Smooth Jazz Therapy

David Longoria Featuring Chris Standring - Loving Life

Trumpeter David Longoria has been building a decidedly eclectic musical resume’ since 2005 when his duet with CeCe Peniston, ‘Deeper Love’, laid siege to the Billboard ‘Hot Dance Club Play’ chart.  Since then, collaborations with Ottmar Liebert and Marc Antoine have served to hone his contemporary jazz credentials and if his latest single, Loving Life’, is anything to go by he is finding the genre very much to his liking.  It features Chris Standring on guitar and is a total gem.

Check it out right here.

 

Braxton Brothers - Know You Better

Smooth jazz duo Wayne and Nelson Braxton have been a force on the Bay Area scene and beyond since the late nineties when hits such as ‘Steppin' Out’ and ‘Now and Forever’ helped to build a significant fan base.  Since then, with album’s such as the 2002 ‘Both Sides’ and ‘Rollin’ that followed two years later, they have remained firmly in the consciousness of contemporary jazz so it is particularly pleasing to report they are back with their latest project, ‘True Love’.  The track that is currently grabbing radio attention is ‘Know You Better’ which has the sort of easy grooving accessibility to suggest it should do well.

‘True Love’ has already described as “Jazz for people that like Soul music and Soul music for people that like Jazz” and despite the fact it was released in 2013 may yet prove to be a highlight of the current year.

Phil Perry & Chante Moore - Where Is The Love

Phil Perry’s phenomenal cover of the Roberta Flack – Donny Hathaway classic ‘Where Is The Love’ has been flying under the radar since ‘Say Yes’ (the album from which it comes) was released back in March 2013.  It finds him in delightful collaboration with the always superb and hugely soulful Chante Moore while keyboards from Chris ‘Big Dog’ Davis and flute from Najee prove to be the icing on a really tasty cake.

Check it out right here right now.

 

Jackiem Joyner - Evolve

‘Evolve’, the fifth album from chart-topping sax-man Jackiem Joyner, will be released April 29.  It features eleven self-penned and produced tracks that mark him out as someone not afraid to stretch the limits of what urban contemporary jazz can be while still delivering music that is massively accessible. 

In fact Joyner made his debut in 2007 with the highly acclaimed ‘Babysoul’ and the follow-up, ‘Lil’ Man Soul’, garnered two Billboard No. 1 singles including ‘I’m Waiting For You’ that won Song of the Year honors at the 2009 Smooth Jazz Awards.  His third (self-titled) collection also laid protracted siege to the Billboard charts but it was with his 2012 gospel project ‘Church Boy’ that he finally embraced his church roots.  Now, true to its title, ‘Evolve’ continues the musical evolution of this consummate player.

Geoff McBride - Love Is The Answer

In the UK there is a long-running radio show called Desert Island Discs.  On it, and over a sixty-minute period, famous people are invited to talk about their lives while choosing the ten singles they would want with them if cast away on a desert island.  All of us who love music already have our own top ten ‘Desert Island Discs’ and amongst mine is the England Dan & John Ford Coley’s 1979 cover version of the Todd Rundgren composition ‘Love Is The Answer’. 

Consequently I wasn’t too sure what to expect when I found that vocalist Geoff McBride (who came to prominence through the US version of the hit television show ‘The Voice’) had covered it on his CD 'Journey To The Soul'.  I need not have worried as, in collaboration with keyboard player and producer Trammell Starks, he has given this classic tune a soulful veneer that adds to rather than takes away from the original. 

Nice track!

Reza Kahn - Sky Lights

‘Dreamwalker’, the new CD from guitarist Reza Khan, is proving to be a gem.  With the likes of keyboard player Philippe Saisse and saxophonist Andy Snitzer around to lend a hand the CD has already delivered the beguiling title cut to radio and now the depth of this fabulous collection is being demonstrated once more, this time with the fabulously mellifluous ‘Sky Lights’. 

Check it out, right here, right now.

 

 

Generation NeXt - Let It Ride

Although named ‘Generation NeXt’ the ultra cool grouping of keyboard player Nicholas Cole, sax-man Lebron, bass player Julian Vaughn and trumpeter Lin Rountree could just as easily have been dubbed the ‘Trippin' N Rhythm All-Stars’.  Indeed each of these fine players have already enjoyed considerable solo success and with ‘Generation NeXt’ might well have discovered a formula to rival ‘super-groups’ such as ‘Guitars & Saxes’ and ‘The Sax Pack’. 

Their first foray together comes in the form of the ‘stand-alone’ single ‘Let It Ride’ that has all the easy grooving accessibility required to garner radio play far and wide.

Brian Culbertson - Another Long Night Out

The story of how the then 20-year-old Brian Culbertson recorded a series of demos in his bedroom studio within a crowded apartment that he shared with three room mates has become legendary in the annals of smooth jazz.  Those demos became his 1994 debut album, ‘Long Night Out’ and now, twenty years later, this award-winning recording artist, songwriter and producer has revisited that first collection of songs for his latest release ‘Another Long Night Out’.  Not only that, given how Culbertson’s music has, of late, been influenced heavily by R & B and funk in a way that has positioned him firmly on the urban end of the contemporary jazz spectrum, ‘Another Long Night Out’ marks a return to the rhythm and melody with which he originally made his name.

Jonathan Sigel - Journey To Plex

An artist new to me is composer, trumpeter and keyboardist Jonathan Sigel who is turning heads with the single ‘Journey To Plex’ that features the always-excellent Eric Marienthal on sax. 

This easy on the ear mellifluous slice of smooth jazz is the first track to be lifted from Sigel's forthcoming new CD, ‘Hard Water’ and will certainly leave the listener eager to hear more.

Herb Alpert - Green Lemonade

Fresh from his success at the 2014 Grammy Awards, contemporary jazz icon Herb Alpert is enjoying something of a new lease of life.  His CD ‘Steppin’ Out’ (for which he scooped the award of ‘best pop instrumental album’) is really making some waves and although the first single, ‘Puttin’ On The Ritz’, was, for me, something of a lost opportunity, the follow-up is right on the money.  Titled ‘Green Lemonade’ it was produced by Alpert and Jeff Lorber who also comes up big on keyboards.  With additional guitar from the wonderful Paul Jackson Jr. this is a track that really gets the job done. 

Highly recommended.

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Vincent Ioia - First Time

New York sax-man Vincent Ioia has burst onto the urban jazz scene with the explosive ‘First Time’, the lead single from his soon to be released debut album ‘No Time Like Now’.  It’s a collection that finds him in collaboration with smooth jazz heavyweights such as David Sanborn's longtime musical director Ricky Peterson, guitarist Gerey Johnson (from the touring bands of Peter White, Brian Culbertson and Euge Groove to name a few)) and Rippingtons keyboard player Bill Heller.

 

This is smooth jazz with an edge. Check it out.

Michael Lington - Soul Appeal

With seven solo albums already to his name, Danish sax-man Michael Lington has been an ever present on the contemporary jazz scene for the past twenty-five years.  His latest CD, ‘Soul Appeal’, finds him in the company of legendary writer and producer Barry Eastmond with whom he has discovered a vibe firmly rooted in 60’s and 70’s Memphis soul.  Not only that, joining him in the venture is an all-star cast of performers including Kenny Lattimore, Ryan Shaw, Freddie Washington, Paul Jackson Jr., Ray Parker Jr., and Lenny Castro for a body of work that will be essential listening for all those who like their smooth jazz spiced with a modicum of soul.

Butch & Rhonda Coleman - Here I Go Again

As well as being responsible for the ‘Heart For Music’ program that focuses on providing musical instruments and tuition to young people from the inner city, Soulful songwriters Butch and Rhonda Coleman have just released the CD ‘Night Sketches’.  If the first single, ‘Here I Go Again’, is anything to go by this cool and creative collective could well be on to a winner.  Indeed, with a distinctly 5^th Dimension thing going on, this one is a must for those who like their contemporary jazz with a retro twist.

Willie Bradley - Another Time & Day

Urban jazz trumpeter Willie Bradley is all set to make some waves with his new solo project ‘Another Time & Day’.  Recorded in collaboration with the currently red-hot producer and keyboard player Nicholas Cole, the album also features guest performances from Jeff Kashiwa, Marcus Anderson, Lin Rountree, John Dillard and guitarist Kay-Ta Matsuno. 

Check out this snippet now.

 

Threestyle - Funky Lights

Threestyle is the creation of German guitarist Robert Fertl and Czech saxophonist Magdalena Chovancova who both studied jazz music performance and began recording and winning national guitar, saxophone and jazz competitions while still in their teens. 

Joining them to disprove the myth that Eastern Europe doesn’t do smooth jazz is Gabriela Chovancova on drums and vibes while the band’s latest single, ‘Funky Lights’ features sax player Katja Rieckermann who is perhaps best known for her stellar work with Rod Stewart’s touring band.  This cool and sophisticated cut is certainly on worth watching.