Smooth Jazz Therapy

Richie Cannata - New York State Of Mind

Although everyone associates the timeless ‘New York State Of Mind’ with the equally evergreen Billy Joel, what is less known is that the famous sax line from the song was originally played by Richie Cannata. He has toured and recorded with Joel’s band from as far back as 1975 and since ‘New York State Of Mind’ was released Cannata has performed it around the world countless times.

Now, as part of his own self-titled CD, Cannata has included an instrumental version of this familiar tune that features baseball player turned smooth jazz artist Bernie Williams on guitar. Given that Cannata was born in Brooklyn and Williams played for the Yankees its fair to say that a ‘New York State Of Mind’ is something that comes easily to both of them.

‘New York State Of Mind’ by Richie Cannata is out now as a radio single and is well worth listening out for.

Vincent Ingala - Can't Stop Now

Back in January 2011 I commented that ‘North End Soul’ from writer, producer and multi instrumentalist Vincent Ingala was, by any standards, an outstanding piece of work. In fact it proved to be spectacular debut and set the scene for what evolved into a truly remarkable year. In San Diego, at what became know as ‘The Lemonade Weekend’, Ingala owned the stage at Anthology and later jammed with Peter White at the Hard Rock Hotel. Twelve months later his ever growing fan-base is already hungry for more and on that theme, Vincent’s next project, ‘Can’t Stop Now’, will be released this coming summer. With seven original compositions, two spellbinding covers and guest performances from Jonathan Fritzen and Greg Karukas ‘Can’t Stop Now’ seems certain, even at this early stage, to take Ingala to the next level.

Rob Parissi - East Coast Vibe

Rob Parissi is the founder member of Wild Cherry and the writer of the band’s one and only hit ‘Play That Funky Music’. In fact Wild Cherry were the ultimate one hit wonders but the success that the song enjoyed opened doors for Parissi to go on to work with Bobby Caldwell and to co-write several tunes that in the eighties became hits on both sides of the Atlantic.

Parissi has now found a new niche in smooth jazz and for someone who started out in funk- rock, he is making a fine job of it. He released the album ‘Boca Ciega Bay’ in 2010 and late last year came storming back with the follow-up ‘East Coast Vibe’ that includes an instrumental version of the said ‘Play That Funky Music’.

The latest single from the CD is the title cut which finds Parissi in partnership with fellow guitarist Steve Oliver and with the added benefit of a featured performance from highly rated sax-man Will Donato this ‘feel good’ tune is sure to do well.

Chester County Jazz Festival - Anita Broady In Conversation

Fifteen years ago Anita Broady attended the Montreal Jazz Festival. At the time she knew little about the music she would grow to love but walking amongst the various stages and hearing a wide range of artists perform she was immediately struck by the global nature of the genre and the way it so obviously brought people together. She vowed to one day bring a jazz festival to her own neighborhood and from that point everything changed. Fast forward to 2012 where now ardent jazz fan Broady has used her considerable business experience in event management to make the Chester County Jazz Festival a reality. It all gets started on the evening of June 29 when smooth jazz superstar Peter White opens up with a performance at the Asplundh Concert Hall on the campus of West Chester University.

When recently I talked with Anita from her home in the lovely town of West Chester, just thirty-four miles west of Philadelphia and nestled in the Brandywine Valley, I asked her more about her motivation to make the festival happen.

Gary Honor - Heads & Tales

Gary Honor is a sax-star in the making and if the CD ‘Heads & Tales’ is anything to go by that stardom is not too far away. It marks his debut on Trippin n Rhythm and includes one well-chosen cover plus twelve original compositions that Honor has written in collaboration with label-mate and producer Oli Silk. Make no mistake, ‘Heads & Tales’ is the real smooth jazz deal and seems a lifetime away from 2004 when Honor journeyed from his native Australia to Fort Lauderdale for a vacation aboard the Warren Hill Smooth Jazz Cruise. Whilst on board Gary entered the cruise ‘star search’ which had been created to find smooth jazz talent from amongst the paying passengers and under the watching gaze of some of the finest musicians the genre has to offer, he duly won. After a spell in the United Kingdom (where he first hooked up with Silk) Honor progressed to work on a whole range of musical projects both in the USA and in Australia. Now with ‘Heads & Tales’ he is all set to take his career to an exciting new level.

Vincent Ingala - He Can't Stop Now!

For writer, producer and multi instrumentalist Vincent Ingala, 2011 was quite a year. His debut CD ‘North End Soul’ made an incredible splash and he stole the show in San Diego where at what became know as ‘The Lemonade Weekend’ Ingala owned the stage at Anthology and jammed with Peter White at the Hard Rock Hotel. His talent is such that, twelve months on, people are no longer talking about his age, they are simply admiring his music. On that theme, Vincent’s next album, ‘Can’t Stop Now’, will be released this coming summer and the first single (and title cut) from what is a much-anticipated collection has just been serviced to radio. Given that he plays every instrument on it this is a tune that serves as a tremendous showcase for his art. Not only that, with a silky smooth and easy grooving vibe it’s a track that is guaranteed to do well.

Check back here soon for complete review of ‘Can’t Stop Now’.

Spotlight On Kool & Klean

Originally from the Ukraine and now domiciled in Holland, saxophonist Konstantin Klashtorni first came to prominence in 2004 with his debut CD ‘Downtown’. Although three more smooth jazz albums followed, it was in 2010, when his project ‘Kool & Klean Volume l’ was released, that he began to move in a slightly different musical direction. Intended as the first in a series of accessible and commercially attractive collections that sat somewhere between smooth jazz, electronica and chill, what the CD actually did was to reclaim some of the ground which previously had been the sole domain of Paul Hardcastle. The year 2011 beckoned in the arrival of ‘Kool & Klean Volume ll’ and now ‘Kool & Klean Volume lll’ is available for download. It is quite possibly the best yet and to discover what I mean check out the sumptuous ‘Everywhere’. In common with much of ‘Kool & Klean Volume lll’ it is a sensation.

Grady Nichols - Destinations

It was in 2008 and the advent of the excellent CD ‘Take Me With You’ that I first latched onto the artistry of sax-man Grady Nichols. In fact the discography of Nichols stretches all the way back to 1996 when his debut recording ‘Between You And Me’ first hit the streets. Since then he has released five more albums with the latest being the superb ‘Destinations’. Co-written and produced by Chris Rodriguez, this hugely accessible body of work checks every box imaginable and not for the first time marks out Nichols as one to watch.

Peter White Headlining In Chester County

Smooth Jazz fans in and around the Philadelphia area have a real treat in store as on the evening of June 29 the multi award winning Peter White will open up the inaugural Chester County Jazz Festival with a performance at the Asplundh Concert Hall on the campus of West Chester University.

Understandably tickets are selling fast so to get yours go to www.chestercountyjazzfestival.com or call (610) 365-1404. Ticket Prices range from $30-$75.

The event will mark the start of three fabulous days of music that, with the theme of soothe the soul, will see featured performances from Warren Hill, Ronnie Laws, Tom Braxton and Philadelphia’s very own Gerald Veasley. Not only that, with the stated aim of strengthening community bonds, bringing people together and offering an outlet for local artists, musicians and merchants, the Chester County Jazz Festival seems destined to be part of this lovely town’s calendar for some years to come.

Only thirty-four miles west of Philadelphia and nestled in the Brandywine Valley, this is the perfect location to witness some of the finest smooth jazz around. Indeed, free open-air all day musical events are scheduled for both Saturday and Sunday in Hoopes Park, West Chester so bring your blanket, your lawn chair, your friends and family. Just come on by to Soothe your Soul.

Slow - Art Of Silence

I am indebted to guitarist Tomasz Kaczmarczyk for news of Polish contemporary jazz duo Slow. Formed in 2010 by Kaczmarczyk and pianist Krzysztof Werminski, Slow has recently released the album ‘Art Of Silence’ which, if this You Tube sampler is anything to go by, is a fine piece of work. Included on the recording is an excellent line-up of supporting musicians that includes percussionist Slawomir Berny, sax player Leszek Szczerba, bassist Robert Kubiszyn, drummers Michal Dabrowka and Kenny Martin plus Kasia Piasecka and Ania Szarmach on vocals.

Particularly pleasing is the easy grooving ‘First Impressions’, the sumptuous title cut and ‘Wczesna Sjesta’ which proves to be as cool as a cucumber. Check them out.

Brian Bromberg - Compared To That

Due out June 5 on Mack Avenue Records, ‘Compared To That’ will be bass player Brian Bromberg’s 20th solo collection. Including eight of his own compositions, a ten-piece horn section, a full orchestral string section and a prodigious collective of supporting musicians this is an album that will appeal both to fans of contemporary jazz and those who allude to having a more straight ahead disposition. With the likes of Randy Brecker, George Duke, Mitch Forman, Jeff Lorber, Gary Meek and Tom Zink all involved, ‘Compared To That’ was recorded over two frenetic days and provides the overriding impression that here is a group of musicians at the top of their game and having fun.

Kenny G & Rahul Sharma - Namaste

The word Namaste is a common salutation originating from Indian culture. In this context it is a greeting when individuals meet, and a valediction upon their parting but also it’s the name of the title cut from the forthcoming album from Kenny G and master santoorist Rahul Sharma. Due for release on June 26, ‘Namaste India’ is an interesting coming together of musical styles that looks all set to finally explode the myth that Kenny G often plays safe. Quite simply ‘Namaste’ is a fabulous track which blends Kenny’s sweet sax with an Indian rhythm that proves to be quite compelling.

If this is an indication of what ‘Namaste India’ is all about then I can’t wait to hear the rest of it.

Dreaming In Colour - The Dream Merchant

With a hip cutting edge vibe that may well blow you away, contemporary, instrumental jazz group Dreaming In Colour has just released its debut CD, ‘The Dream Merchant’. Constructed around the band’s core members of Kevin Ellis, Chris Noonan and Joe Calandrino, the line-up has often, over the years, been complemented by some of the genre’s top artists and this is particularly so with ‘The Dream Merchant’ for which Ellis, Noonan and Calandrino are joined by Jeff Lorber, Eric Marienthal and Nelson Rangell.

Chris Botti - You Are Not Alone

The recently released CD ‘Impressions’ by trumpeter Chris Botti is a prime example of how, over time, his creative expression has extended beyond jazz and indeed beyond the limits of any single genre. The album, which includes special guest performances from Herbie Hancock, Andrea Bocelli, Mark Knopfler, David Foster and Vince Gill, clearly indicates the easy fit that Botti has found with a wide range of popular music. It has generated a fan following way beyond the niche market of contemporary jazz and in so doing enabled Botti to sell more than three million albums worldwide.

The first single from ‘Impressions’ is Botti's ultra reflective interpretation of R Kelly's ‘You Are Not Alone’ that in its time also provided a hit for Michael Jackson.

David Benoit - Conversation

With a virtuosity that transcends genres, that most sophisticated of pianists David Benoit is again pushing the boundaries of his musical talents with his latest CD ‘Conversation’. This multi dimensional body of work, whilst including input from Jeff Golub, David Pack, flautist Tim Weisberg and acoustic guitarist Pat Kelly, facilitates forays into classical, Latin, Pop and world music that throughout finds Benoit completely in command. In fact the publicity that supports the project describes it as being indicative of where, as a composer, Benoit currently is. That being the case, there little doubt this is a very good place to be.

Rick Parma - Hey Girl

Those of you who hang out at Spaghettini in Seal Beach will need no introduction to silky smooth sax-man Rick Parma. In fact since 2009, when he relocated to LA from his native Chicago, Parma has been a part of Spaghettini’s regular Sunday brunch line-up and now he is all set to launch his latest CD ‘My Favorites Are Your Favorites’. It follows his appropriately titled 2005 debut ‘Just Gettin Started’ and the ‘The Cool Night Air’ which arrived four years later. ‘My Favorites Are Your Favorites’ features ten top notch covers of hits first made famous by artists such as Nora Jones, Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, Maxwell and The Spinners while the first single selected for radio his Rick’s extremely easy grooving ‘Hey Girl’. Elsewhere on the album he also provides a vocal take on the same song and all things considered ‘My Favorites Are Your Favorites’ looks to be a great addition to this years crop of smooth jazz albums.