Smooth Jazz Therapy

Dave Koz & Friends (Featuring Selina Albright) - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

There was a time when the love affair that smooth jazz has with the festive period resulted in virtually every artist having at least one Christmas collection in their respective discographies.  Although this Yuletide infatuation has cooled of late there is something about smooth jazz and the holidays that simply fits.  This is particularly so with Dave Koz & Friends new single, ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’ that comes from the album ‘20^thAnniversary Christmas’.   Courtesy of Selina Albright's heartfelt vocals the song is elevated from the status of Christmas staple to timeless soulful classic.  It is stunning.

Of course almost as durable as smooth jazz Christmas music is the Dave Koz & Friends Christmas shows that this year will start out in Jacksonville on November 29 and will visit twenty one cities before wrapping up in Cerritos CA on December 23.

Blake Aaron - Groovers & Shakers

One track that has really come from no-where to sit atop the Billboard singles chart is ‘Groovers and Shakers’ from smooth jazz guitarist Blake Aaron.  It is the latest track to be drawn from Aaron’s soon to be released CD ‘Color and Passion’ and in this respect joins ‘Riviera Nights’, ‘VIVID’, ‘Godfather Brown’ and ‘Summer Ride’ as singles that have all enjoyed extended stays on the Billboard chart.

‘Groovers and Shakers’ features sax-man Darren Rahn and is tight as tight can be.

Check it out, right here, right now.

 

 

Fabio Mignola - Encantado

Brand new from Swiss born guitarist Fabio Mignola comes the delicious ‘Encantado’.  It is an excellent addition to a discography which includes ‘Flyin Away’, ‘Luna Rossa’ and ‘Take Me Higher’ which, at the time of its release, I described as being “a showcase for Mignola’s wide raging musical talents that extend not only to delivering eleven self penned tracks but also to engineering and producing throughout.”

Of course students of the language will know that ‘Encantado’ translates to ‘charmed’ and the chances are that listeners will be exactly that with this mellifluous collection which again finds Fabio pulling the strings on eleven of his own sumptuous compositions for a musical journey that is very much on the Latin side.

Fat Larry's Band - Hey Girl

Best known for hits such as ‘Act Like You Know’, ‘Zoom’, & ‘Looking For Love’ Fat Larry’s Band folded in 1987 when Fat Larry James sadly passed away.  Now, with the blissing of Doris Jones, Fat Larry’s Band returns with a new EP titled ‘Hey Girl’.  Paying homage to the past while carving a path to a bright and soulful future the collection includes the ban’s seminal hit ‘Zoom’ as well as the title cut that glides along on an understated ‘steppers’ beat.

However, the star of the show is without doubt the Alvertis – Booker T – Floyd composition ‘I’ve Never Found A Girl’ that was a hit for Eddie Floyd in 1968 and featured in the 2009 movie Soul Men. With a huge but subtle backing orchestra plus magically lilting vocals this Fat Larry version is soul music the way it is meant to be.

Wonderful!

Doug Jones - Crossing Lines

‘Crossing Lines’ is the brand new project from sax-man Doug Jones and much like ‘Top Down’ (from 2013) and ‘Secrets’ that followed three years later it is a tight collection of contemporary jazz tracks that Doug writes, arranges, produces and performs in his own special style.

Glenn Jones - Love By Design - U-Nam Remix

When it comes to that sweet spot where contemporary jazz meets classic soul, Billboard chart-topping artist and multi-platinum producer U-Nam is invariably on point.  Indeed U-Nam’s high-octane brand of guitar driven smooth jazz has long been hiscalling card and both as a producer and re-mixer he is never afraid to take a classic tune and bestow on it his own distinctive touches.

This is certainly the case with his remix of Glenn Jones’ ‘Love By Design’ that was written by the ultra consistent James Day, produced by Chris ‘Big Dog’ Davis and features the legendary Regina Belle.  Gone has the gentle sway of the original version and in its place is an earthy urban groove that makes the song sound brand new.

Excellent new tune.

Bob Baldwin - Imagine

I have been in love with the music of Bob Baldwin since 2002 and the release of the stunning ‘Standing Tall’.  Now, with his twenty-fifth CD release, Baldwin is back and pushing the envelope further than ever.  That this legendary producer and keyboard player has gone for a retrospective of some of the Beatles best work is, in itself, astonishing.  The fact that he has done it so wonderfully is a glowing testimony to what Bob Baldwin is all about. 

Titled ‘Bob Baldwin Presents Abbey Road And The Beatles’, this ultra cool twelve track collection has featured performances from Ragan Whiteside, CeCe Peniston, Smooth Jazz Therapy favourite Lori Williams (who is currently making waves with her latest single ‘Hold On’) and, notably, sax superstar Euge Groove who contributes in no small measure to ‘Imagine’ that is the first single to be serviced to radio. 

This might well be the best cover version of 2018.

Dave Bradshaw Jr. - Forever Grey

‘Flipside’ from keyboard player Dave Bradshaw, Jr is really showing some longevity.  Very much in the best traditions of smooth jazz keys it has invited comparisons with the music of Brian Simpson and David Benoit while the title cut, the delicious ‘Miles Away’ and now ‘Forever Grey’ have all made it to radio.

‘Forever Grey’, featuring the Earth, Wind & Fire horn section is written and produced by Bradshaw and mixed by Darren Rahn.  It marks a reunion with Rahn, which began in 2005 when Bradshaw Jr made some waves with ‘Jumpstep’ that the two of them wrote together.

Twelve years on and Bradshaw’s melodic yet funky style is still hitting it out of the park.

It is a great number from a great album