Smooth Jazz Therapy

Jazmin Ghent - Heat

Smooth Jazz saxophonist Jazmin Ghent boarded the Smooth Jazz Cruise in 2014 as a paying customer and left as a star in the making. By winning the star search ‘Opening Act’ she not only came to the attention of some of the biggest names in the genre but also demonstrated a talent that is agile enough to connect with a whole range of jazz styles from smooth all the way to ‘straight ahead’. 

Yet this virtuosity didn’t happen by accident. Raised in a home where the likes of Kirk Whalum, Bob James and Gerald Albright were constants on the sound system, practice and commitment led to two scholarships and a Masters Degree in music. Still only in her mid twenties she is gearing up to release her third album of contemporary jazz, ‘The Story Of Jaz’, from which the single ‘Heat’ is taken. 

Featuring Phillippe Saisse and Kim Scott, this easy grooving number benefits from an attractive Latin lilt and should do well.

Andrey Chmut - Smoothability

A delicious amalgam of mellow grooves and funky rhythms, the aptly titled 'Smoothability' is the dynamite with which Ukrainian born, rising sax star Andrey Chmut is making what promises to be a truly explosive debut.

Typified by the upbeat title cut (and first radio single) which includes Wha Wha guitar from the unmistakable U-Nam, 'Smoothability' is living proof that, in this joined up musical world, an effective social media presence can be the avenue to great success.  In fact it was Andrey’s work with Artem Lebedev that provided him with YouTube exposure, which he later built on through appearances with fellow Skytown label mate Valeriy Stepanov.

Paolo Rustichelli - Magic Life

Smooth Jazz Therapy favourite Paolo Rustichelli has delighted aficionados of both chill and smooth jazz with a sequence of compelling singles that culminated in the wonderful album ‘Soul Italiano’. This composer, producer, piano and keyboard player first ventured in to the chill genre with albums such as 'Mystic Jazz' & 'Mystic Man' that featured Miles Davis and Carlos Santana. Indeed Santana, in an interview with Billboard magazine, is quoted as saying "Paolo can easily create a hookin' melody that makes the song really catchy, sounding classic and innovative at the same time. Paolo's music is a soundtrack for life!"

Rustichelli’s latest step on his road of life is ‘Magic Life’ that is everything we have come to expect from this masterful musician.

Check it out.

Dave Bradshaw Jr. - Miles Away

It was in 2005 that keyboard player Dave Bradshaw Jr. made some waves with the track ‘Jumpstep’ that was co-written and produced by Darren Rahn. It proved to be the perfect radio friendly showcase for his melodic yet funky style.

Fast-forward to 2017 and the single ‘Flipside’ that was very much in the best traditions of smooth jazz keys and which invited comparisons with the likes of Brian Simpson and David Benoit. Much the same can be said of his latest effort ‘Miles Away’ which is top-notch smooth jazz and then some.

Highly recommended.

Skinny Hightower - One Way Street

Super cool keyboard player Skinny Hightower came up big in 2017 with the CD ‘Emotions’. It included featured performances from Konstantin Klashtorni (aka Kool & Klean), Rock Hendricks, Julian Vaughn and Lin Rountree while the mid tempo groovilicious title cut became an instant Smooth Jazz Therapy favourite. Now, ahead of the release of his latest project ‘Retrospect’, Hightower is back with the wonderful ‘One Way Street’ that checks every smooth jazz box imaginable.

Michael Lington - Silver Lining

When, back in 2016, Danish sax-man Michael Lington released his ninth solo CD, ‘Second Nature’, it found him reuniting with legendary writer and producer Barry Eastmond for a collection that at the time Lington described as being ‘retro modern’. Now, once more in the company of Eastmond and delivering more of the delicious same, he is back with the stunning ‘Silver Lining’. Not only that, joining him in the venture is an all-star cast of performers including Dave Stewart of Eurythmics fame, Funk Brothers original Jack Ashford, Paul Jackson Jr., Ray Parker Jr., Alex Al, Freddie Washington, Lenny Castro and soul legend William Bell for a body of work that will be essential listening for all those who like their smooth jazz spiced with a modicum of soul.

U-Nam Puts The ‘So’ Into ‘El Sol’ With The Sunshine Filled ‘Is That So’

 

As cool as a mint julep and just as fresh, ‘Is That So’ from Billboard chart-topping artist and multi-platinum producer U-Nam is the perfect accompaniment to those long hot summer days to come. It follows closely on the heels of his stunning ‘The Essential Collection’ that in 2017, with eight (yes eight) Top 30 US Billboard hits amongst the fifteen standout tracks, occupied top spot on the Smoothjazz.com album listings for six straight weeks and ranked #11 on the end of year chart. 

Written, produced, arranged and mixed by U-Nam, ‘Is That So’ is the first single from his latest project ‘Change Of Art’ that is slated for release later this year and is just the sort of infectious cut that U-Nam, with his instantly recognizable guitar sound and undoubtedly at the top of his creative game, seems able to effortlessly deliver. 

In fact, right from the tight groove laid down by Denis Bennarosh on percussion and Michael White on drums, through the flashes of flute from long time collaborator Shannon Kennedy and on to the brassy veneer applied by Kennedy on sax and Christian Martinez on trumpet, U-Nam’s production touches are, not surprisingly, all over it. Add in top notch Fender Rhodes from the always-splendid Bill Steinway and what we have is a track at the very heart of the best in smooth jazz. 

Summer may be right around the corner, and so is ‘Is That So’. Going for adds June 18.

Greg Chambers - A New Day

Smooth Jazz Therapy favorite Greg Chambers has been carving out his place in the annals of smooth jazz saxophone since 2007 and the release of his debut recording ‘City Lights’. His self-titled follow up came along in 2011 and was followed two years later by the excellent seven-song EP ‘After Hours’. Even better (and then his most commercial to date) was the 2014 project ‘Can’t Help Myself’ and now he is back with the outstanding ‘A New Day’ for which he is joined by regular collaborators Matt Godina and Paul Brown plus a ‘who’s who’ of smooth jazz talent including Adam Hawley, Kenji Matsui, Roberto Vally, Preston Smith, Nate Harasim, Rodney Franklin, Lin Rountree, Nils and Lew Laing.