sexy, futuristic sound of their previous record, Machine Dreams, or their team-up with Albarn. If anything, they've doubled down on their aesthetic by leaning harder than ever on moody synths, nearly subliminal bass lines and impossibly crisp snare hits. A few of the songs, like the sleek title track and the brisk, funky "Nightlight", rank among the group's finest work. All through the record, Little Dragon are extremely effective in delivering the most attractive elements of their style, resulting in a set of songs that come across like the ideal soundtrack to a night on the town in some exotic sci-fi city." -
Matthew Perpetua; July 26, 2011 - Pitchfork.com, CD Discography, Facebook,
SoundCloud page and
Website. |
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Little Dragon - Little Dragon (Import - 2007)
"For years now, the world of music has been too global and interconnected for one to truly be surprised at an outfit such as Little Dragon, but it's no less a wonder that a sound as American as soul and R&B can infuse the music this pervasively of a group of high school buddies from Sweden. Little Dragon is a dynamic self-titled debut that is yet another credible and enchanting Euro-approximation of soul and rhythm & blues. Vocalist Yukimi Nagano displays all the subtle inflections and conspicuous acrobatics that have identified the R&B genre for years, but specifically the more recent paradigms of the Chaka Khans and MJBs, noted easily on the album's highlight "Constant Surprises.""
~ Vincent Thomas - AllMusic.com
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Chris Botti |
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 Chris Botti - Live in Boston (2009)
"Chris Botti in Boston features trumpeter Chris Botti along with a bevy of name artists performing live with the Boston Pops Orchestra at Symphony Hall in 2008. Fully documented as a concert film and album, the night is an intimate and soulful birds-eye view of the supple-toned trumpeter who has grown into his role as a virtuoso since his time backing up Sting -- who of course appears here. Perhaps it isn't surprising then the concert is subtly reminiscent of Sting's own classic coming of age concert moment Bring on the Night. "
~ Matt Collar - AllMusic.com, CD Discography, Facebook, Reverbnation, MySpace and
Website .
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 Chris Botti - Thousand Kisses Deep (2003)
"Trumpeter Chris Bottis "Indian Summer" is one of the freshest smooth jazz singles heard on the radio for awhile, and it just further cements Botti's status as one of the genre's top stars. He gets tons of recognition opening for Sting, and deservedly so. Like fellow trumpeter Rick Braun, Botti plays notes that move the heart while writing memorable melodies that can stick in your head all day. This guy is as smooth as Burt Bacharach, from whom he borrows two songs. The well-worn "The Look of Love" is given a mild drums-and-bass treatment, a go-go groove and some vocal refrains from Chantal Kreviazuk. Is there a better song for the mournful trumpet? The other Bacharach song is "The Last Three Minutes," which has what Botti calls a "tougher rhythm" than he's ever done before. It's a great track. ”
~ Brian Soergel - AllAboutJazz.com
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Cindy Bradley |
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 Cindy Bradley - Bloom (2009)
"New-York based trumpet player Cindy Bradley released her self-produced debut album “Just A Little Bit” in 2007. This album blended groovy tracks to nicely arranged soft sentimental tunes. And the recipe worked quite well, as this talented stage-oriented trumpet player made her way through the trumpet stage, mainly dominated by male performers. This young artist holds a Bachelor degree in jazz studies and a Master degree in jazz performance. She has studied and worked with top jazz musicians such as John McNeil, Cecil McBee and Jerry Bergonzi. Since 2007 Cindy Bradley’s career has blossomed. James Lloyd, the keyboardist in the famous R&B/jazz fusion band Pieces of a Dream, and the band’s manager Dan Harmon gave the young trumpet player the opportunity to tour with them. Later another piece of her dream came true. "
~ Akbar Nour - SmoothJazzNow.com, Discography,
Website, Reverbnation, Facebook |
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 Cindy Bradley - Unscripted (2011)
"Every now and then a musician gets bold and breaks the mold. Cindy Bradley's Unscripted is the sound of an artist just going for it. The nearly eight-minute "Prelude/Massive Transit/Interlude" suite that kicks off the album is like a rush of cool air to the face on a hot summer day. It's fast, furious and funky, with Bradley blowing the hell out of her trumpet as she dukes it out with producer Michael Broening's keyboards and Tim Veder's sax solos... The title is slightly misleading. There may not have been a script for Unscripted, but there is definitely a plan and Bradley is executing it to perfection. This is a highly rewarding sophomore effort from Bradley and establishes her as someone on the short list of jazz artists well worth following to see what comes next. "
~ Jeff Wimbush - AllAboutJazz.com
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Fourplay
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Fourplay - Let's Touch the Sky (2010) "After almost twenty years, a dozen studio albums and a whopping two personnel changes, Fourplay is one of the most enduring contemporary jazz outfits on the planet, combining musicians (keyboardist Bob James, drummer/composer Harvey Mason, guitarist Lee Ritenour and bassist/vocalist Nathan East) who are just as compelling as solo players as they are within a unit. Fans who adore the band for their consistency may have been disturbed to learn that Larry Carlton, who had replaced Mr. Ritenour in the late 90s, was also now vacating the line-up, but they needn't worry, since acclaimed guitarist Chuck Loeb infuses their latest CD, Let's Touch the Sky, with both renewed energy and eclecticism.;"
~ Melody Charles - SoulTracks.com,
Website, Discography,
Reverbnation< and
MySpace.
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Fourplay - Energy (2008) "Energy: a word that means power or force. It's appropriate that Energy is
also the title of Fourplay's debut with Heads Up. Fourplay, a double entendre, is the quartet of Bob James, Nathan East, Harvey Mason
and Larry Carlton. Each, an individual band leader or session sideman in his own right, the four spend part of their time as a supergroup.
Collectively, they've appeared on numerous recordings and gained widespread appeal. Among their associations are Tom Scott &
The L.A. Express, Crusaders, Steely Dan, Mike Post, David Sanborn, Marcus Miller, Kirk Whalum, Maynard Ferguson and George Duke. The
band mixes contemporary jazz with a variety of other styles, including blues, R&B, and African music."
~ Woodrow Wilkins - All About Jazz
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Sara Bareilles |
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 Sara Bareilles - Little Voice (2 CD Set) (2008)
"The tone on Little Voice shifts with songs like “Vegas,” a Fiona Apple-esque tune that’s somber and soulful. There’s also “Morningside,” a seductive tune that sounds vaguely familiar, but I can’t quite place it, which is driving me crazy (any help here?!). “Between the Lines” slows things way down and reminds me a lot of Amy Grant, of all people. The soft and sad “City,” which has a beautiful chorus, has echoes of Sarah Harmer, and is about being lonely even in the midst of a crowd. The soulful sound is kicked up a notch with “Many the Miles,” which turns into a jazzy track toward the end. “Gravity” closes the album with a slow and pretty sound (very much like a Sarah McLachlan ballad). At times sounding like Alicia Keys, Lauryn Hill, or Jamiroquai, and at other times channeling Fiona Apple, Sarah McLachlan or Sarah Harmer, with a dash of Amy Grant, Jason Mraz and/or Maroon 5 in the mix, singer/songwriter Sara Bareilles and her CD, Little Voice, have more to them than meets the eye."
~ Juliet Farmer - BlogCritic.com, CD Discography, Facebook, Reverbnation, MySpace and
Website .
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 Sara Bareilles - Kaleidoscope Heart (2010)
"'Kaleidoscope Heart' is certainly lovable, showcasing the down-to-earth emotional side of the 30-year-old songbird in a set that loosely chronicles a break-up while firmly arguing for the kind of practical self-reliance many young women see as the feminist ideal in this post-liberationist age. Though Bareilles takes a semi-confessional approach, her warm alto and hard-working piano arrangements strongly suggest conversation; she incorporates the stops and starts of casual speech into her singing, and she has a way of deepening simple, almost clichéd language just by changing the weight of a syllable.”
~ Ann Powers - LA Times Blogs
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Steve Cole |
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Steve Cole - Moonlight (2011)
"And now for something completely different but not at all unexpected. Windy City saxophonist Steve Cole, who released his debut CD in 1998, has been a steady force on the smooth-jazz charts and touring scene for more than a decade. He’s also a member of the Sax Pack, an in-the-pocket trio with fellow saxophonists Jeff Kashiwa and Kim Waters. It seemed about time for Cole to attempt something different, and he’s done it here with a rich collection of old and new American standards backed by the lush sounds of the Millennium Chamber Players of Chicago."
~ Brian Soergel - JazzTimes, CD Discography, Wikipedia,
Website page.
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Steve Cole - True (2006)
"When Steve Coles current CD ‘True’ was released in November of 2006 it slipped the normally all embracing Smooth Jazz Therapy net. That notwithstanding it remains an excellent piece of feisty smooth jazz and, given Cole’s current tour schedule that finds him on the road with both The Sax Pack and Brian Culbertson, there can been no better time to provide a reminder of how good ‘True’ is. Cole has enjoyed four number 1 radio hits and ten top 5 singles since his debut in 1998 and with ‘True’ he revisits his roots with nine top notch tracks all of which, in one way or the other, reach back to the jazz funk so indicative of his home town of Chicago." -
~ Smooth Jazz Therapy |
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Mark Rapp |
 Mark Rapp - Good Eats (2011)
"Legendary saxophonist Lou Donaldson doesn't subscribe to a one-size-fits-all approach in his own music making. His oeuvre, which spans more than half a century, touches on bop, hard bop, soul-jazz, and funk, with each setting allowing for a different aspect of his musical personality to shine. In crafting a tribute to Donaldson, trumpeter Mark Rapp honors this diversity and organic amalgam of music by touching on various styles, as he works his way through Donaldson's catalog. "
~ DAN BILAWSKY - allaboutjazz.com and DC Bebop page. |
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Mark Rapp -
Token Tales (2009)
“Mark Rapp’s debut album Token Tales shows many different facets of this trumpeter’s pioneering ways as he crafts a smooth jazz relaxer in “Thank You,” jumps into a funky rapport with his band in “Who’s The Man?” and articulates creamy soul-jazz lifts along “Mr. Tricky.” These are just some of Rapp’s skills at the top of his spreadsheet. He never runs out of ideas about where to take his compositions, whether he is being experimental and engages in some free-style acrobatics like along “Cissy Strut,” or sticks to a traditional jazz keister and classic soaring riffs like in the title track.”
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Michael Lington |
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 Michael Lington - Pure (2012)
"on the Trippin N' Rhythm label, the latest release from sax-man Michael Lington is titled ‘Pure’. In part it was recorded live with Rickey Minor and the Tonight Show Band while guest performers include heavy hitters such as Michael Bolton, Lee Ritenour, Jonathan Butler, Brian Culbertson, Ray Parker Jr, Jeff Golub and Paul Jackson Jr. The first single, ‘Road Trip’, which features Ritenour on guitar is full of the gutsy ‘in your face’ playing for which Lington is best known and is already making considerable waves at contemporary jazz radio. Even at this early stage the indications are that, with ‘Pure’, Michael Lington is taking his burgeoning career to a whole new level.”.
~ Smooth Jazz Therapy, CD Discography,
MySpace,
Facebook,
MySpace page and
Website.
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Michael Lington - Everything Must Change (2002)
"Released in 2002, Everything Must Change is combination of R&B with smooth jazz undertones from off the beaten path. Songs are a sensual mix of playable melodies. Lington takes great care in choosing the songs for each album. “One of the things that is most important is to have high quality songs. I take a bit longer to do albums than other artists. I find it is so important for the songs to be correct,” said Lington. Lington admits that he doesn’t necessarily write for radio format, either. “I just do what I do and hope the people like it.” Audiences are receiving Lington well. In April 2003, Everything Must Change went Top 5 on both national smooth jazz radio and internet charts." -
~ CHERYL HUGHEY, (10/05/03) - All About Jazz |
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Brian Simpson |
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Brian Simpson - South Beach (2010)
"The album misses no mark, no matter where Simpson sets it, it seems. In addition to Euge Groove and Peter White, help comes from Lenny Castro, Alex Al, and the Duke of Groove, George Duke; so, was he supposed to miss with this?? Hardly. Tight, melodic, well-phrased, rhythmic throughout, it’s just all here in a nice, neat, package. To the veteran smooth jazzer, you know Simpson, and he heftily delivers again. To those who don’t know, he’s not someone you can afford to pass by and consider yourself “in the zone” with SJ…at all.""
~ Ronald Jackson - thesmoothjazzride.com, CD Discography, Facebook, Reverbnation, MySpace and
Website .
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Brian Simpson - Closer Still (1995)
"The adage that many of contemporary music's most inventive and popular artists emerge from the ranks of first call session and touring musicians continues to prove precise, and indie label Noteworthy seemed committed in the mid-90s to making sure listeners didn't forget. On the simmering heels of Michael White's So Far Away arrived veteran keyboardist Brian Simpson, whose long-term association with some of the hottest icons in R&B and jazz have inspired the dynamic musings of Closer Still, one of the year's silky-smoothest and funkiest piano romps of the year." -
Jonathan Widran - AllMusic.com |
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Roy Hargrove |
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Roy Hargrove - Earfood (2008)
"
Roy Hargrove makes no bones about his desire to play jazz for lots of paying customers. And why not? We all want jazz to be heard by a large audience. But how does one attract that audience without resorting to pop music and merely slapping the jazz label on it? Who are the role models?
For Hargrove, the most pertinent examples are the early-’60s hard-bop records by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers when fellow trumpeter Freddie Hubbard was in the band and the early-’70s jazz-funk records Hubbard made for producer Creed Taylor. Both bodies of work feature top jazz musicians playing heady theme-and-variation improvisations, but they also feature strong, steady grooves and catchy melodic themes. That’s the blend Hargrove is going for on his new album Earfood."
~ Geoffrey Himes - JazzTimes, CD Discography, Wikipedia,
Verve Music page.
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Roy Hargrove presents the RH Factor - Hard Groove (2003)
"Having previously immersed his trumpet in two 'new soul' collaborations in 2000—D'Angelo's Grammy Award-winning Voodoo album and subsequent tour, plus songstress Erykah Badu's Mama's Gun album—Roy Hargrove dives headfirst into the soul pool. RH Factor blends a core band of two saxophonists, three keyboard players, two bassists and drummers, and two guitarists (including legendary soul session ace Cornell Dupree) with the best and brightest from the soul and R&B 'new schools' including D'Angelo, Badu, Meshell Ndegeocello, Steve Coleman, Karl Denson, Marc Cary, and two hip-hop MCs: Common and Q-Tip. 'I just wanted to open a door that would allow the musicians involved in jazz and the musicians involved in the R&B / hip-hop mainstream to form some music that would have no limit,' Hargrove explains. 'It's like a merging of those two worlds.' " -
Chris M. Slawecki - All About Jazz |
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Jeff Lorber |
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 Jeff Lorber - Now is the Time (2010) “An accepted kernel of jazz historiography states that cats who play what has ultimately become smooth jazz play it because they can't play the real music. But even back in the day—specifically the seventies—this wasn't true across the board, as evidenced by the undeniable chops of Ramsey Lewis, Grover Washington, Jr., Joe Sample, and Philly-born keyboardist Jeff Lorber. His group, The Jeff Lorber Fusion, was a mainstay on urban black radio, and his compositions, arrangements and solos swung in the commercial contexts of the day, so much so that decades later rap artists would resurrect his songs in the hip-hop generation of the nineties." ~ Katrina-Kasey Wheeler - All About Jazz,
CD Discography, Website, and MySpace Music page. |
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 Jeff Lorber - Galaxy (2012) “Galaxy
It was in 2010, with the CD ‘Now Is The Time’, that Jeff Lorber revisited the sound that he had helped to pioneer. This return to jazz fusion was heralded with critical acclaim and now, for part two, he is back with ‘Galaxy’. Full of the same funk driven energy that was a feature of ‘Now Is The Time’, and with the likes of Eric Marienthal, Jimmy Haslip and Lenny Castro all involved, ‘Galaxy’ is a wonderful throwback to the halcyon days of jazz fusion.”
~ Smooth Jazz Therapy
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Nick Colionne |
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Nick Colionne - Feel the Heat (2011)
"Despite the trials and tribulations currently being encountered by the world of contemporary jazz, the wonderful Nick Colionne marches on from strength to strength. One of the most engaging live performers around and without doubt the best dressed man in smooth jazz, Colionne has recently released the album ‘Feel The Heat’ which, as well as accentuating the natural groove of his hometown Chicago, is also a delightfully soulful amalgam of the best the genre has to offer.”.
Smooth Jazz Therapy, CD Discography,
Reverbnation,
Facebook/font>,
MySpace page and
Website.
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Nick Colionne - No Limits (2008)
"He's an award-winning musican (nominated recently for Canada's Smooth Jazz Awards after winning in 2007), mentor and elementary school teacher in his native Chicago, lauded for his baritione, inspired live performances and his so-fresh-and-so-clean-clean image. So when Nick Colionne---a seasoned musical pro since the age of 15---entitled his sixth CD and Koch Records debut No Limits, it was as much about his many talents as it was about the musical direction upon which he's embarking." -
~ Melody Charles - SoulTracks |
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McCoy Tyner |
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McCoy Tyner - Plays John Coltrane Live at The Village Vanguard (2001)
"This live set from the Village Vanguard was recorded in 1997 on John Coltrane's 71st birthday (the fact we are now in the annum of his 75th birthday makes it all the more timely). Tyner is accompanied here by the excellent bassist, George Mraz, and the spunky rhthymic force of Al Foster on drums... Overall, this set is a good representative of late-period Tyner- some feel that is a qualification in itself; however to longtime Tyner fans who still appreciate his work, or to those new to this dramatic style of jazz piano, this record should provide some decent listening. It's not essential as a Trane tribute record (as Impulse(Verve) has tried to market it)- though. There are much more important Trane tribute records out there, including several that McCoy has been involved with himself. ""
~ Gerard Cox - AllAboutJazz.com, CD Discography, Facebook, MySpace and
Website .
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McCoy Tyner - Extensions (1970)
"Languishing off-catalogue for many years, McCoy Tyner's Extensions may be the pianist's most unjustly neglected album. Strange days, for not only is the music ineffably vibrant, but Expressions is the only recording ever to feature Tyner alongside pianist and harpist Alice Coltrane, who replaced him in saxophonist John Coltrane's group in 1966. The album has one foot in the echoes of John Coltrane's "classic quartet," of which Tyner was a member from 1960-65, and the other in the astral jazz style which Alice Coltrane and saxophonist Pharoah Sanders fashioned in the late 1960s and early 1970s." -
Chris May - AllAboutJazz.com |
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Peter White |
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 Peter White - Glow (2001)
"More than most jazz lite artists, Peter White flaunts a restless improvisational sense, which is fully evident on Glow. Aside from a few incidental fills tossed into the breeze by this or that horn player, this is entirely White's show. His performance on all these tracks, typically over a backdrop of gauzy major-seventh string pads, provides a lesson in long-form jamming against a steady, sensuous backbeat, with octave passages and a buoyant rhythm feel that echo Wes Montgomery."
~ Robert L. Doerschuk - AllMusic.com, CD Discography,
Facebook page, and
Website and.
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Peter White - Good Day (2009)
“This is truly a beckoning to all smooth jazzers to return to the Peter White of the 90s and early 2000s, to recall the images and good feeling his originals always conjured up. It is all here in abundance. Those of us who have waited for the guitar master’s fascination with covers (great though they were) to subside a bit and for his return to that which fascinated us so fully over the years will definitely not be disappointed. The wait, the patience, and the undying allegiance to the man who has always offered contemporary jazz acoustic guitar with so much color and flair have truly paid off in immeasurable manner, and that's no overstatement. True, I have always admired the effortless, silky skills of the Londoner, but anyone who’s into real smooth or contemporary jazz will have to admit to the appeal of this one.’.”
Ronald Jackson, smoothvibes.com |
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Hiromi |
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Hiromi - Voice (2011)
"It seems improbable that a classical pianist’s chance meeting with Chick Corea could start a young musician on a musical journey that leads to true innovation in Jazz. The latest offering from Hiromi Uehara, ‘Voice’, featuring Anthony Jackson on bass and Simon Phillips on drums proves that this chance meeting was in fact destiny.
With the notable exception of “Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 8, Pathetique”, the album exclusively features original compositions by Hiromi; and opens with a deceptive dirge in title track “Voice” before exploding into an energized frenzy of syncopated drumming and deft bass counterpoint. The focus required to keep track of this frenzy almost acts a prepatation
guide for the rest of the album as Hiromi believes focus is required to “hear someone’s inner voice”.
David La Rosa - thejazzline.com, CD Discography,
MySpace page and
Website.
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Hiromi - SPIRAL (2006)
"It's exciting to see an artist develop. It's thrilling to hear how self-assured and confident a group of musicians can become when they learn, grow and develop their talents together. It's a joyous and satisfying experience when it all comes together in an burst of aesthetic brilliance.
And that is exactly what Spiral is. This is the album that Hiromi Uehara, the piano prodigy from Japan, has been building to. In 65 minutes and 40 seconds of flawless playing and bold conceptualizing, Hiromi, along with her fellow Berklee-bred musicians, Tony Grey on bass and Martin Valihora on drums charge through what she describes as "three-piece orchestral music." Whatever you want to call it, you'll find this to be astonishingly graceful, driving and accomplished music." -
Jeff Winbush - JazzReview.com |
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Bobby Hutcherson |
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Bobby Hutcherson - Solo/Quartet (1982)
"This is one of vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson's most unusual and interesting releases. The first half of the set features Hutcherson all by himself although, by utilizing overdubbing, he almost sounds like Max Roach's M'Boom ensemble. Hutcherson is heard on vibes, marimbas, bass marimba, chimes, xylophone and bells and these three selections are quite fun and energetic. The second half is more conventional, with Hutcherson welcoming pianist McCoy Tyner (in his first sideman appearance in a decade), bassist Herbie Lewis and drummer Billy Higgins for two standards and a pair of the vibist's originals. The quartet set is excellent but it is Bobby Hutcherson's solo performances that are most memorable and unique. ""
~ Scott Yanow - AllMusic.com, CD Discography, Facebook,
Wikipedia page and
All About Jazz Bio.
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Bobby Hutcherson - Montara (1975)
"With the possible exception of Grover Washington's Feels So Good, no other album captured the spirit of jazz in 1975 like Bobby Hutcherson's Montara. Recorded in his hometown of L.A., Montara is the very sound of groove jazz coming out of fusion, and Latin jazz's tough salsa rhythms coming home to roost in something more warm and effluvial that would meet the populace where it was changing and mellowing out rather than making it sit up and take notice. That said, Montara is, like the Washington record, a masterpiece of the genre even though it isn't celebrated in the same way. " -
Thom Jurek - AllMusic.com |
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Bill Evans (Sax) |
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 Saxophonist Bill Evans - The Other Side Of Something (2007)
“Throughout his 20-year career as a solo artist, multi Grammy nominated saxophonist Bill Evans has explored a variety of musical settings that go well beyond the confines of traditional jazz, including hip-hop, fusion, reggae, Brazilian and slamming funk. Evans steps into more adventurous territory on Soulgrass, blending jazz, funk and roots music into a seamless and wholly unique hybrid of quintessentially American styles.
Bill Evans started playing piano before switching to tenor sax in high school. After one year of studying music at North Texas State University he transferred to William Patterson College in New Jersey in 1978 and also began private studies with sax great and former Miles Davis sideman, Dave Liebman. Through Liebmans recommendation, he was tapped by Miles in 1980 , at the age of 22, to play a key role in Miles celebrated comeback band. ”
~ www.brittfest.org (September 6, 2008),
CD Discography,
Website, and
MySpace Music page. |
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Bill Evans - Escape (1996)
“Throughout his 20-year career as a solo artist, multi Grammy nominated saxophonist Bill Evans has explored a variety of musical settings that go well beyond the confines of traditional jazz, including hip-hop, fusion, reggae, Brazilian and slamming funk. Evans steps into more adventurous territory on Soulgrass, blending jazz, funk and roots music into a seamless and wholly unique hybrid of quintessentially American styles.
Bill Evans started playing piano before switching to tenor sax in high school. After one year of studying music at North Texas State University he transferred to William Patterson College in New Jersey in 1978 and also began private studies with sax great and former Miles Davis sideman, Dave Liebman. Through Liebmans recommendation, he was tapped by Miles in 1980 , at the age of 22, to play a key role in Miles celebrated comeback band. Bill became Miles right-hand man and soloistic foil in concert and on a series of recordings -- 1981s The Man With The Horn, 1982s We Want Miles, 1983s Star People and 1984s Decoy.”
~ 100greatestjazzalbums.blogspot.com
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Paul Brown |
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Paul Brown — Love You Found Me (2010)
"Prolific producer/guitarist Paul Brown shoots another gem our way on Sept. 28 with his latest, Love You Found Me, bearing all of his smooth, rather coolly laid-back trademark chops on his trusty Gibson L5 (there are some moments when he ushers in his old Fender Strat, as well, for a warmer, earthier feel). The project is greatly refreshing and certainly all-Brown. Nothing oddly out of character leaps out at you, and that’s a really good thing. Some artists have such a good, stable “fit” that works so well with their audience that it just makes sense to stick with it, understanding that too much venturing beyond, while often a good thing, can also be detrimental when trying to remain identifiable."
Ronald Jackson - thesmoothjazzride.com, CD Discography,
MySpace page and
Website.
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Paul Brown - White Sand (2007)
"is Paul Brown's second CD as a solo artist. Paul's first album entitled
'The City' was a recording that went to #1 on the smooth jazz charts and propelled him into the spotlight as an artist. This time out, Brown optimizes the successful ingredients of his first CD by including the talents of Al Jarreau, Boney James, Bobby Caldwell, David Benoit, Euge
Groove and a host of other sidemen to record another jewel of an
album. On ten tracks, Paul oversees a series of melodic grooves
coupled with a host of rhythmic riffs. Overall, the influence of
George Benson on Brown's career as a guitarist is heard throughout,
especially on such tracks as 'For What It's Worth' and 'Ol Skoolin.' But make no mistake about it, Paul Brown's sound is not an imitation of Benson's; in his own way, Paul has merely expanded upon all of his previous influences to create a voice of his own."
Vanessa J. Colbert - JusJazz.com
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Alice Coltrane |
Alice Coltrane - Journey in Satchidananda (1971)
“The CD reissue of Alice Coltrane's landmark Journey to Satchidananda reveals just how far the pianist and widow of John Coltrane had come in the three years after his death. The compositions here are wildly open and droning figures built on whole tones and minor modes. And while it's true that one can definitely hear her late husband's influence on this music, she wouldn't have had it any other way. Pharoah Sanders' playing on the title cut, "Shiva-Loka," and "Isis and Osiris" (which also features the Vishnu Wood on oud and Charlie Haden on bass) is gloriously restrained and melodic. Coltrane's harp playing, too, is an element of tonal expansion as much as it is a modal and melodic device. With a tamboura player, Cecil McBee on bass, Rashied Ali on drums, and Majid Shabazz on bells and tambourine, tracks such as "Stopover Bombay" and the D minor modally drenched "Something About John Coltrane" become exercised in truly Eastern blues improvisation. ”
~ Tom Jurek - AllMusic.com ,
Wikipedia,
CD Discography, and
MySpace page.
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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. ".
~ Chris Mayall - aboutjazz.com |
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Eddie Harris |
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 Eddie Harris - The Electrifying Eddie Harris (1967)
"Long underrated in the pantheon of jazz greats, Eddie Harris was an eclectic and imaginative saxophonist whose career was marked by a hearty appetite for experimentation. He had the chops to handle technically demanding bop, and the restraint to play in the cool-toned West Coast style, but he also delved into crossover-friendly jazz-pop, rock- and funk-influenced fusion, outside improvisations, bizarre electronic effects, new crossbreedings of traditional instruments, blues crooning, and even comedy. Much of this fell outside the bounds of what critics considered legitimate, serious jazz, and so they dismissed him out of hand as too mainstream or too gimmicky. To be fair, Harris' large catalog is certainly uneven; not everything he tried worked. Yet with the passage of time, the excellence of his best work has become abundantly clear."
~ Steve Huey - AllMusic.com, CD Discography,
Facebook page, and
Website and
Eddie Harris Remembered. |
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Les McCann & Eddie Harris - (1969) "Something of a happy accident, this recording from the 1969 Montreux Jazz Festival has actually become one of the most talked about, exhilarating and fun live jazz performances ever captured on wax.
The session (on the last night of the festival) was a truly impromptu event - this particular line up had never played together before and at least half of the group had no idea what material they were going to play as they took the stage! Swiss Movement has long been a sought after collectors piece and the addition of expansive sleeve notes and anecdotes from the musicians involved makes this anniversary edition a great live recording to enjoy once again - 35 years after this very happening event."
~ Greg Boraman
(2004) - bbc.co.uk |
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Chieli Minucci & Special EFX |
Chieli Minucci & Special EFX -
Without You (2010)
“Guitarist, composer, and arranger Chieli Minucci is the leader of the Grammy-nominated jazz-fusion group Special EFX, which he co-founded with the late George Jinda in 1984. A major force on the jazz and world music scene for 25 years, Special EFX’s newest release, Without You is a diverse collection of jazz-fusion, world rhythms, and the effortlessly flowing guitar artistry that Chieli (key-eh-lee) is known for. A true sound-tapestry, blending layers of sound and harmonic texture, Without You is an instant classic.” ~ Smooth Jazz Daily, Facebook, CD Discography, YouTube,
MySpace page and
Website. |
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Chieli Minucci & Special EFX -
Sweet Surrender (2007)
“For the first time since signing with Shanachie in 1999, the guitarist sheds the dual identity and brings the best of his multitude of styles together under the name Chieli Minucci & Special EFX. Sweet Surrender is a unique mixed bag that touches on the classic old Special EFX sound that’s gone missing for years; his cool, melodic smooth jazz side; and more of the wild and expansive guitar fusion adventures he has included a few times before on earlier solo efforts.”
~ Jonathan Widran - JazzMonthly.com |
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Sonny Rollins |
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Sonny Rollins - Road Shows 1 (2008) "The sound of Sonny Rollins is unmistakable. Instantly recognizable when he plays just one note, this living legend has long stood out in the crowd of tenor players during the remarkable six decades he's been recording and playing.
Since Rollins took control of his music publishing a few years ago, releasing recordings under his own label, Doxy, the possibility of hearing some of Rollins' live music was raised. Apparently 200 live performances have been recorded since the 1980s, and the saxophonist, along with his producer/trombonist/nephew Clifton Anderson, has been selecting takes to release. Road Shows Vol. 1 is the first, in what promises to be a long line of sound documentation to be published."
~ Mark Corroto - AllAboutJazz.com, CD Discography, Facebook,
MySpace page and
Website.
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Sonny Rollins (1956) - Saxophone Colossus "1956's Saxophone Colossus (which debuted one of his signature tunes, the calypso St Thomas), Rollins revealed an improvising imagination some compared with Charlie Parker, notably on the slow-building, faintly sinister Blue Seven. Rollins (a famous eccentric in earlier years who would play gigs in raincoats, or hats with corks, or proto-mohican haircuts) had a free jazz phase in the 60s, and a jazz-funky one in the 70s and 80s, but styles are almost irrelevant to a jazz genius who could make an epic improvisation out of Three Blind Mice." -
~ John Fordham1 - guardian.co.uk |
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The Rippingtons |
The Rippingtons - Cōte D'Azur (2011)
"One reason why the Rippingtons have been able to attract such a following throughout their travels is that the group's music finds the balance between ‘contemporary' and ‘jazz.' Songs like "Provence" and "Rivera Jam" both have that accessible feel that goes down easy with R&B fans while also employing that musical conversation between the players that jazz fans have come to expect. Sure, a group like the Rippingtons won't satisfy the jazz purist, but the formula has a growing number of fans circling the globe with them. Cote D'Azur will keep those fans on board and eagerly awaiting the next stop. Recommended."
~ Howard Dukes - soundtracks.com, CD Discography, Reverbnation, Facebook,
MySpace page and
Website. |
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The Rippingtons - Moonlighting (1986)
"Released in 1986, this album not only stands as a genre-defining primer on what has become known as smooth jazz, but it also helped launch the careers of various artists whose music has been crucial to the genre's vitality. In addition to composer/guitarist/producer Russ Freeman and the Ripps, there's David Benoit (playing a gorgeous piano melody on "Mirage"), keyboardist Gregg Karukas, bassist Jimmy Johnson (who scored hits with Flim & the BBs), saxmen Brandon Fields and Dave Koz
(whose floating Electronic Wind Instrument melody guides the silky
"Dreams"), and some soprano-wielding guy named Kenny G.". -
All Music Guide - Jonathan Widran |
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Christian McBride |
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Christian McBride Big Band - The Good Feeling (2011)
“The Good Feeling marks the debut of the Christian McBride Big Band, but the seeds for this album were sown in the mid-'90s. Jazz at Lincoln Center commissioned McBride to write and arrange his first major big band work—"Bluesin' In Alphabet City"—in 1995, and that experience really sparked his interest in composing for large groups. Now, sixteen years after the ink dried on that number, it appears in the penultimate position on his first big band recording.”
— Dan Bilawsky - All About Jazz
CD Discography, Website, and MySpace Music page. |
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Christian McBride - Kind Of Brown (2009) “Produced by Christian McBride with ten of his original compositions, "Kind Of Brown" is a masterwork of upbeat, straight ahead jazz with a strong bebop feel and swing. For once, the much syndicated All Music review misses the point of the title of the album in claiming that the reference is not to the music of Ray Brown but to that of the Bobby Hutcherson / Harold Land group of the '70s. An easy enough assumption to make with the emphasis on "Kind Of Brown" on saxophone and vibraphone. References to the jazz tradition aside, "Kind Of Brown" is simply one of the best jazz albums of recent years. Warren Wolf's vibe playing is a real discovery. Christian McBride, the most gifted bass player of his generation, is the creative bedrock on which this fine group of musicians achieves so much. ”
~ Mack Avenue - 100 Greatest Jazz Albums |
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Darren Rahn |
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 Darren Rahn - Talk of the Town"
(2009) You may know Darren Rahn from his production work in #1 hits with radio favorites like Wayman Tisdale, Dave Koz, Eric Darius and Tim Bowman, along with other songs in the top three. However, it is time to crank up your radio dial and tune into Darren Rahn – the solo artist. Darren’s single, “Talk of the Town,” topped the Billboard chart at number one this week.
Rahn gives all the credit to his growing fanbase for his success. “It’s both an honor and humbling to reach #1. To know that fans around the world are enjoying what you do is a tremendous feeling. Everything I do is for them. If I can create something that makes a listener feel good, then I know I’ve done my job.”
~ Cheryl Hughey Promotions - AllAboutJazz.com, Website,
MySpace, Facebook
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 Darren Rahn - Once in a Lifetime (2005) "Saxophonist Darren Rahn
is one of the most versatile and unique young artists in
contemporary jazz. As one of the industry's most sought after record
producers, his resume includes a variety of top honors including 1's
on the coveted R&R and Billboard charts". -
MySpace "Darren Rahn’s second album "Once In A Lifetime" embraces the idealistic fuzzy warmth of smooth jazz and takes the listener into its satisfying troves".
-
Read it at Jazz Review
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Karrin Allyson |
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 Karrin Allyson - Round Midnight (2011)
"On her new album, 'Round Midnight, Grammy-nominated vocalist and pianist Karrin Allyson weaves an elegant, understated dreamscape featuring 11 songs by some of the most storied writers in jazz, Broadway and pop music, from Duke Ellington to Stephen Sondheim to Paul Simon and more. The May 3rd release, the singer's thirteenth on the respected Concord Jazz label, marks the first time that Allyson plays all the keyboard parts — piano and Rhodes. The subtle production lets Allyson's voice shine, as she delivers melancholy, mature takes on such classics as 'Send In The Clowns,' Charlie Chaplin's 'Smile,' Johnny Mandel's 'The Shadow of Your Smile," Ellington's 'Sophisticated Lady,' and more.
"
~ SETH COHEN PR, - AllAboutJazz.com, CD Discography,
MySpace page and
Website. |
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Karrin Allyson - By Request (2008) "Karrin Allyson, the Grammy-nominated singer and pianist whose Imagina, Songs Of Brasil was one of 2008's best albums, is keeping busy in the best possible way. Her newest, By Request — The Best Of Karrin Allyson, is now out on the Concord Jazz label and will almost certainly continue her string of Top Ten charted albums. It also again serves notice that she's one of the brightest gems in the respected label's treasure chest of stars.
"
~ blogcritics.org |
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Kevin Toney |
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 Kevin Toney - Extra Sensual Perception (1999)
"This master of elegant funk piano seems poised to carry the torch that Joe Sample lit long ago. He works with fatter grooves, here programming his rack most of the time to create a shuffling retro-soul hip-hop mix. But Toney's weaving of melodic lightness on his feet in some spots with darker tonal shifts in others is unmistakably Sample-esque. "
~ Jonathan Widran - AllMusic.com, Discography,
Website, YouTube and Reverbnation |
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 Kevin Toney - Strut (2001)
"Keyboardist Kevin Toney is a superb contemporary jazz instrumentalist and composer who can perform a range of styles -- including jazz, blues, and R&B -- with equal dexterity, and his album, Strut, is a good example of his remarkable facility. For this collection of primarily upbeat compositions, Toney combined his trademark memorable melodies with a variety of grooves to create an album on which his accomplished jazz and blues stylings are spiced with a strong urban flavor."
~ Lucy Tauss - AllMusic.com |
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Norah Jones |
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Norah Jones - Feels Like Home (2004)
"It may be far too obvious to even mention that Norah Jones' follow-up to her 18-million-unit-selling, eight-Grammy-winning, genre-bending, super-smash album Come Away With Me has perhaps a bit too much to live up to. But that's probably the biggest conundrum for Jones: having to follow up the phenomenal success of an album that was never designed to be so hugely popular in the first place. Come Away With Me was a little album by an unknown pianist/vocalist who attempted to mix jazz, country, and folk in an acoustic setting -- who knew? Feels Like Home could be seen as "Come Away With Me Again" if not for that fact that it's actually better."
~ Matt Collar - AllMusic.com, CD Discography, Wikipedia,
Reverbnation page and
Website.
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Norah Jones - Come Away With (2002)
"While jazz is clearly a major influence for Ms. Jones, Come Away with Me is not really a jazz album. There is only one tune that could be described as a jazz standard, and the musical ingredients are as likely to come from country music as they are from 52nd Street. Ms. Jones is a fine pianist, and is heard at the instrument on all but one piece, but this is a very guitar-oriented album, with acoustic guitar probably being the major instrumental voice. And on guitar in her band is Jesse Harris, who wrote or co-wrote five of the fourteen songs on the CD. Also contributing songs is bassist Lee Alexander. Rounding out her regular band is Adam Levy on electric guitar and Dan Reiser on drums, though prominent jazz drummer Brian Blade is heard on several tracks. Also making a guest appearance on one piece is guitarist Bill Frisell. One of the most appealing aspects about this CD is its relaxed, intimate feel. With a heavyweight producer like Mardin on board, and the CD clearly being aimed at wider audiences than the straight-ahead jazz crowd, with perhaps a good helping of more pop-oriented songs. But the CD is remarkably laid-back and surprisingly eclectic. Two of the three cover tunes are country songs, including a Hank Williams classic. And the original material is interesting with mostly pithy impressionistic lyrics, rather than the wordy ballads one might expect from a chanteuse." -
The Graham Weekly Album Review #1274 |
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George Benson |
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George Benson - Breezin' (1976) "Breezin’ is notable for a few reasons. It was by far the best selling jazz album of its era, was certified triple platinum in 1984, topped both the jazz and pop album charts, and also had top charting singles in both the title track and the vocal track This Masquerade, written by Leon Russell... George Benson’s Breezin’ album is arguably the best of his four late 70’s releases. It established the style the other three followed, and has remarkably fresh performances for a studio album, especially considering that the style doesn’t leave lots of room for “stretching out” -
Smooth Jazz Origins: George Benson’s Breezin’, CD Discography,
MySpace page and
Website.
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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 |
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Jessy J |
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Jessy J -
Hot Sauce (2011)
“Nothing wakes up food like hot sauce – and nothing will wake up your ears like Jessy J‘s new album. A special blend of ten fiery tunes, this Hot Sauce is seasoned with authentic Latin zing and packed with real jazz flavor. The accomplished saxophonist/singer/composer’s third album spotlights her collaborations with some of today’s most prominent contemporary jazz musicians, including guitarists Paul Brown and Ray Parker Jr, keyboardists Joe Sample and Gregg Karukas, and drummer Harvey Mason of Fourplay... Jessy’s success is the product of a lot of hard work and a never ending focus on accomplishing her goals. “I still practice every day,” she says. “I love to play music because my spirit feels at peace. I dreamed of playing music as a child and now music is my life.”
Concord Music Group
,
CD Discography,
Website, and
MySpace Music page. |
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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 |
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Stanley Turrentine |
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Stanley Turrentine - Sugar (1970)
“If ever there were a record that both fit perfectly and stood outside the CTI Records' stable sound, it is Sugar by Stanley Turrentine. Recorded in 1970, only three tracks appear on the original album (on the reissue there's a bonus live version of the title track, which nearly outshines the original and is 50 percent longer). Turrentine, a veteran of the soul-jazz scene since the '50s, was accompanied by a who's who of groove players, including guitarist George Benson, Lonnie Liston Smith on electric piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, bassist Ron Carter, organist Butch Cornell, and drummer Billy Kaye, among others.”
— Thom Jurek - All Music Guide ,
CD Discography,
NPR, and
MySpace Music page. |
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Stanley Turrentine "Don't Mess With Mister T." (1973)
"A legend of the tenor saxophone, Stanley Turrentine was renowned for his distinctively thick, rippling tone, an earthy grounding in the blues, and his ability to work a groove with soul and imagination. Turrentine recorded in a wide variety of settings, but was best-known for his Blue Note soul-jazz jams of the '60s, and also underwent a popular fusion makeover in the early '70s. Born in Pittsburgh on April 5, 1934, Turrentine began his career playing with various blues and R&B bands, with a strong influence from Illinois Jacquet. He played in Lowell Fulson's band with Ray Charles from 1950-1951, and in 1953, he replaced John Coltrane in Earl Bostic's early R&B/jazz band. After a mid-'50s stint in the military, Turrentine joined Max Roach's band and subsequently met organist Shirley Scott, whom he married in 1960 and would record with frequently”
~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide - LegacyRecordings.com |
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Joyce Cooling |
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Joyce Cooling -
Global Cooling (2009)
“Joyce cooling There is little doubt that San Francisco based guitarist Joyce Cooling has the monopoly on the kind of tight mid tempo smooth jazz that will always find an audience. Known for both her unique finger picking style and her passion for rhythm and harmony, the collaborations she has long enjoyed with writing partner Jay Wagner have signposted her career and now she is back with her brand new release, the cleverly titled ‘Global Cooling’.”
~ Smooth Jazz Therapy,
CD Discography,
Website, and
MySpace Music page. |
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Joyce Cooling "Revolving Door" (2006)
"Gibson Guitars' 1999 Jazz Guitarist of the Year, Joyce Cooling, paints a bright and colorful picture on Revolving Door with loving strokes. You might be surprised to learn that this is her portrait of an often dark subject. Says Cooling, "'Revolving Door' is a metaphor for a situation we humans often find ourselves in where there is seemingly no beginning and no end to a problem. It can be a frustrating treadmill with the same path ruthlessly cycling under your feet.”
~ Chris M. Slawecki - All About Jazz |
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 Miles Davis -
Kind Of Blue (1959)
"Miles Davis was already known as an innovative and prolific trumpet player by the time he recorded Kind of Blue in 1959. Years earlier he had played bebop alongside Charlie Parker, and later set in motion a style that came to be known as "cool jazz" with his 1949 and 1950 Birth of the Cool sessions. Kind of Blue marked a new, elegantly simple, and resoundingly beautiful approach to jazz improvisation.
Captured during two impromptu recording sessions, Kind of Blue features tenor saxophonist John Coltrane, alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, bassist Paul Chambers, drummer Jimmy Cobb, and the pianists Wynton Kelly and Bill Evans (although not at the same time)."
~ Jacob Teichroew - About.com, Wikipedia, CD Discography,
and MySpace page. |
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 Miles Davis - Sketches of Spain (1960)
"Working with arranger Gil Evans, Davis cooked up a concept album, looking to the structure and texture of Spanish folk and classical music for inspiration. The two old friends and collaborators were on a huge roll creatively during this period. Davis was piling up hall of fame-caliber jazz albums with alarming regularity, while Evans, in addition to working with Davis frequently in the late 1950s, recorded what was perhaps his finest solo album in 1960, Out of the Cool (it vaguely shares a vibe with Sketches, but is in my estimation just a hair better). So to say both were in strong form here would be an understatement. Davis takes what is most striking about his trumpet style-- the controlled soloing in the middle register, with a mastery of subtle shifts in focus-- and amplifies it, creating measured phrases of almost painful intensity. While Evans' distinctive approach to harmony and tonal color-- one of the most enjoyable "Hey, I get it!" moments as you first explore jazz is when you start to recognize his arrangements-- inhabits a form that to the uninitiated can sound mysterious and exotic and sensual. It's hard not to be taken in immediately."
~ Mark Richardson, June 5, 2009 - Pitchfork.com |
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U-NAM |
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U-NAM - Unanimity (2009)
"Nimble with the strings, varied in his influences and dynamic in his delivery, it has barely taken two CD's for jazz guitarist Emmanuel Abiteboul, better known as U-Nam, to establish himself as one of today's most exciting artists, producers and musicians. Elastic in his approach and eager to incorporate differing musical styles into his tracks (pop, funk and soul), U-Nam, as expected, follows up 2007's Back From the 80's with---what else?--- another delicious fusion of funk, pop, and contemporary soul.'"
~ Melody Charles - soultracks.com, Website, Reverbnation,
CD Discography, YouTube and Facebook. |
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U-NAM - Back From The 80's (2007) "His new album "Back From the 80's" offers songs from the 80's and new compositions. After the first tones one immediately remarks the high professionalism of the album. That's no wonder because U-Nam is supported by the Merkevah Orchestra and the M.A. strings section conducted by Raymond Gimenes, furthermore by the Paris horns (Thierry Farrugia, Christian Martinez and Bernard Camoin). With such a fuliminant sound in the background every track gets its own noblesse... U-NAM shares so much memories with us. It's fantastic. This album is one of the best smooth jazz albums I heard since several years. Without exception strong songs, no filler. The UK Version features a bonus disc of great vocal tracks including Rahsaan Patterson and Phil Perry. My favorite track of this R&B side project is Blue Mood featuring singer Leeda and Gary Meek on sax."
~ HBH - Smooth-Jazz.de |
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Heather Headley |
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 Heather Headley - In My Mind (2006)
"There's truth in the number three being a charm, as it is how long we've been awaiting the return of this soulful, sensual, know how to deliver a song sister ~ Heather Headley. The Trinidad diva is back in full force with a new look and a have to go out and buy sophomore CD entitled "In My Mind." Heather remains consistent with the topics of love; “you have to go since you can't act right”, remember when?”, and “self love”, just to name a few. She makes the waiting worth it... If you've been questioning where is Heather Headley, ask no more. She's at your local record stores anticipating your embrace by ears. I rate this project 5 stars. Remember, music is something given from the soul, and Heather Headley provides you with a lot of it on 'In My Mind.'"
~ Rebecca "Buterfly" Vaughns - RHYTHMflow Radio.net, Website, MySpace,
CD Discography, YouTube and Facebook. |
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Heather Headley - This Is Who I Am (2002) "This Is Who I Am is Headley's statement to the world. It’s the introduction of her fresh, remarkable sound to popular music. Headley gives gospel and soul a Caribbean lilt, and the result is one spectacular groove... Headley worked with some of the finest R&B artists of today, such as great blues guitarist Keb Mo. Also, Chukki Starr, a Jamaican dancehall master, takes a solo in “Fallin’ For You,” co-written by Headley.
This Is Who I Am is all the fire and sexiness of a young, vibrant individual with a you-can’t-put-me-down attitude. I’m waiting to hear more, much, much more from Heather Headley. Until then, I'll keep listening to Headley’s heart and soul, twelve stunning songs with a story behind them. This Is Who I Am is explosive."
~ Allison Lewis - The Tech (tech.mit.edu) |
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Chris Standring |
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 Chris Standring - Blue Bolero (2010)
"Chris Standring has never made an album quite like Blue Bolero. Standring could have stayed in a smooth jazz comfort zone of safe and innocuous music. Low risk can mean high reward, but Standring chose to go a different, riskier and far more ambitious route. The result is an album he should be both pleased with and proud of... There are signature moments in a musician's career when they make an album that both defines them and sets the course for their future. Herbie Hancock had his with Head Hunters (Columbia, 1973), Weather Report reached their summit with Heavy Weather (Columbia, 1977), and George Benson took off with Breezin' (Warner Brothers, 1976). Whether or not Blue Bolero belongs in that kind of distinguished company is a judgment call, but it is the best album Chris Standring has made yet."
~ Jeff Winbush - AllAboutJazz.com, Website, Reverbnation,
CD Discography and Facebook. |
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Chris Standring - Love and Paragraphs (2008) "While many artists in his genre are content to find a certain formula and stick with it, Standring likes to start from scratch each time out and let the vibe of the project emerge spontaneously from the writing process. Always in search of unique new sonic approaches, Standring puts aside his trusty longtime jazz axe, the archtop Benedetto, and digs into more earthy blues-rock territory on five tracks with two Fender Strats; he played the Strat back in the 80s until switching to the other guitar to better tackle the acid jazz grooves which caught his ear in the early 90s."
~ Jonathan Widran - Jazz Monthly |
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Jane Lui |
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 Jane Lui - Goodnight Company (2011)
"Does the world really need another young woman with an acoustic guitar, soulful voice and ear for melody? Yes, it does. Don’t take my word for it, though. Goodnight Company, the third album by Jane Lui, exists because the people demanded it. With half of the album financed by donations from fans on PledgeMusic.com, Lui’s new album is the direct result of making music that the world wants to hear.
Goodnight Company has a surreal quality, with Lui embarking on a dreamlike journey that covers every mood without reveling in any. There is an endearing quirkiness to the collection, with Lui at times sounding like a more accessible Tori Amos, but with a better voice. Her classically trained vocals are as sexy as they are mysterious, as Lui beckons the listener through ten tracks. "
~ Jeremy Lukens - Glide Magazine,
Website,
Reverbnation,
CD Discography and Facebook. |
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Jane Lui - Teargirl (2005) "Stories may have characters, yet the focus is often away from its source of voice, the Narrator.
This voice, one of trust and power, will often speak with wisdom and objectivity.
Yet who is to say that she must stay unbiased and heartless?
Jane's debut solo album is named after its emotive voice and narrator, Teargirl. She will sing through this book of tales in a voice of belief, question, and passion. The details of each character is translated into sounds and songs that are humbly tender with devilish fantasy... Stories may have characters, yet the focus is often away from its source of voice, the Narrator.
This voice, one of trust and power, will often speak with wisdom and objectivity.
Yet who is to say that she must stay unbiased and heartless?
Jane's debut solo album is named after its emotive voice and narrator, Teargirl. She will sing through this book of tales in a voice of belief, question, and passion. The details of each character is translated into sounds and songs that are humbly tender with devilish fantasy."
~ CD Universe.com |
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Jimmie Vaughn |
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 Jimmie Vaughn - Strange Pleasure & Out There (2009) "The two albums rereleased on this CD were 1990's comeback LPs after a rest from the music scene. The music here reminds me of early Thunderbirds material - good tuneful blues-based rockers with memorable melodies and great playing. Jimmie Vaughan provides the vocals in typically laid back Clapton-JJ Cale mode and cranks out guitar licks absorbed from Albert Collins, T-Bone Walker and Johnny Guitar Watson while Dr John, Denny Freeman, Niles Rodgers and George Rains lend support. Backing vocals are supplied by Harry Bowens Jr, Lou Ann Barton and Oren Waters." ~ Red
Lickt - redlick.com,
CD Discography and Facebook page. |
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Jimmie Vaughn - More Blues, Ballads and Favorites (2011) "Bit of a treat, this, for anyone who remembers what rhythm and blues used to sound like. Ex- Fabulous Thunderbird Jimmie Vaughan comes up with well over an hour of great old songs that feels like stumbling on the contents of a jukebox in some ancient blues club in the deep south. Keeping it simple, a small horn section backing up a standard line up, Jimmie shows just how much wealth of pleasure there is to be wrung from the vast blues/rhythm'n'blues/swamp pop/country repertoire. Sixteen tracks cover lesser known songs by hugely famous names - Hank Williams and Ray Charles to name two - some reasonably well known songs and some by favorites of Jimmie Vaughan that you may never have heard of: I'd certainly never heard of New Orleans' Annie Laurie, for example. Every song is in here on merit and you feel glad to have a guide like Jimmie Vaughan to lead you through this glorious catalogue. "
~ John Davy - FlyinShoes.com |
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Bebel Gilberto |
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 Bebel Gilberto - All In One (2009) "Gilberto’s fourth album All In One is her debut album for Verve, which means she now shares a label with Diana Krall (who released her own take on the Anglo-Brazilian tradition earlier this year) and Melody Gardot (whose laidback vocals have a warmness not dissimilar to Gilberto’s). Like those artists, Gilberto delivers an album that seems designed for comfort and easy listening, featuring slow-to-medium tempo songs which are unchallenging but beguiling. All In One opens with ambient noises and the soft sound of a distinctively Brazilian guitar, Gilberto’s voice immediately velvety and inviting as she delivers a “canēćo de amor” (love song). A piano enters later, introducing a sound that is central to what will prove to be the softest of the singer’s albums.’s improvisations, invited the young pianist to record a solo piano project entitled Onaje." ~ Richard Elliott - popmatters.com,
CD Discography and Reverbnation page and Facebook. |
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Bebel Gilberto - Bebel Gilberto (2005) "Brazil has produced more than its fair share of musical giants. Genius composers such as Tom Jobim and Milton Nascimento, powerful performers like Jorge Ben, the furious wonder that is vocalist Elis Regina and countless others have stoked the fascination of those of us who find an almost perfect combination of intensity, complexity and immediacy in Brazil’s various indigenous forms. Bebel Gilberto is a part of that legacy, not only in terms of her parentage, but because she captures that intoxicating quality guilelessly, and delivers it to a chilly world. "
~ Chuck Zak - Stylus Magazine |
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Jean-Luc Ponty |
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Jean-Luc Ponty - 'Enigmatic Ocean' (1977)
"Enigmatic Ocean is Ponty's masterpiece and possibly the best Fusion CD ever. The line up is second to none; Holdsworth,Smith, Stuermer, Armstrong and Zavod all add to the amazing auditory tapestry that Jean-Luc has created. No single recording has ever combined Classical compostion, Jazz improvisation, Funky bass, and delivered it in a high energy rock context like Enigmatic Ocean has. Every tune on this disc is a highlight. "
~ JazzRockFusion,
CD Discography,
Website and
MySpace Music page.
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Jean-Luc Ponty - Cosmic Messenger (1979)
"1977's Enigmatic Ocean was indeed a tough act to follow, given the
improvisational and sonic brilliance of one Allan Holdsworth on
guitar. So, instead of trying to replicate that disc, Ponty wisely
leaned more in a rockier/funky direction for Cosmic Messenger,
knowing that NOBODY could match Holdsworth's unique contributions or
even get close. What results is a collection of songs that retain a
lot of the characteristics of Ponty's earlier efforts but a bit
leaner and meaner sounding."
~
Phil McKenna - Prog Archives |
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Brian Culbertson
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Brian Culbertson - Bringing Back The Funk (2008)
"Keyboardist extraordinaire Brian Culbertson has a style that is a mixture of inimitable funk and suave grooves. Growing up, Culbertson was heavily influenced by the work of Maynard Ferguson, Dave Sanborn, the Brecker Brothers, Blood Sweat & Tears, James Brown, and Earth Wind & Fire. Bringing Back the Funk (GRP Records, 2008) employs outstanding musicians to accompany him on the exploration of his funk music roots, many of whom were a part of the very acts that influenced him. The album—and the fact that the sessions were recorded live just like they were in the time of these great funk bands—ensures that the vibe of the album and the song selection stays true to the authenticity of the genre."
Katrina-Kasey Wheeler - AllAboutJazz.com, CD Discography, Website
and MySpace page.
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Brian Culbertson - It's On Tonight (2005)
"Dripping in sensuality, the album consists of all-original material, including three vocal pieces: the flirtatious title track (f/ Will Downing ), the spirited “Love Will Never Let You Down” (f/ Patti Austin ) and the bold “Wear it Out” (f/ Marc Nelson , lyricist of three numbers on the CD and a member of Babyface's protégé vocal group, Az Yet ). Culbertson also hand-picked three of smooth jazz's most sensitive horn players to lend their singular auras to the vibe at hand: saxophonists Boney James and Kirk Whalum , and trumpeter Chris Botti . As always, Culbertson produced the album, collaborating on seven of the songs with his frequent creative partner Stephen Lu ." - JazzDigger.com |
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Nils |
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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.
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Nils - Ready to Play (2007) "is a pleasantly varied, mix of 12 tracks that are very
well written songs by this clearly talented artist. With many of the
songs displaying a lot of the kind emotion that makes for a really
great listen. Seemingly drawing from what I can only imagine are
from personal experiences. At different points touching on the most
real emotions of love, and the pain of failed relationships can
certainly be heard." -
Clyde Lee Dennis - Article Alley |
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Faith Evans |
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 Faith Evans - Faithfully (2001) “Jazz, Gospel, Blues, Hip-Hop - Evans provides all flavours for a variety of listeners on Faithfully. If this fails to hit the mainstream charts, it will definitely go down as a street classic. Let's hope this will bury the shroud of negativity that has followed the singer once and for all, and help to focus on one of the most powerful set of vocals in the music industry today.”
~ Keysha Davis - BBC Music Guide,
CD Discography, Website, Reverbnation and MySpace Music page. |
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Faith Evans - Faith (1995) “Faith Evans is no novice to the music industry. She has worked as a background vocalist for artists such as Mary J. Blige, Tony Thompson, Usher and Pebbles. She is also a member of Sean "Puffy" Combs' Bad Boy family, and FAITH is that record label's first attempt to venture into musical lands outside the hip-hop nation. The debut establishes Evans as a true soul singer, separating her from the pop-oriented R&B that has seemingly taken over the genre.”
~ CD Universe Discography |
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Michael Shrieve |
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 Michael Shrieve - Spellbinder Live At Tost (2008)
"Ever the busy session player, Shrieve's name isn't as well known as it ought to be, despite his infrequent solo recordings (the last being some decade-and-a-half ago). That should all change with Michael Shrieve's Spellbinder, an elegant jam band of the first order that mixes rock with jazz in equal and exciting measure. This beautifully conceived quintet takes its name from guitarist Gabor Szabo's tune, which is best known from its brief appearance at the end of Santana's hit, "Black Magic Woman." Shrieve's unit contains trumpeter John Fricke, offering a taste of 70s-era Miles, organist Joe Doria, guitarist Danny Godinez and bassist Farko Dosumov—all fellow Seattle residents. The band has a standing Monday night gig at the Seattle club Tost, where this exceptionally fine performance was recorded during February 2008."
~ Douglas Payne - AllAboutJazz.com, Discography,
Website, Wikipedia and
Reverbnation |
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 Michael Shrieve - Transfer Station Blue (1984)
"Drummer Michael Shrieve has enjoyed a long, diverse career that has placed him in all sorts of roles. He was the drummer for Santana at Woodstock, and he is the "Shrieve" in 80's hard rock act Hagar, Schon, Aaronson, and Shrieve. In the meantime, he's collaborated with avant-garde artists such as David Torn, he's worked with Police guitarist Andy Summers, and has also found time to concoct a few releases under his own name. 1984's Transfer Station Blue is a new-agey, futuristic ambient synthesizer project made with help from his brother Kevin (guitar, keyboards) and German synthesizer wizard Klaus Schulze (Tangerine Dream,) with added contributions from then-David Letterman mainstays Will Lee (bass) and Hiram Bullock (rhythm guitars.) It's short - just 4 tracks totaling 37:09 - but fans of instrumental electronic music will find much to like here. "
~ epinions.com |
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Boney James
 Boney James - Contact
(2011) "His newest CD Contact — completely produced, arranged and co-written by James — is driven by the signature soulful grooves the world has come to expect from him, but with an added intensity. “I felt really inspired putting together the arrangements and producing the record,” he says. “There are a lot of things happening right now in modern music. The title, in one sense, refers to me reaching across genres and creating music that I believe is relevant and fresh.”
And although Boney’s music has in the past been categorized by some as “smooth jazz,” with his masterful new CD Contact he refuses to accept any type of labeling. “I always try to make sure my records possess integrity. I make Boney James music. I’m just trying to break down the barriers and make CONTACT.””
~ Verve Forecast - Smoothjazzdaily, Website, Discography,
MySpace, Facebook |
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 Boney James - Ride (2001)
"The masterful fusion of street funk, sensual R&B, and contemporary jazz that Boney James accomplishes on Ride continues to make him a favorite with listeners around the world. The multi-talented saxophonist, keyboardist, producer, and composer wrote or co-wrote nine of the songs for this ten-song program and features such stellar guest talent as Marcus Miller, R&B singer Jaheim on the title track, Dave Hollister's gospel-flavored street style heard on "Something Inside," and Trina Broussard's crystal-clear vocals on the opening track, "Heaven.""
~ Paula Edelstein - AllMusic.com
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Miles Davis |
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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.
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Miles Davis - Bitches Brew (1970)
"Miles' music continues to grow in its beauty, subtlety and sheer magnificence. Bitches' Brew is a further extension of the basic idea he investigated in his two previous albums, Filles De Kilimanjaro and In A Silent Way. In a larger sense, however, the record is yet another step in the unceasing process of evolution Miles has undergone since the Forties. The man never stops to rest on his accomplishments. Driven forward by a creative elan unequaled in the history of American music, he incorporates each successive triumph into the next leap forward." -
LANGDON WINNER - Rollingstone |
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Sara Tavares |
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 Sara Tavares - Balance (2006) “Sara Tavares really cuts right to it in Balance, her debut album. There's no nervous first-timer stuff here, it's truly a beautiful, fun and refreshing album. Tavares proves herself both as a songwriter and a vocalist, and has shown early that in the long-term, she is a force to be reckoned with.
Balance skips neatly between sexy jazz ballads ("Dam Bo"), upbeat Afro-pop ("Poka Terra") and even smooth reggae ("Planeta Sukri") without missing a beat. Tavares is a wise and clever poet, and her inter-lingual wordplay resembles that of Manu Chao. The album is breezily warm and eminently listenable.”
~ Megan Romer - About.com Guide,
CD Discography, Website, and MySpace Music page. |
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Sara Tavares - XINTI (2009) “During the early years of the emergence of world music, the rootsy, old-national traditions were the first to grow into the mainstream light. In recent years, though, artists who hybridize traditions have moved to the forefront of the genre. A good example is Sara Tavares, who is of Cape Verdean ancestry but was raised in Portugal, the daughter of immigrants who left the rocky islands for greener economic pastures. Though her early influences were found on the American soul shelf, she has since moved to a sound that has more in common with modern Africa. Her third album, "Xinti," which means "Feel It," showcases her maturation as an artist. "Xinti" ("ZHIN-tee") finds a rare balance in her music: upbeat but gentle, soulful but sweet. Tavares uses her velvety voice creatively, departing from the basic lyrics of these songs to scat alternate melodic lines that push, pull and punctuate the percolating polyrhythms underneath. Tavares sings in Portuguese and Cape Verdean creole on an album of songs that she wrote, produced and arranged. In addition to playing guitars, she often accompanies herself on vocals, overdubbing layers of her honeyed rasp to great billowing effect.”
~ Marty Lipp - New Jersey Star-Ledger Contributor |
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Aretha Franklin |
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 Aretha Franklin - Lady Soul (1968)
"Aretha's Franklin's position as soul music's premier female vocalist was consolidated by this album. Her strident reading of Don Covay's 'Chain Of Fools' set the tone for a collection on which the singer unveiled several stellar original compositions and reinterpreted a batch of classic songs. Franklin's gospel roots were clearly displayed on the anthem-like 'People Get Ready' while her interpretation of 'Natural Woman' showed both vulnerable and assertive qualities. Lady Soul captures a performer at the peak of her power, restating her ability to take material and make it uniquely her own. " ~ CD Universe ( Expand Full Description), Discography
Facebook BandPage, Wikipedia,
MySpace Music |
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Aretha Franklin - Young, Gifted And Black (1971) "It's nearly impossible to single out any of Aretha Franklin's early-'70s albums for Atlantic as being her best, particularly given the breadth of her output during this era. In terms of albums rather than singles, it's probably her strongest era, and if you count live albums like Amazing Grace, choosing a standout or a favorite record isn't any easier. Yet of this stunning era, Young, Gifted and Black certainly ranks highly among her studio efforts, with many arguing that it may be her greatest. "
~ Jason Birchmeier - AllMusic.com |
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Joshua Redman
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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.
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Joshua Redman - Freedom in the Groove (1996)
"Joshua Redman, son of avant-garde tenorist Dewey Redman, Harvard graduate with a bright future potential in multiple areas (Medicine, Law) won the 1991 Thelonious Monk Competition and a Warner Brothers contract and subsequently released a self-titled disc and the highly-praised Wish. He has an informed, compressed tone that is immediately appealing and accessible. Critic Scott Yanow likens Redman's performance style to those of Red Holloway and Gene Ammons, stating that he "will probably never be an innovator". I see that as a plus. There is an immediate familiarity in Redman's playing, some thing very comfortable like seeing that old friend after many years and picking up where your left off.." - C. Michael Bailey - All About Jazz |
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Esperanza Spalding |
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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.
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Esperanza Spalding - Junjo (2006)
"The trio's interpretation of Chick Corea's "Humpty Dumpty"¯ offers the
best look at Spalding's bass playing. She likes to move with a comfortable
rhythmic drive that never fades. Her concept remains lyrical from start to
finish; she creates a focus for her energy and ensures that it follows a
path toward beauty. Fresh voices such as this one on the modern jazz scene
prove that good taste will always win over greedy ambition.". -
AllAboutJazz.com - Jim Santella |
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John Lee Hooker |
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 John Lee Hooker - The Healer (1989)
"The Healer was oddly a major mainstream breakthrough for John Lee Hooker. The album was one of the first to feature a wide array of guest stars, including Bonnie Raitt, Los Lobos and Carlos Santana. The album immediately captured widespread media attention because of all the superstar musicians involved in its production and has to date been John Lee's most successful release. Recorded in analog and mixed to 1/4" 15ips analog tape, the sound is better than almost any other Hooker recording. Transferred from the original 1/4" analog tapes by Bernie Grundman using Classic's "all tube" cutting system, gives this release a warmth and comfort it has never had. If you're a John Lee Hooker fan then this a must! Great sound and classic Hooker guitar and vocal performances." ~ Dr. T - mississippimoan.blogspot.com,
CD Discography and MySpace page and Wikipedia. |
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John Lee Hooker - Boom Boom (1992/2007) "In 1989, blues legend John Lee Hooker enjoyed a career revival in the wake of the release of The Healer. Produced by slide-guitarist Roy Rogers, and with a little help from friends like Bonnie Raitt, Robert Cray, and Carlos Santana, the album featured enough contemporary guest stars to attract a young audience unfamiliar with Hooker's enormous blues history. After a decade of sporadic recording (and relative obscurity), Hooker was suddenly a hot property again, and The Healer earned the bluesman a Grammy Award."
~ Reverend Keith A. Gordon - About.com |
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Christian Scott |
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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.
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Christian Scott - Rewind That (2006)
" is a product of everything imaginable in jazz. As a derivative of fusion, Scott has embraced hip-hop rhythms, soulful melodic grooves and harmonic nuances to bind with an improvisational standard seldom seen coming from an artist of his years. His music has a built-in simplicity about it, whereby even the most complex note structures are easily assimilated into the realm of intuitive acceptance. As one attunes himself to the creativity of Christian Scott, the influences of Miles Davis and Eddie Henderson radiate like beacons in the night. On the other hand, the ever-present shadow of Chet Baker also looms in the background. But make no mistake about this music, Rewind That is all about Christian Scott�s own personal odyssey into fusion and the intuitive creative spirit that comes from within. His laid back style of play creates a sense of sanctuary in an environment where jazz is often too commercial and seldom very cerebral."
Sheldon T. Nunn - Jazz Review.com |
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Jimmy Smith |
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 Jimmy Smith - The Sermon (1957)
"A Historical Insight: Before I get to my review I would like to present a historical insight that will hopefully put into perspective "The Sermon" and Jimmy Smith's development up to this point. In 1956 Jimmy Smith was like a meteor shooting through the sky. In March '56 he had completed the session that yielded "The Champ" (his second album, aka "A New Sound A New Star: Jimmy Smith at the Organ Volume 2" (Blue Note 1514) which had turned the jazz world upside down. By the time of "The Champ", Jimmy had gained a solid following and went into the studio in June for his third album "At The Organ Vol. 3" (Blue Note 1525) and his live excitement was to be captured in October in Wilmington, Delaware. Why was Jimmy Smith such a phenomenal success? " ~ TenchiPMG - Epinions.com,
CD Discography and MySpace page and Wikipedia. |
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 Jimmy Smith - Further Adventures Of Jimmy And Wes (1966) "Further Adventures of Jimmy and Wes picks up where Dynamic Duo left off, digging a little further into the one-time-only Wes Montgomery/Jimmy Smith sessions and coming up with more fine music -- mellower in general than Dynamic Duo but first-class nonetheless. Unlike most of the studio sessions from this time, Montgomery gets plenty of room for his single-string work as well as his famous octaves, and both techniques find him in full, mature bloom, needing fewer notes in which to say more (Smith, of course, is precisely the opposite)."
~ Richard S. Ginell - AllMusic.com |
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Me'Shell NdegeOcello |
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 Me'Shell Ndegeocello - Bitter (1999) "She established herself as a badass neo-soul bohemian muso with her '93 Maverick Records debut, Plantation Lullabies, thumb-slapping her bass and singing in a husky tone that underscored her much- ballyhooed androgyny. She could taunt another female with the nonchalant, predatory sexuality of "If That's Your Boyfriend (He Wasn't Last Night)," then turn around and crystallize the longing and hope that sustain us in the face of adversity ("I'm Diggin' You Like an Old Soul Record"). Though her shaved head and avowed bisexuality got her some headlines, MeShell Ndegeocello positioned herself neither as hapless, pining love object nor musical clay for a male producer, and this (literally) maverick stance cost her the brass ring of urban-radio megastardom." ~ Simon Glickman - mashmagazine.com,
CD Discography and MySpace page and Website. |
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Me'Shell Ndegeocello - Devil's Halo (2009) "Intense. That’s always the first word that comes to mind when anyone mentions Meshell Ndegeocello. Her music eschews sentiment for emotion. There’s a stark acceptance that life is rough, passionate, trying, and beautiful in Ndegeocello’s work. She never shies away from how heavy and messy human emotion can be.... For Ndegeocello fans though, it is tempting to say that the Devil’s Halo and Bitter are just two sides of the same coin—which isn’t really accurate, I don’t think. Anyone who insinuates that this is the happier version of Bitter is missing the point. Devil’s Halo, even with songs like “Bright Shiny Morning” isn’t really a happy album. But it isn’t really a sad one either. It rejects this paradigm as a false choice and as such it is really Bitter with a greater sense of perspective of life’s realities. "
~ Tyler Lewis - PopMatters |
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George Duke |
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 George Duke - Deja Vu (2010) "Keyboard master/songwriter/producer, jazz legend George Duke, returns with his latest project on his own BPM imprint, distributed through Heads Up International (A division of the Concord Music Group), "Deja Vu". George takes his listeners back to his late '70's/'80's era Funk/Soul sound. A sound that defined the classic "Dukey Stick" groove we all have come to know and appreciate. Produced by George, this ten selection CD is a culmination of Latin, Soul, laid back ballads, and Funk excursions... Other musical talents featured on "Deja Vu" are bassist Larry Kimpel, guitarists’ Paul Jackson, Jr., Ray Fuller, Jef Lee Johnson, bassist Michael Manson, and drummer Teddy Campbell."
~ Randy Holmes - The Urban Music Scene,
CD Discography, Website and Reverbnation page. |
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George Duke - Faces in Reflection (1974) "Keyboardist George Duke's career may have swerved towards pop and smooth jazz in recent years, but his mid-1960s emergence suggested a future as bright as contemporaries including Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock. Seminal work with renegade guitarist/composer Frank Zappa in the mid-1970s further cemented a reputation built on earlier recordings with violinist Jean-Luc Ponty, saxophonist Cannonball Adderley and vocalist Flora Purim. That he's chosen a more accessible route since then doesn't diminish the string of fine albums released under his own name during fusion's heyday, notably 1974's Faces in Reflection, originally issued by the German MPS label and now receiving a superb remaster/reissue treatment from the fledgling Promising Music."
~ John Kelman - All About Jazz |
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Onaje Allan Gumbs |
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 Onaje Allan Gumbs - Return To Form (2003) "Onaje Allan Gumbs is one of the industry’s most respected and talented musical collaborators. He has worked for more than 27 years with an illustrious list of jazz, R&B and pop artists. In 1974, he created a special arrangement of "Stella By Starlight" for the New York Jazz Repertory Company as part of a concert honoring Miles Davis at Carnegie Hall. He followed that with live and recorded performances with such artists as Lenny White, Buster Williams, Cecil McBee and Betty Carter. In 1975,Onaje joined forces with trumpeter, Nat Adderley as part of his quintet contributing to the group’s releases on Atlantic and Steeplechase Records. Producer Nils Winter of Steeplechase upon hearing Onaje’s improvisations, invited the young pianist to record a solo piano project entitled Onaje." ~ Richard Thorpe, The Boston Globe - itsaboutmusic.com,
CD Discography and Reverbnation page. |
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Onaje Allan Gumbs - Sack Full of Dreams (2007) "Without making tiresome concessions to smooth-jazz tastes, Gumbs, a veteran keyboardist with an illustrious resume (stints with Woody Shaw, Nat Adderley and Betty Carter, among many others), sustains several inviting moods here. The bright lyricism he displays at the keyboard on the jazz samba “Destiny” and other tracks ranks high on the list of the album’s allures. In fact, it’s right up there with Gumbs’ brand of effortless, small-combo swing (check out his flowing solo on the self-penned “Nitelife”) and his frequent embrace of soul jazz grooves that brings out the best in his bandmates, including guitarist Bob DeVos and drummer George Gray."
~ Taylor - jazzreloaded.com |
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Wes Montgomery |
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Wes Montgomery - Smokin' At The Half Note (1965)
"It's ironic, as surely many have noted before me, that Wes Montgomery's landmark "live" record Smokin' at the Half Note wasn't exactly what its title claimed it to be. Montgomery, along with the Wynton Kelly Trio (Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums), spent the end of June 1965 recording at least eight songs for the LP live at the legendary New York City club. Only two of those songs -- "No Blues" and "If You Could See Me Now" -- would actually surface on Smokin' at the Half Note; producer Creed Taylor was unhappy with the remaining tracks and had the group record the rest of the album -- "Unit 7", "Four on Six", and "What's New?" -- at New Jersey's Van Gelder Recording Studio a few months later. Although Smokin' at the Half Note was promoted and culturally absorbed as a live record, in reality only two of its five songs were actually culled from live club sessions."
Zeth Lundy - PopMattters Music Review, CD Discography
, Wikipedia
and
MySpace.
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Wes Montgomery - The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery (1960)
"This was the album that set him apart from other guitarists. He had a unique approach to phasing and legend has it that his thumbs were double jointed and could actually bend back and touch his wrist. This enabled Montgomery to develop a technical virtuosity that allowed the notes to be distinct. He was also able to maintain a fairly melodic sound, which was different from many of the other jazz practitioners of his day.
This CD release of The Incredible Jazz Guitar Of Wes Montgomery was re-mastered from the original tapes. The original cover art and liner notes are intact. Also included is a substantive biography of Montgomery’s career. It all combines into a 60’s looking package with a modern sound.
David Bowling - Blogcritics Music |
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Terrence Brewer
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Terrence Brewer - Groovin Wes (2008) "Terrence Brewer is on of the busiest working Jazz Guitarists on the planet. In this interview, Terrence digs into his past and present sharing with us his work ethic on getting gigs and the art of Jazz Guitar. He also talks about his latest CD Groovin’ Wes which is a tribute to the one and only, Wes Montgomery. Enjoy!"
~ Lyle Robinson - Jazz Guitar Life
|
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 Terrence Brewer -
QuintEssential
(2007) "Hovering somewhere between a straight ahead jam session and a mellow contemporary date, California guitarist Terrence Brewer’s genial third CD features the kinds of catchy, inviting grooves that play well on jazz radio."
Forrest Dylan Bryant - Jazz Times.
Terrence's website. |
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Richard Elliott |
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 Richard Elliot -
Metro Blue (2005) “He was a member of the funk band Tower of Power for 5 years during the 1980s[1]. He also worked on Stacy Lattisaw's 1986 album "Take Me All The Way". His solo career took off when he remade the Percy Sledge classic "When a Man Loves a Woman" (which had also been remade by Michael Bolton). Other well-known songs include "In the Groove," "Take Your Time," "Crush," "Chill Factor," "Corner Pocket," and "Sly", as well as remakes of classic pop songs like "I'm Not in Love" and the Luther Vandross hits "Here and Now" and "Your Secret Love.""
~ Wikipedia.org,
CD Discography, Website, and MySpace Music page. |
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Richard Elliot - Chill Factor (1999)
"As a radio-molded sax idol, Richard Elliot plays the kind of sweaty, keyboard pulsing R&B that has launched a thousand Sanborn wannabes over the past decade. While Elliot's swinging leads overcome some of the genre's self indulgence on the more conventional commercial tracks populating Chill Factor, he also manages to sneak in some welcome raw arrangements that showcase the talents which are so often buried under the slick layers”
~ Jazz Times |
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Bill Evans |
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 Bill Evans - Sunday At The Village Vanguard (1961) “What can be said about Bill Evans' classic Sunday At The Village Vanguard that hadn't already been said so many times over? If you're new to jazz, here's what you need to know: it is the beginning and the end of piano-bass-drums music. It's one of the five or six most essential jazz records of all time. And it's one of the very finest live documents from any music genre.
When you listen to this record keeping in mind that the bass player Scott LaFaro---one of the most promising bassists ever to emerge---was dead ten days later at the tender age of 25, it brings about a bittersweet sentiment because one of the most spectacular moments in jazz was a fleeting one. In a bit of irony, Evans' producer and record company head Orrin Keepnews sensed that this unit was not going to hold together for much longer, which led to these monumental recordings. ~ Pico - blogcritics.org,
CD Discography, Wikipedia.org, and MySpace Music page. |
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Bill Evans - Waltz for Debby (1961) “Recorded at the Village Vanguard in 1961, shortly before Scott LaFaro’s death, Waltz for Debby is the second album issued from that historic session, and the final one from that legendary trio that also contained drummer Paul Motian. While the Sunday at the Village Vanguard album focused on material where LaFaro soloed prominently, this is far more a portrait of the trio on those dates. Evans chose the material here, and, possibly, in some unconscious way, revealed on these sessions — and the two following LaFaro’s death (Moonbeams and How My Heart Sings!) — a different side of his musical personality that had never been displayed on his earlier solo recordings or during his tenures with Miles Davis and George Russell: ”
~ circeo59 - ARABESQUE |
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Freddie Hubbard |
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Freddie Hubbard - Red Clay (1970)
“Whenever the topic of discussion is a major work of early jazz fusion led by a trumpeter who's already renown in the straight jazz arena, most anybody would immediately think of the Prince Of Darkness. But Miles wasn't the only cat on the horn making the successful transition from acoustic to electric jazz without loss of integrity. Before his full fledged cross over into commercial R&B with 1972's Black Byrd, Donald Byrd had some notably more experimental forays into electrified jazz. And then there's Freddie Hubbard epic early-seventies run with the CTI label. Some people think Striaght Life is the gem of that batch, and it is a fantastic record. Me? Man, I gotta go with Red Clay.”
~ Pico - BlogCritics.org,
CD Discography,
Website, and
MySpace Music page. |
|
Freddie Hubbard -
Without a Song: Live in Europe 1969 (2009) “Trumpeter Freddie Hubbard's passing in December 2008 created the expected appetite for previously unissued material. This generous set is a valuable exhumation of live material, recorded in 1969. Actually, Hubbard had already approved its release prior to his departure, and was very excited about this archival rediscovery. The main bulk is drawn from concerts in London and Bristol, but the last two tracks were laid down somewhere in Germany.”
Martin Longley, BBC Review |
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Ken Navarro |
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 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.
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Ken Navarro - Meeting Place (2007)
"Trumpeter Chris Botti recently commented that, for many casual listeners, listening to jazz can be like taking a math test. Ken Navarro has no worries—his music is more like recess, and the guitarist would be the first to tell you that’s the way he wants it. There’s a reason why he named his record label Positive Music. Still, on his 17th recording, the guitarist is up challenging himself while still offering fans abundant opportunities to savor his sweet picking style. Navarro went back 30 years for his biggest test—a cover of Pat Metheny’s “Lakes” from his Watercolors album. Navarro glides through the tough chord changes with ease after no doubt many hours of practice, bringing beauty to a complex composition."
~ Brian Soergel - JazzTimes. |
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Walter Beasley |
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 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.
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Walter Beasley Live – In the Groove (2010)
"Walter Beasley found his roots in Grover Washington’s music. After more than 20 years at the forefront of smooth jazz he is established as one of the most prolific sax players of this genre. He put the base for his position by his work as teacher at Berklee College of Music."
~ Smooth Jazz Daily Blog at WordPress. |
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David Sanborn |
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 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.
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David Sanborn - Close-Up (1988)
"David Sanborn may have been the most influential alto saxophonist of the '70s and early '80s. A generation of young players--Marc Russo (of the Yellowjackets), Brandon Fields and Sam Riney are only a few who come to mind--was deeply affected by Sanborn's soaring high notes and blues-honed melodies."
~ August 30, 1988 - DON HECKMAN - LA Times
JAZZ REIVIEW and
MySpace Music page. |
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Wayne Shorter |
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 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.
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Wayne Shorter - Footprints Live! (2002)
"Wayne Shorter’s Footprints live! is the sax player’s first live album under his own name, which is difficult to believe given the length of his recording career. Of course, we have heard Shorter on live recordings plenty of times, with the Miles Davis Quintet, with Weather Report, and in various guest spots. One thing that’s nice about this recording is that you hardly know it is live but for the applause between numbers. There is polite applause following solos, but the audience has either been mixed way down or was recorded at a low enough level that it never impinges on your enjoyment of the music."
~ Marshall Bowden (21 August 2002) - PopMatters |
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Greg Osby |
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 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.
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Greg Osby - Inner Circle (2002)
"On Inner Circle, Osby is joined by frequent collaborator Jason Moran on piano, Stefon Harris on vibes, and Taurus Mateen and Eric Harland on bass and drums, respectively. The ensemble sound is reminiscent of those found on certain aforementioned Blue Note dates of the '60s, particularly Hill's Judgment (which is a quartet date featuring Bobby Hutcherson on vibes and Elvin Jones on drums) and Eric Dolphy's famous Out to Lunch sextet date featuring Kenny Dorham, Joe Henderson, and Hutcherson. It's a luminous sound that revolves around the combination of piano and vibes, anchored by Mateen's warm and steady bass and Harland's tasteful and earthy drumming. Osby ducks and dodges over and through the ensemble, with beautiful, angular ideas; a burnished tone; and exacting confidence. "
~ John Daniellson - PopMatters Music Review |
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Carol Duboc |
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 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.
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Carol Duboc - With All That I Am (2001)
"Her writing and arranging success has included, among other things, the song “This Word is All” on Patti LaBelle's Gems CD, which went Gold, as well as the title cut, “Precious”, on Chante Moore's Gold CD. Carol also penned the hit single “Never Do You Wrong” for Stephanie Mills, and the song “That Boy” on Jade's Jade To The Max CD, which attained Platinum status. Carol Duboc
first stepped out as a solo artist with her debut album With All That I Am in 2001. She immediately began earning critical acclaim as one of the top new jazz singers on the music scene. Sandy Shore of smoothjazz.com announced “Smooth Jazz has a new poster girl!” Following her auspicious debut, Carol's second full release was simply titled Duboc in 2003. Carol's 2005 release, entitled All Of You, is another extension of her tremendous talent. She was also featured on NBC and SmoothJazz TV. Christopher Loudon of Jazz Times Magazine writes that Carol “has cleverly shaped an evocative excavation of love in all its forms."
~ All About Jazz |
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Jack DeJohnette |
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 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.
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Jack DeJohnette - Golden Beams Collected, Vol. 1 (2006)
"Born in Chicago in 1942, Jack DeJohnette is widely regarded as one of jazz music's greatest drummers. Music appreciation flourished in DeJohnette's family. He studied classical piano from age four until fourteen before beginning to play drums with his high school concert band and taking private piano lessons at the Chicago conservatory of music. DeJohnette credits his uncle, Roy I. Wood Sr., who was one of the most popular jazz DJ's in the South Side of Chicago, later vice president of the National Network of Black Broadcasters, as the person who initially inspired him to pursue music."
~ Dave Schroeder - ALL About Jazz |
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Branford Marsalis |
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 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.
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Branford Marsalis - METAMORPHOSEN (2009)
"marks a decade of shared creativity by the Branford Marsalis Quartet, and is another milestone in the history of one of the most compelling and complete ensembles in jazz. Saxophonist Branford Marsalis, pianist Joey Calderazzo, bassist Eric Revis and drummer Jeff Tain Watts reveal even greater refinements in virtuosity, vision and telepathic response in a program featuring original compositions by all four members plus a Thelonious Monk classic, Marsalis return to the alto sax in addition to features for his more familiar tenor and soprano, and an unrivalled sense of collective purpose. The album title, which is German for metamorphoses, reflects the growth of both the quartet and of each member, an evolution that has generated music of even greater clarity without any sacrifice in intensity."
~ Description - Amazon.com |
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Lee Morgan |
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 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.
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Lee Morgan - Gigilo (1965)
"Hard bop's baddest trumpeter, Lee Morgan, may never quite have topped his iconic '63 masterpiece, The Sidewinder, but he came pretty damn close on a couple of occasions. The Gigolo is one of them, and it's been reissued as part of the ongoing Rudy Van Gelder remaster series. The album's menacing, visceral vibe has never sounded more powerful or engaging. Astonishingly funky and credible music, even forty years down the line."
~ Chris May - All About Jazz |
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John Pizzarelli |
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 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.
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John Pizzarelli - Live At Birdland (2003)
"Live at Birdland is two hours, twelve minutes, and sixteen seconds the finest of the American Musical Art form. The John Pizzarelli Trio celebrated its tenth anniversary at New York City's Birdland club this past year and Telarc was there to capture the festivities. How fortunate we are. One of the value elements of this disc is the sheer musicality of Pizzarelli’s guitar playing and singing. Both make listening to instrumental artist’s take on these chestnuts make sense once the listener has heard the lyrics sung by such a top-rate singer."
~ C. Michael Bailey - All About Jazz |
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Sarah McLachlan |
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 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.
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Sarah McLachlan - Afterglow Live (2004)
"The focus of the concert, naturally, is McLachlan's voice. Breathy, emotive, and threaded with embellishments, the singer's performances replicate her studio takes to the note. Likewise, her band creates a gauzy, shimmering wash of sound, perfectly complementing McLachlan, and giving the whole a high-end sheen. But the real treasure here is the accompanying DVD, which features live footage of all the songs on the audio disc, plus additional tunes (including a cover of Paul McCartney's "Blackbird"), videos, behind-the-scenes footage, and the politically motivated short film "World on Fire." For fans who have never seen McLachlan perform, or wish to relive the experience, AFTERGLOW LIVE is the next best thing to seeing the pop icon in person."
~ Oldies.com |
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Dave Brubeck |
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 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.
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Dave Brubeck - Time Out (1959)
"features Paul Desmond on Sax, Eugene Wright on Base, Joe Morello on Drums and of course the classily trained Dave Brubeck on keys. As stated before, this album has sold more copies then any other album, it introduced several generations since the 1950’s to jazz and inspired many other musicians and it’s style has been often imitated but never surpassed. If you own only one Jazz album and my review is even remotely worthy of this piece of music, then by now you understand why this has to be
'The One…'."
~ The Fedora Chronicles |
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Grover Washington Jr. |
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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.
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Grover Washington Jr. - Mr. Magic (1974)
"The first record for anyone looking to hear a positive example of smooth is all here. Fused
in an R&B groove that is produced and arranged by future smooth mogul pianist Bob James, Mister Magic was a spotlight for one
of jazz's great sax players. Washington absolutely breathed a fluid and caressingly powerful style that was unique to him. Since the style called for easy playing, he could sit back and let the chops glide like water flowing down a river. His melodies and tone are always first rate, but there was a certain magic, if you will, to what this record
says about its artist. Many of the smooth players relied on the direct approach to playing and soloing, but Washington allowed himself room to open up, and this
is where his music has the most to offer to the rest of jazz fans. Sure the polish is on there, but the solos are not afraid to take flight either.". -
Trevor MacLaren - All About Jazz |
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Boney James |
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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,
Discography,
Website and
MySpace Music page.
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Boney James - Body Language (1999)
"One word describes the CD Body Language from Boney James... AWESOME! Refreshingly,
Body Language was one of those CDs I was able to just pop in and listen to comfortably
from beginning to end. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen
to from start to finish. Grabbing your attention right from the start with a very catch
track in Are You Ready?". -
ArticleOnRamp.com - Clyde Lee Dennis |
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Cal Tjader
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 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.
|
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 Cal Tjader "Soul
Burst" (1966)
"Cal Tjader was undoubtedly the most famous non-Latino leader
of Latin jazz bands, an extraordinary distinction. From the 1950s
until his death, he was practically the point man between the worlds
of Latin jazz and mainstream bop; his light, rhythmic, joyous
vibraphone manner could comfortably embrace both styles. His
numerous recordings for Fantasy and Verve and long-standing presence
in the San Francisco Bay Area eventually had a profound influence
upon Carlos Santana, and thus Latin rock." ~
Zune.net |
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Norman Brown
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 Norman Brown "Sending
My Love" (2010)
"Whether to military troops overseas, family members or fans, guitarist Norman Brown has plenty of love to give. And he shows it with Sending My Love.
Brown is a Grammy Award winner who has played guitar since the age of 8. Drawing inspiration from Jimi Hendrix and Wes Montgomery, and often compared to George Benson, Brown has worked with a number of smooth jazz luminaries, including Paul Brown, Kirk Whalum, Rick Braun, Mitch Forman and Michael Manson.
Sending My Love features nine original songs, penned by Brown, alone or in collaboration with keyboardist Herman Jackson or other associates. In addition to the core group, a five-piece horn section appears on some tracks. Daughter Rochella Brown, Melvin Moore III and the Sounds of Blackness also make appearances. "
~ Woodrow Wilkins - All About Jazz, CD Discography, Website
and MySpace page.
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 Norman Brown "After The Storm" (1994)
"Guitarist Norman Brown splashed into the soul-jazz scene in 1992 as
a recording artist for MoJazz and quickly went on to win substantial
acclaim, beginning with his award-winning second album, After the
Storm. Both Gavin and Soul Train named it Jazz Album of the Year,
and After the Storm remained on the charts for over two years.
Suddenly critics drew comparisons to other astonishing jazz
guitarists from the past such as George Benson and Wes Montgomery,
and Brown became the toast of the soul-jazz crowd. Following the
remarkable success of After the Storm, Brown continued to wow jazz
listeners. " ~
ARTISTdirect.com |
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Alicia Keys
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 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.
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 Alicia Keys "As I Am" (2007)
"Self-confidence, together with talent, cultivates excellence. Such is certainly the case for Alicia Keys, who on her third studio album, As I Am, presents her strongest, most consistent effort yet with songs that defy superficial expression.
Indeed, the woman heard here imparts so much uninhibited conviction that her music often sounds like it was spiritually channeled rather than skillfully composed. Some songs evoke an old-school flavor while others feel entirely of the moment. Whatever the mood or the muse, though, Keys commands each one with a voice that’s matured into one almighty instrument." ~
Donald Gibson - BlogCritic.com |
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Al Di Meola
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 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.
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 Al Di Meola "Kiss My Axe" (1988)
"He holds the most prestigious guitar awards (of any guitarist in the world) from the highest rated guitar poll in the world, Guitar Player Magazine. He has been known throughout the world for the past two and a half decades as one of the most prominent virtuosos in the contemporary instrumental jazz field... Al Di Meola, again and again, reveals himself as a seasoned gifted contemporary composer and a player of deepening grace and evocative lyricism. He has been continually sited by many of the top prominent Music critics around the world for his virtuosic guitar work and compositions. Al's intrigue with complex rhythmic syncopation combined with provocative lyrical melodies always incorporating, sophisticated harmony at the root of these serious but heart felt works is central and foremost." -
Biography in All About Jazz |
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Alex Bugnon
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 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.
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Alex Bugnon "Love Seasons" (1989)
"Alex Bugnon has created one of the most recognized styles in
today's contemporary jazz piano. It is a sultry mixture of
contemporary jazz, funk, and R&B with hints of gospel. Even the
titles of his CDs create anticipation for a musical experience that
is delivered with passion. His latest album, “Free,” reunites him
with Atlanta based keyboardist and producer Phil Davis. After
recording “Free” and his last album, “Southern Living,” in Atlanta,
Bugnon calls this city his second musical home. “Free,” is a
refreshing blend of exotic rhythms with haunting, soulful melodies
and the signature Alex Bugnon piano sound." - All About Jazz |
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Lee Ritenour
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 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, CD Discography, Website
and MySpace page.
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Lee Ritenour - Wes Bound (1992)
"Wes Bound is a look back at a guitar master, Wes Montgomery, a jazz player that has influenced so many guitar players with his unique playing style: two notes played simultaneously, and picked with the thumb, not a pick. This style of playing creates a very mellow guitar tone and is extremely melodic. Lee Ritenour pays homage to Wes on this album, and does so in true style. Every song has been reworked just enough to make them sound fresh, but they remain true to the legacy of Wes." - - Wicked Digital |
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Jill Scott
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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.
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Jill Scott - Who Is Jill Scott? Words & Sounds Vol. 1 (2000)
"By sharing her innermost sensibilities and emotions Scott ensures that by the time you have listened to Who Is Jill Scott?, your questions will have been more than answered. Operating on so many levels beyond mere words and sounds, this album is a veritable window into her soul. Indeed, there is no mystery. Working in combination with the exceptional production skills of Jazzy Jeff's Touch of Jazz collective this extremely talented poet/singer/songwriter has produced an album that clearly defines who she is. Make no mistake this is a bona fide contemporary classic that will be listened to for many years to come." - Colin Ross - PopMatters.com |
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Pat Metheny
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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.
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Pat Metheny - Day Trip (2008)
"Metheny thrives in a trio format — the space suits his spiraling runs and the afterring in his pointed electric sound — and he responds here with excited improvising in the hypersamba
"Son of Thirteen" and the vintage-Wes Montgomery stroll of "Calvin's
Keys." An exception: "Is This America? (Katrina 2005)," a subdued
but emphatic challenge that needs no words to make its point." - DAVID FRICKE - rollingstone.com |
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Bob James
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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.
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Bob James - "Joy Ride (1999)
"Bob James only had a total of four solo CD's in the 1990's, and while they're all good, this one just seems to stand out. As usual, James contributes his writing, arranging, and producing talents in addition to his keyboard talents. However, I think it's contributions from all the other great writers, arrangers, and producers (like Chuck Loeb and Michael Colina) that make this CD so special. Like almost every Bob James' CD (or album) ever produced, the audio quality on this one is outstanding. " -
by Stanton Zeff - audioholics.com |
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The Temptations
(Dual reviews on same linked page) |
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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.
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The Temptations - "Temptin' Temptations (1965)
"A collection of early singles, The Temptations' first LP was released three years into the group's history with Motown. David Ruffin is absent from all but the first track, cut after the others. They work with a number of producers, including Norman Whitfield, Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson. Seven of the twelve original LP cuts were written or co-written by Gordy with Smokey Robinson getting his name on three of the remaining cuts. It's these i'll discuss first because they seem more in line with the classic Temptations sound. The lead song was the bands breakthrough hit and Eddie Kendricks falsetto underpins the sound. The harmonies are irresistable and it's no surprise this gem of a song became a hit." -
adriandenning.co.uk |
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Gerald Albright |
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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.
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Gerald Albright - "Kickin' It Up (2004)
" In the chaotic world of jazz, seldom is there an opportunity to experience a legend of any kind, most of them have made their jazz passage into the realms of history. But in the whole scheme of conversation, there continues to be opportunities to observe the abilities of jazz icons; however, only a few notable individuals have had the staying power to have achieved even that designation. In the category of saxophonists, any number of musicians have left impressions distinctive enough to be considered as jazz icons. With the advent of smooth jazz, any musician who can systematically excel above the fray on a consistent basis is in a unique position. One such artist is saxophonist Gerald Albright, who by most standards may be extremely underrated, yet he has managed to become one of the most prominent names in contemporary jazz over the last 16 years. " -
Sheldon T. Nunn - jazzreview.com |
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Brian Bromberg |
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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.
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Brian Bromberg - Downright Upright (2007)
"Working with a crew that normally reserves its studio and stage time for smooth jazz or a similar, pop-inspired, contemporary form, Bromberg brings his big bass and piccolo bass aboard for a veritable party. He and his sidemen inject plenty of life into the scene on Downright Upright, honoring the jazz legends who have paved the way. These are no mere sidemen with Bromberg, either. Each brings a
veteran's feel for contemporary jazz to the session, giving the bassist a rich palette from which to select. George
Duke's piano solo on "Chameleon",¯ for example, provides one of the
session's high points. The others join Bromberg in creating several more plateaus on a session that comes recommended for its broad appeal and for its unmistakable groove." -
Jim Santella - All About Jazz |
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Return To Forever |
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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.
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Return To Forever - Romantic Warrior (1976)
" It was early 1976. The Mahavishnu Orchestra was still "somewhat around" with John McLaughlin in his Inner Worlds mode, but they weren't setting the fusion world on fire quite as much as they did in the earlier part of that decade. Keyboardist extraordinaire Chick Corea's Return To Forever had been around for a while and held its ground in the fusion world well enough while Mahavishnu was still "THE Big Thing" in fusion. But with the release of Romantic Warrior in '76, RTF seemed to leap toward the forefront of fusion bands that would catch the ear of a wider audience, and along with bands like Weather Report they kept that Miles Davis/Tony Williams' Lifetime/Mahavishnu fusion flame burning brightly. " -
progressiveears.com |
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Diana Krall |
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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.
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Vince Benedetti and Diana Krall - heartdrops (1990)
"What I can hear is that this is not the same Diana Krall who appeared on the CD/DVD Live in Paris. She is still tempering her craft on this recording. Benedetti, for his part, demonstrates his singular genius in composition and arrangement. He provides Krall (and guitarist Martien Oster) a lush, almost Bossa carpet, over which to sing. In the best way possible, these songs sound like lounge music—which in itself is not bad, just not the best one can expect by listening prospectively from this recording toward the more contemporary recordings by both artists. As such, this is a unique historical document, illuminating the early talents of the exquisite Ms. Krall." -
Michael Bailey - All About Jazz |
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Bob Dylan |
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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.
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Bob Dylan - Blood On The Tracks (1975)
"This album is unique Dylan, for me at least. Dylan always
loved the wordplay and the innuendo. He was sly and mischievous. On
this disc, he lays is all out. The imagery is still as beautiful,
but the feelings are raw. This album spawned the rock and roll
masterpiece Tangled up in Blue. Even Dylan, who refused to
talk about himself or his legacy, regards that as a favorite. When
touring, he would play around with the lyrics and sing it in third
person." -
Lono - BlogCritic.org |
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Tim Warfield |
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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.
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Tim Warfield - Gentle Warrior (2004)
"Only a thoroughly assured tenor player would lead off a set with a hokey ballad like "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face," as Tim Warfield does on Gentle Warrior. It is something that only a handful of greats like Rollins and Gordon can do without risk. Warfield's nailing such a daring gambit on just his third outing as a leader shows how he has grown since first gaining notice on Tough Young Tenors, the '91 Antilles young lions showcase."
-
Bill Shoemaker - JazzTimes |
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Shilts |
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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.
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Shilts - Headboppin (2006)
"Shilts says HeadBoppin' shows he still has everything in him to be in the forefront. He says, The title really speaks for itself. It's an uptempo, funky, sort of very groovy album. I always want the music to be fun and to give it a party atmosphere. It's definitely got that with it. I've written nine of the ten tunes--two of them have been co-written and produced with Rick Braun.
Rick Braun let Shilts be Shilts on HeadBoppin'. Shilts says, Rick's been paramount in the way that this album's turned out. I really can't given him enough praise really. They didn't want to recreate anything from me. They didn't want to change my sound or my style." -
Norm Breest - JazzReview.com |
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Karrin Allyson |
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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.
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Karrin Allyson - Wild For You (2004)
"On Wild For You, Allyson revels in the music that helped influence her style, and she does it without horns or any other competing instruments to detract from the insinuating strength of her voice. The fact that she chooses to include songs by female songwriters of the late 1960’s and 1970’s makes Allyson’s adaptations seem even more natural than they would have been otherwise. And the choice of John’s (Elton’s, not Olivia-Newton’s) “Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word” is appropriate for the versatility of Allyson’s talent—not to mention that of Goldstein’s as well—because of its Gallic feel, recalling her work on From Paris To Rio, wherein she teamed with Goldstein to record French (as well as Brazilian) songs in their native tongue. " -
Don Williamson - JazzReview.com |
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Pharoah Sanders |
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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.
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Pharoah Sanders - Tauhid (1967)
"But at the time 'Tauhid' was released, no one was to know that in ten years they'd be hearing Pharoah playing what essentialy amounts to a slightly classier variant of smooth jazz (OK, they didn't really know what smooth jazz was at all - I suppose the nearest equivalent would be Bobby Hackett's 'muzak' of the 1950s, though that was probably a little more of a niche market than smooth jazz would turn out to be). Pharoah had his reputation (or infamy) as being probably the most 'out there' it got - along with Ayler, let's say, though his own music had been noticeably toned down in those last few years, through collaborations with Mary Maria and Cal Cobbs."
Posted by David_Grundy - Streams of Expression |
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Marion Meadows |
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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.
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Marion Meadows - Player's Club (2004)
"As a classically trained musician, Marion Meadows has been pushing
the envelope of excellence since he was eight years old. As a
student of jazz, he has been influenced by Stanley Turrentine,
Sidney Bechet, Johnny Hodges, Duke Ellington and Coleman Hawkins.
These aspects of Meadows' career, along with all the opportunities
he has found himself involved in has led to the culmination of
'Player's Club.' "
Sheldon T. Nunn - Jazz Review.com |
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The Rippingtons |
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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.
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The Rippingtons - Moonlighting (1986)
"Released in 1986, this album not only stands as a genre-defining primer on what has become known as smooth jazz, but it also helped launch the careers of various artists whose music has been crucial to the genre's vitality. In addition to composer/guitarist/producer Russ Freeman and the Ripps, there's David Benoit (playing a gorgeous piano melody on "Mirage"), keyboardist Gregg Karukas, bassist Jimmy Johnson (who scored hits with Flim & the BBs), saxmen Brandon Fields and Dave Koz
(whose floating Electronic Wind Instrument melody guides the silky
"Dreams"), and some soprano-wielding guy named Kenny G.". -
All Music Guide - Jonathan Widran |
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Pat Martino |
|
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.
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Pat Martino - Footprints (1975)
"Footprints was originally released as The Visit on Cobblestone Records in 1972 then reissued on Muse under its current title in 1975. This superb record was Pat Martino's sixth as a leader and his first away from the Prestige fold...During a 30-year recording career of many highs and a few lows, Footprints stands as one of Pat Martino's very best. The musicianship is superior, dynamic and attention grabbing. Best of all, this ideal quartet's interplay is outstanding and often astounding. Very highly recommended.". -
allaboutjazz.com - Douglas Payne |
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Leonard Cohen
|
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.
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Leonard Cohen - TEN NEW SONGS (2001)
"On Ten New Songs, his partner is former backup singer Sharon Robinson, who co-wrote "Everybody Knows" on 1988's
"I'm Your Man" and earns co-writing credit on all the material here. She has also conjured the musical backgrounds ("All tracks arranged, programmed, and performed by Sharon Robinson," reads the credit), and she harmonizes with Cohen throughout.". -
starpulse.com - About the music |
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Earl Carter
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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.
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 Earl
Carter -
My Paradise (2007)
"Earl Carter is smokin’ on his new release MY PARADISE, where you’ll find some cool covers, like “My Boo,” “Happy Anniversary,” and “A Horse with No Name.” "My PARADISE... a winner for any smooth Jazz lover". -
Blue Isle Jazz - Music Blog |
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Nate Birkey
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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
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 Nate Birkey -
THE MENNONITE (2001) "Nate Birkey's trumpet rings with a clarion tone, as his quintet interprets straight-ahead ideas. This is where today's jazz should be. The tradition remains intact, while familiar elements from rock, pop, and world music serve to provide an avenue for growth."
Jim Santella - All About Jazz |
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Jane Monheit
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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
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 Jane Monheit - Surrender
(2007) "The time has come to remove the qualifier of "promising new vocalist"
from describing Monheit. Surrender is ample evidence that any discussion of premier singers
delivering quality work in jazz and ballads has to include Monheit right along with
Norah Jones and Diana Krall."
Jeff Wimbush - All About Jazz.
Jane's website. |
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SMV - Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten
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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:
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 Victor Wooten - Palmystery
(2008) "Bass hero Victor Wooten has a new record out called Palmystery
[Heads Up], and yes, it’s mind-blowingly excellent from both a bass-virtuosity and
compositional standpoint".
Bryan Beller - bassplayer.com.
Victor's page on Wikipedia.org. Interview: Honest Tune |
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John Mayer
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 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
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 Continuum
(2007) "Who did you think I was?" John Mayer asked on the opening track of
Try!,.. He's answered the question eloquently on
Continuum, a smart, breezy album that deftly fuses his love for old-school blues and R&B with his
natural gift for sharp melodies and well-constructed songs. - Rollingstone -
ANTHONY DECURTIS.
Visit John's website: JohnMayer.com
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