The brainchild of guitarist Chieli Minucci and the late George Jinda, Special EFX first came to prominence in 1984 with its self-titled debut CD. Now, with ‘Genesis’, Minucci looks back to the band’s early beginnings. In doing so he welcomes back old friends and invites a few new ones too for a superbly crafted grouping of twelve all original tunes. Longtime band members’ bass player Jerry Brooks, drummer Lionel Cordew and keyboardist Jay Rowe all lend a hand and are joined by Special EFX alumni David Mann on sax and the legendary drummer Omar Hakim who both miss no opportunity to make their considerable presence felt.
The latest track to be lifted from Randy Scott’s current collection, ‘90 Degrees At Midnight’, is the mid tempo ‘Everything Is Everything’ that, as well as demonstrating the considerable depth of this cool collection, also features a fine guitar solo from fellow Detroit native Tim Bowman. ‘90 Degrees At Midnight’ is Scott’s fifth CD and with tracks such as ‘My Southern Belle’, ‘Touch’ and the highly rated title cut, his silky smooth sax style is shown to be up there with the best that the genre has to offer.
Not only that, he also delivers a very decent version of the Taste Of Honey classic ‘Boogie Oogie Oogie’.
Over the past two decades The Brand New Heavies have been delivering a rarefied blend of R & B, jazz, funk and soul that, as well as making them trailblazers of the UK Acid Jazz movement has also delivered no less than sixteen top 40 singles. Now, reunited with the ultra soulful N’Dea Davenport and with new British songstress Dawn Joseph also around to lend a hand the ‘Heavies’ are back with the fabulous ‘Forward’.
When I reviewed the appropriately titled ‘Smooth’ by Phoenix based keyboard player Cal Harris Jr I described it as one of the hottest singles of 2012. Taken from the CD ‘Shelter Island’ it was a number that not only featured Cal’s rapidly emerging trademark sound but also included a delicious interjection of sax from the highly regarded Elan Trotman.
Now, also from ‘Shelter Island’ comes the wonderfully easy grooving ‘By The Bay’ which, much like the title of the album, betrays a decidedly San Diego based theme.
This is track you will really love.
It was only a few days ago that I commented on how smooth jazz continues to produce outstanding collaborations by a whole host of seemingly unrelated artists. Dave Koz and Friends certainly fall into that category and another is BWB. In fact it was in 2002 when the considerable talents of Rick Braun, Norman Brown and Kirk Whalum came together to tour and cut the excellent CD ‘Groovin’. With the passing of time it seemed increasingly unlikely that the union would ever be repeated yet new for 2013, and with a sixteen-city tour to back it up, these three musical musketeers are back with ‘Human Nature’.
One of the more endearing facets of the smooth jazz
genre is the way that from time to time it throws up unexpected groupings of
seemingly unrelated artists. The Sax
Pack is but one example where three solo performers, in this case Kashiwa,
Waters and Cole, assemble on a part time basis to both perform and record. Another is the excellent Dave Koz and Friends
who on June 11, 2013 will release the album ‘Summer Horns’.
Continue reading "Dave Koz And Friends - Got To Get You Into My Life" »
In this world of commercial imperatives and ‘radio singles’ its nice to hear a CD described simply as ‘friends making music’. Yet this is exactly what ‘Feels Like Home’ by saxophonist Mike MacArthur is and came about when MacArthur responded to a call from Brian Bromberg to fly from his home in Tampa, FL to LA and record an album with him. Once there the duo hooked up with trumpeter Rick Braun, guitarist Jeff Golub, percussionist Alex Acuna, keyboard players Jeff Lorber and Ron Reinhardt, drummer Frank Richardson and vocalists Janelle Sadler and Alba Copeland. The result is a predictably eclectic and jazzy mix with which jazz lovers of all persuasions will find favor.
Lemonade Alert! Please note, and to avoid any possible confusion, in Hollywood, but now March 20-23, 2014, that smooth jazz chameleon Bruce Nazarian will be hosting the newly conceived Citrus Music Awards. That’s right, new date but same fabulous vibe.
For the latest news and to check out the list of confirmed performers that is building by the day go to www.citrusmusicawards.com
The Rippingtons latest project, the appropriately titled ‘Built To Last’, hit the streets on August 28 of last year and right from the get-go the album’s first radio single, ‘Cougars’, quickly blasted a path to the top of the charts. This Latin spiced easy grooving number was, when compared to past classics such as ‘Tourist In Paradise’, a glimpse of The Rippingtons on the reflective side and for the follow up the label has again opted for a selection which shimmers with that same mellow magic.
