Smooth Jazz Therapy

Chris Standring - Love and Paragraphs

Chris Standring really is on a roll. His 2006 CD release ‘Soul Express’ put him right onto the contemporary jazz map and he has remained there ever since. Hugely successful live shows plus the accolade of co-writing the Richard Elliot and Rick Braun smash ‘RnR’ have all added to his stature and now Standring is back with his brand new album ‘Love and Paragraphs’. Each of the ten self penned tracks is dazzling confirmation of the ‘A list’ standing within the genre that he now enjoys and, truth to tell, there is not one weak link among them.

Patrick Yandall - Laws Of Groovity

When in 2006 I reviewed the album ‘Samoa Soul’ by guitarist Patrick Yandall I described him as having rhythm and melody pumping through every vein of his body. Perhaps, in part, this is because for the last twenty plus years he has been located in the laid back musical confines of San Diego that, without doubt, have an artistic ambience all of their own. Indeed, if there is one musician who epitomizes the distinct vibe of this sun soaked city it is Yandall. His brand new self produced CD ‘Laws Of Groovity’ bears further testimony to the fact and, with ten of the twelve tracks also written by him, serves as a superb showcase for his work.

Cynthia Layne - Beautiful Soul

Vocalist Cynthia Layne backs away from categorizing her music into any single style. As she says, “I don’t like to put myself into any particular genre. I love all kinds of music and am happy to be considered as a vocalist who is versatile and has a style blessed with jazz, R & B, and pop influences.” One only has to check out her latest CD ‘Beautiful Soul’ to discover this is indeed the case and although contrasts abound there remains several songs that come tantalizingly close to genuine ‘vocal smooth jazz’. Given the current debate on the place of vocals within contemporary jazz this is extremely pertinent and equally relevant is the fact that all fourteen tracks are originals. Substantially written and co-produced by Rob Dixon and Reggie Bishop ‘Beautiful Soul’ is, on many levels, an extremely interesting piece of work.

Danny Lerman - Meow Baby

‘Meow Baby’ is the brand new CD from up and coming sax star Danny Lerman. The title is taken from a line uttered by the immortally cool Telly Savalas in an episode of Kojak and the streetwise attitude for which that TV cop was famous transmits itself seamlessly into Lerman’s music. Due to hit record stores across the USA on February 26, the album’s excellent blend of twelve originals, two covers and a blast from the past is an excellent showcase for Lerman’s work. Not only that, it serves to demonstrate the range of influences that have permeated his musical education to date.

Snake Davis - Talking Bird

Saxophonist Snake Davis has long been the UK’s leading exponent of contemporary jazz and pop tinged R & B. His recording credits are almost too numerous to mention but include sessions with M-People, Lisa Stansfield, Ray Charles, Tom Jones, Culture Club, Hamish Stuart, George Michael, Tina Turner, Cher, Kylie Minogue, Paul McCartney, Swing Out Sister, Dave Stewart, Paul Young, Pet-Shop Boys and Robert Palmer. Both with his own band and as a solo performer Davis makes hundreds of appearances every year and has also toured with soul legends Edwin Starr, Rose Royce, Sister Sledge, Tavares, Odyssey, The Three Degrees, Mary Wells, Ruby Turner, Martha Reeves and Eddie Holman. A perpetual ‘go to guy’ for recordings by both Acoustic Alchemy and Paul Hardcastle, Davis is now reigniting his own solo career with the brand new CD ‘Talking Bird’.

Catch Gerald Albright At The Claremont Resort & Spa

Gerald Albright is one of but a few artists who, over the last twenty years, can be credited as having made a genuinely genre framing contribution to sax driven contemporary jazz. The rare virtuosity of his playing coupled with the soul that flows from every part of his music is legendary and on Friday February 22 he brings all this and more to the historic Claremont Ballroom of The Claremont Resort & Spa. Conceived as an English estate, the grounds of The Claremont were selected for their astonishing views of San Francisco, California and San Francisco Bay. Indeed, since it’s opening in 1915, The Claremont Resort & Spa has served as a haven of sophistication, elegance and luxury with, in addition, a deserved reputation as a notable jazz and Big Band venue. The Claremont is now bringing jazz back and Albright will be the inaugural performer for the quarterly ‘Concerts at The Claremont’ series.

This is an outstanding opportunity to experience the magic of Gerald Albright and those attending the event will enjoy a pre concert ‘strolling dine around’. Tickets for the concert and interactive dinner start at $144 while packages are priced at $189.

For more go to http://www.claremontresort.com/ or visit www.geraldalbright.com for his complete tour schedule.

2008 Smooth Jazz Cruise - Final Reflections

The ‘All-Star’ night of the Smooth Jazz Cruise is rarely the best concert of the week. Reduced to cameo’s of what each artist is all about it rarely gets under the skin of the music yet this year, in 2008, as the M/S Westerdam lay at anchor in the stunningly beautiful island of Aruba, the formula worked to perfection. Consequently it is the ideal vehicle for this final look back at a superb week which, paradoxically, faces some challenges in the years to come. More of that later but, for now, it is worth commenting on the sheer energy that the mega talented line-up generated throughout the two breathtaking hours of this tremendous show.

Ragan Whiteside - Class Axe

The infrequency with which the flute is heard only adds to its magic as a contemporary jazz instrument. Now, in the skilled hands of the wonderfully soulful Ragan Whiteside, its potential knows no bounds. Her 2007 CD ‘Class Axe’ is an absolute revelation and, given the album features production from both Bob Baldwin and Dennis Johnson, it has all the credentials necessary to provide Whiteside with the mainstream breakthrough that, on the strength of this collection, she so richly deserves.

The Barry Sea Paradox

The Barry Sea Paradox sounds like something right out of the 2008 Smooth Jazz Cruise and, in a way, so it is. Husband and wife Barry and Bobbie Sea who front up the six piece contemporary jazz outfit of that name were on board the M/S Westerdam to enjoy the music and to help get the word out on their CD ‘Lost Soul Found Smooth Jazz’. This insightful title perfectly sums up a story that started when Barry and Bobbie walked away from promising musical careers in New York to raise their daughters in the more family friendly environs of Houston TX. It ends (for now) in the present day. Barry is now a successful advertising executive, their daughters are grown, and the realization has struck that (paradoxically) the time is right to rekindle their musical infatuations.

Kirk Whalum At The 2008 Smooth Jazz Cruise

Of the current crop of contemporary jazz sax players Kirk Whalum is, with the possible exception of Gerald Albright, the most complete. His technical expertise, his virtuosity and the way his music flows from within is unrivalled and he brought all this and more to the 2008 Smooth Jazz Cruise where, during but one of a myriad of appearances, he extensively showcased his latest CD ‘Round Trip’.