Smooth Jazz Therapy

Tracy Hamlin - Better Days

Although perhaps best known for her work as lead vocalist with Heads Up recording artists, Pieces of a Dream, Tracy Hamlin has performed with musical luminaries such as Carlos Santana, Marcus Miller, Jonathan Butler, Kirk Whalum, Wayman Tisdale, Rick Braun, Jeff Golub, Acoustic Alchemy and Richard Elliott. Her solo debut ‘Seasons’ was released in 2005 and featured both Najee and her colleagues from Pieces of a Dream. It proved to be a stellar showcase for her rich vocal tones and built the perfect bridge between jazz and R&B. Now she is back with the sophisticatedly jazzy ‘Better Days’.

Dee Brown's True Reality Headed To Radio

In support of Dee Brown’s brand new CD ‘A Little Elbowroom’, nuGroove Records has just serviced the splendid ‘True Reality’ to radio. It’s a sumptuous mid tempo charmer that finds Brown’s melodic guitar entirely in sync with great sax from nuGroove label mate Darren Rahn.

Brown’s special blend of velvety smooth jazz and soulfully urban vibes first came to light in late 2006 with his incredible debut album ‘No Time To Waste’. The track ‘El Spanyo’ made it into the Smooth Jazz Therapy top twenty tracks of 2007 and, when the CD was subsequently re-released on nuGroove, it became one of the surprise packets of 2008.

Check back here soon for a complete review of ‘A Little Elbowroom’

Trippin n Rhythm - The Very Best Of Christmas

Now December has arrived it seems only right and proper that Smooth Jazz Therapy should slip seamlessly into Christmas mode. Indeed, the annual infatuation that smooth jazz invariably has with holiday music often makes this fruitful territory in which to wander. 2009 is no exception and ‘The Very Best Of Christmas’, the brand new seasonal compilation from Trippin n Rhythm, features ten traditional tunes that glisten with stellar performances from some of the label’s hottest acts.

Melba Moore & Phil Perry On YouTube

When recently I reviewed ‘The Gift Of Love’, the excellent new Shanachie release from Melba Moore and Phil Perry, I was instantly taken by the pairing’s terrific rendition of Stevie Wonder’s ‘Weakness’. This glorious homage to Wonder and vocalist Dionne Warwick finds Moore capturing the sweet charisma of Warwick’s unmistakable voice to perfection. Not only that, the track is further enhanced by Perry’s appropriately smooth interjections.

A live version of ‘Weakness’ by Moore and Perry can now be found at YouTube via the following link. Truth to tell there is not a weakness in sight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVQoyz7oNz0

Bradley Leighton - Touch

‘Soul Collective’ by flautist Bradley Leighton was, without doubt, one of the smooth jazz highlights of 2008. Replete with a deliciously soulful vibe, the album demonstrated that Leighton has all the attributes necessary to take the genre to another place. Now, his brand new digitally released single ‘Touch’ provides another chance to sample Leighton’s magic. With a haunting melody and a sumptuous bass line this is one seriously good tune and comes highly recommended.

Elsewhere Bradley has a straight ahead flute project in the works that is due out sometime next year. For more information check out Bradley’s record label at www.pacificcoastjazz.com

Sara Wasserman - Solid Ground

Out earlier this year from debuting vocalist Sara Wasserman, ‘Solid Ground’ has been garnering interest far and wide. Released on TOL (‘That Other Label’ which is a division of the excellent Pacific Coast Jazz) it is a choice collection of substantially original music that includes some interesting collaborations with Aaron Neville, Christian McBride, Lou Reed and, her father, noted bass player Rob Wasserman.

The Dangling Success - City Life

The Dangling Success is a New York based collective with a penchant for smoky groove drenched contemporary jazz. Formed of five seasoned musicians who have played with the likes of the Isley Brothers, the Shirelles and Don Mclean, the band made it’s recording debut with the critically acclaimed ‘Chilled Champagne’. Now, brand new for 2009, they are back with ‘City Life’.

Najee Gives Back To His Boyhood Community

The term ‘giving something back’ is one that at times can be overdone but has never been more appropriate than when applied to the recent visit by smooth jazz superstar Najee to his boyhood neighborhood of Jamaica, Queens. Born in Manhattan, Najee and his family moved to Brooklyn and then to Queens when he was 10 years old. He learned to play the clarinet while in elementary school student at St. Mark's Lutheran School in Bushwick, Brooklyn. His mother, Mary, a medical secretary, had a record collection heavy with sax players like Charlie Parker and John Coltrane so, as Najee himself puts it, “the saxophone kinda grew up in my psyche”.

Andrew Neu - Try Something Neu

Sax player Andrew Neu is a regular member of Bobby Caldwell’s acclaimed touring band and has shared the stage with the likes of Sir Elton John, Patti Labelle, The Four Tops, and The Temptations. He made his solo debut in 2000 with the CD ‘Inspired’ but it was six more years before the follow up ‘In Clear View’ hit the streets. Produced by bassist Brian Bromberg, and with featured performances from Jeff Lorber, Dave Weckl, Vinnie Colaiuta and Gerald Veasley, it was an album that really left an impression. Now he is back with the cutely titled ‘Try Something Neu’.

Brian Culbertson - Live From The Inside

Dynamic yet intimate, ‘Live From The Inside’ is the exciting new DVD-CD release from the incomparable Brian Culbertson. Out now on GRP records ‘Live From The Inside’ captures Culbertson, together with his longtime band and some terrific special guests, as they record newly-rendered versions of some of his most popular numbers. Also included on the 12 track CD is a brand new song entitled ‘Go’ while the accompanying DVD affords over 90 minutes of performance footage and special features.