Smooth Jazz Therapy

Groove Ltd - First Class Is Almost Here

It might have been six months since U-Nam’s vibrant cover of ‘It’s Only Love’ by the legendary Barry White (which in turn was turned into a world-wide hit by UK band Simply Red) was released but, as they say, I’m still loving it. 

It served as a sneak peek into his latest venture with regular collaborator Shannon Kennedy, the feisty Groove Ltd, and since then the anticipation surrounding the launch of the duo’s debut CD has continued to mount. 

Fortunately the wait is almost over as ‘First Class’ will hit the streets this September and with U-Nam working his unique magic plus guest slots from Maysa Leak and Jonathan Fritzen this one is bound to be special. 

Kenyon Carter - Game On

‘Game On’ by Atlanta based saxophonist Kenyon Carter is his third album release. It includes ten original songs, all written and produced by Carter and has the distinct benefit of being showcased by the radio friendly title cut that finds the ubiquitous Chuck Loeb tearing it up on guitar.  However, scratch below the veneer of ‘A-list’ featured artists and a really tight collection of wonderfully performed tunes can be found within.  This is not only due to Carter’s backing band that comprises Billy Wilkie on guitar, Tyrone Jackson on keys, bass-man Tim Aucoin and drummer John David but also to the verve and aplomb with which Carter interprets his own music. 

Herb Alpert - Night Ride

Legendary and resurgent trumpeter Herb Alpert shows no signs of slowing down.  His latest album is titled ‘Come Fly With Me’ and finds him on top form with a blend of new Alpert originals and classic American tunes.  The first single is the fast flowing ‘Night Ride’ that enjoys a Latin flavor and has all the attributes of classic Alpert and then some. 

As Alpert himself explains, “there was a song that I heard that Tito Puente recorded years back that kind of made me move in this Latin direction.  The groove came first, then melody. The title came last and that was courtesy of my wife, the singer and author Lani Hall.  She threw out various titles and 'Night Ride' just stuck."

Greg Satterthwaite - Reach For It

Another great track that is currently doing the radio rounds is the splendidly up-tempo ‘Reach For It’ from silky smooth keyboard player Greg Satterthwaite. 

It comes from his CD ‘Who I Am’ that features an array of top notch supporting musicians including Nathaniel Stokes on drums, bass player Joshua Esther, guitarist Mitchell Farber and Pat Seymour on sax whose contribution to ‘Reach For It’ is the icing on a delicious musical cake.

The Brotherhood Are Coming

As anticipation mounts ahead of the The Brotherhood’s debut release, ‘It’s All About The Groove’, the buzz is all about the title cut which also happens to be the first single serviced to radio. 

In fact The Brotherhood is more than a title and more than a band.  It represents a collective musical passion, forged by decades of musical solidarity and with its roots firmly embedded in the heady musical amalgam of Detroit in the seventies and eighties.  With some of the hottest musical styles in contemporary jazz factored in for good measure it becomes easy to understand just what this genre-defining band is all about.  The Brotherhood finds legendary ‘Motor City’ session men Jerry Jones, Jervonny Collier and Bruce Nazarian in the choice company of fellow Detroiters Mark Nilan and Kenny Meriedeth plus noted vocalist “Sir” Harry Bowens, whose distinctive voice has been featured on many hit songs including the seminal Was (Not Was) hit ‘Walk The Dinosaur’. 

Gabriel Bello - Uptown Funk

Back in 2011 the self titled debut from sax-man Gabriel Bello enjoyed eleven straight weeks at the top of the Billboard Smooth Jazz Charts yet, typical of a man who has already fought a battle with cancer and won, Bello took all this in his stride.  His latest foray into the recording studio finds him putting a funky instrumental spin onto Mark Ronson’s 2015 blockbuster ‘Uptown Funk’ and doing a rather nice job of it. 

It is from his latest CD ‘New Day’ and is worth checking out.  Good track!

Chris Godber - Rain

Now for a cool new track from a cool new album by rising sax star Chris Godber.  The album is ‘Starting Over’, the track is ‘Rain’ and the result is an impeccable example of top-notch smooth jazz.  With Caleb Middleton on keys, Eric Lampley playing bass and Adam Hawley (who has toured extensively as part of Brian Culbertson’s backing band) providing an an excellent guitar solo, this is right up there with the best of the year so far.

Eric Marienthal & Chuck Loeb - Crossing

2015 is certainly turning out to be a stellar year for lovers of ‘high end’ sophisticated contemporary jazz.  The latest release to evidence this is the delightful ‘Bridges’ from celebrated saxophonist Eric Marienthal and the ubiquitous Chuck Loeb that will be released August 21, 2015 on the Shanachie label.  It is an album full of enticing tracks that seek to push the boundaries into diverse musical terrain and the first single to be serviced to radio is the enchanting ‘Crossing’ that finds both Marienthal and Loeb in decidedly mellow mood. 

Check back here soon for a complete review of ‘Bridges’.

 

Boney James - Vinyl

Perhaps it is the added exposure that becoming a fixture on the ‘Smooth Jazz Cruise’ has brought or maybe the wider smooth jazz community is finally beginning to catch on to the magic that can be found at the urban end of the contemporary jazz spectrum.  Whatever the reason, sax-man Boney James is enjoying one of his best years ever.  His latest CD, ‘futuresoul’, which is being supported by an extensive concert schedule, has already garnered the sumptuous ‘Drumline’ and now the second single to be serviced to radio is ‘Vinyl’.

Tom Hamilton - CC's Bounce

Composer, arranger, educator and saxophonist Tom Hamilton has been in the music business for over forty years yet his album ‘A Work In Progress’ is his first as a leader.  His straight ahead tendencies should appeal to a wide spectrum of followers while the up tempo ‘CC’s Bounce’ (which is the first single from the CD to be serviced to radio and, incidentally, dedicated to Tom’s black Labrador) should spice up the summer airwaves.

Bob James & Nathan East - The New Cool

Although the buzz surrounding ‘The New Cool’ by contemporary jazz keyboard player Bob James and bass-man Nathan East is all about ‘how different it is’ from the output we have come to expect from these icons of the genre, those who have been with Bob James for the long haul will instantly connect it with his 1990 project ‘Grand Piano Canyon’ on which East also featured.  Make no mistake this is not smooth jazz of the sort which is the staple of outdoor summer concerts and as such will not be for everyone.  However it is music to be played late at night, with the lights dimmed and with a glass of good red wine close to hand.  Quite simply, this is music that epitomizes sophisticated jazz.

Andrew Gouche - Jump Start

If you like your bass guitar big and funky then look no further than ‘Jump Start’ from Grammy Award winning producer Andrew Gouché.  It is taken from his long-anticipated debut album, the ironically titled ‘We Don't Need No Bass’ and which started out as a little warm up groove that Andrew often used to warm up but which has never previously been used in a song.  The bass line and the bridge all came later and, as Andrew himself puts it, “it just turned out to be a really funky, cool song that people really dig.”

Check It Out.

Robert Cunningham Jr. - Deep Within

Described by my good friends at Pacific Coast Jazz as “a ‘Detroit smooth jazz album that is packed with good old school soul of the kind needed today”, ‘Deep Within’ by emerging sax-man Robert Cunningham Jr. does indeed contain some real gems.  In fact it is a mixture of original compositions and well crafted covers that are impeccably performed and which suggest the ‘closed shop’ of smooth jazz saxophone may well have to contend with a new kid on the block.