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It was back in 2007 that I first became aware of ultra smooth saxophonist Dee Lucas through his excellent CD ‘Something To Ride 2’. Mellow and in the pocket throughout it was a real delight and having checked out his latest project, the decidedly sensual ‘Going Deeper’, I am pleased to report Dee has lost none of his musical charisma. With six original songs plus two well chosen covers this one is indeed worth looking out for.
Back in 2014 I described the trio of Jeff Lorber, Chuck Loeb and Everette Harp as being ‘impromptu’ yet two years on what at the time seemed to be a ‘one off’ get-together has suddenly taken on an air of permanence with the release of their second album ‘More Serious Business’.
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When three friends get together to have fun the consequence is quite often a party so it should be no surprise that ‘BWB’ from Norman Brown, Kirk Whalum and Rick Braun could well be the soundtrack for the coolest party you might ever have. Although it is the threesomes follow up to ‘Human Nature’ (that paid tribute to the Michael Jackson songbook) and ‘Groovin’ (a covers album that hit the streets in 2002) this is their first gathering together of all original music. Much in the way that Dave Koz’s ‘Summer Horns’ project did, it sets a firm platform for the inevitable round of summer festival dates that are sure to follow.
Nothing short of a revelation, ‘Groove Time’ by super smooth guitarist Bennett B came out of no-where to be rightly regarded as one the best of 2014. In addition, in terms of the eagerly awaited follow up, it set the bar at a height that for many would not be easy to attain. However for Bennett B there need be no such worries as he has come roaring back with the newly released ‘Midnight Passion’, a collection of mostly original music that, in common with ‘Groove Time’, has been produced by the multi Grammy winning Paul Brown.
In a cool collaboration with guitar supremo U-Nam and his Skytown Records label, chart topping R&B songwriter and producer James Day is all set to release his stunning new CD ‘Repertoire’. Styled as a classic 80's collection of soul, dance, quiet storm, and smooth jazz it is a mixture of all new tunes plus fresh remixes of some of his most memorable songs to date. Not only that, it builds on Day’s well established technique of pairing his own compositions with an array of A-List performers that this time around includes Maysa, Lin Rowntree, Cool Million, Walter Beasley and, of course, the incomparable U-Nam.
Since 2011 Trippin ‘N’ Rhythm recording artist Julian Vaughn has quietly been building his credentials as the natural successor to the late Wayman Tisdale. After bursting onto the scene with his appropriately titled ‘Breakthrough’ he followed that up with ‘Limitless’, which initially garnered the hit single ‘Initiate’ and has now sent the equally good ‘You’re Mine’ to the airwaves.
This mellow cut has a wonderful smooth jazz vibe and is a brilliant example of what the genre should be all about.
Check it out.
The 2010 CD ‘Urban Vacation’ from Norwegian born saxophonist Terje Lie was notable for many reasons, not least of which being the various writing (and performing) permutations of Lie, Yellowjackets mainstay Jimmy Halsip and contemporary jazz icon Jeff Lorber. Consequently when the follow-up, ‘Bright Moments’, hit the streets it was a delight to find that Haslip and Lorber were again on board. Not only that, with the likes of elite session men Tony Moore, Vinnie Colaiuta, Gary Novak, Lenny Castro, Michael Landau, Michael Thompson, Marlon McClain, and Jeff Richman also in the line-up, it was a sure fire certainty that the seriously jazzy ‘Bright Moments’ would indeed be something special.
The revolving door that has, over the years, moved artists in and then out of The Sax Pack has just swung around one more time. The occasional coupling that has seen Marion Meadows, Steve Cole, Kim Waters, Jeff Kashiwa and Marcus Anderson all, at one time or another, be part of the rotation, has now resurfaced for 2016 with Cole and Kashiwa being joined for gigs in Chicago and Las Vegas by Jackiem Joyner.