Smooth Jazz Therapy

Brian Clay - This Is Me

 

Chicago born and Atlanta bred; keyboard player Brian Clay has been a staple of that city’s vibrant music scene since the mid eighties.  Over that time he has released a total of seven albums and has just made that eight with the tight, in the pocket, ‘This Is Me’.  With a playing style that has been compared to that of Joe Sample, Bob James and George Duke it is fair to say that ‘This Is Me’ is everything smooth jazz aficionados would expect and none more so than the opening number, ’88 Likes’.

This easy grooving cut gets ‘This Is Me’ started in exactly the way it means to continue and continue it does with ‘Into The Deep’ that, despite a smoky sax driven intro, provides the perfect showcase for Clay’s artistry on keys.

The decidedly moody ‘Tiemo (Bahari Beach)’ is another track that is among the best that ‘This Is Me’ has to offer and in this respect it is in the good company of the deliciously mid tempo ‘Honey Grove Lane’ that is enhanced in no small measure by cool interjections of sax.

25th Street Band - Jazz Crossover Greats

The excellent UK based 25th Street Band are not only top notch musicians and good friends of Smooth Jazz Therapy they are also excellent Spotify playlist compilers. The latest list to come to my attention is Jazz Crossover Greats and for those so inclined it offers a stunning walk on the retro side to when contemporary jazz really had edge. With 138 track to choose from 'spoilt for choice' doesn't even come near but the one I have gone for is 'Early AM Attitude' by Dave Grusin and Lee Ritenour from the 1985 album 'Harlequin'. Realeased on the legendary GRP label this is pure magic.

 

 

Nick Colionne - Right Around The Corner

Although it has been around since April 2020, ‘Finger Painting’ from serial chart topper Nick Colionne continues to dazzle.  Without doubt Colionne remains one of the brightest stars in the Trippin N Rhythm constellation and the latest move by the label to keep ‘Finger Painting’ on everyone’s radar is to release the single ‘Right Around The Corner’ to radio.

This lusciously jazzy number shows off a different side to Colionne’s musical persona.  In fact it is an understated delight while with regard to  ‘Finger Painting’ it is worth pointing out that Colionne has enlisted the help of long-time collaborators and producers Chris ‘Big Dog’ Davis, James Lloyd (from Pieces of a Dream) and John Blasucci.

It is a quality collection.

 

 

Richard Elliot - Right On Time

Out now on the Shanachie Entertainment label, ‘Authentic Life’ from Grammy nominated sax-man Richard Elliot features the kind of all-star lineup that bears testimony to the respect and admiration Elliot has garnered from his peers over a solo career that has now spanned thirty five years.  The album’s first radio single was the ballsy and extremely jazzy ‘Snapshot’ that Elliott co-wrote with Jeff Lorber and which featured Lorber alongside trumpeter Rick Braun and saxophonists Dave Koz and David Mann while now the latest track to find its way to the airwaves is the stunningly melodic ‘Right On Time’.  Proving to be a cool collaboration with Braun and keyboard player Chris “Big Dog” Davis this is as good a track as you will hear this year.

 

 

Brian Simpson - So Many Ways

Within the world of smooth jazz the status of pianist, composer and producer Brian Simpson is such that any new album from him automatically qualifies as a musical highlight of the year.  Consequently the noise surrounding Brian’s  ‘All That Matters’ (that will hit the streets June 25) is already deafening and destined to get even louder.

In every respect ‘All That Matters’ is a milestone recording.  Not only is it Simpson’s tenth album as a solo artist but is also heavily influenced by the global pandemic.   Forced into quarantine and without the musician’s lifeblood of touring and performing Simpson chose to focus solely on the recording process.

With Steve Oliver, Nicholas Cole and Oliver Wendell also on board this cool collective began by working virtually before, as restrictions eased, moving to ‘face to face’ collaborations.  The result is ten original choice tunes that find Simpson at the very top of his musical game.

‘All That Matters’ is also notable for the quality of the backing musicians that Simpson has assembled for the project.  Sax players Najee and Steve Alanis, trumpeter Ron King, drummers Michael White and Tony Moore, bass players Dwayne “Smitty” Smith, Alex Al and Roberto Vally, percussionist Brain Kilgore and guitarists Ray Fuller and Yarone Levy are all variously around to lend a hand and it is White, Kilgore, Al and Fuller who support Simpson on the sumptuous ‘So Many Ways’ that also happens to be the first single to be selected for radio. 

It is a real gem so check back here soon for a complete review of ‘All That Matters’.

Michael Broening - Shine A Light

After two decades of making hits for a veritable who’s who of smooth jazz talent writer, producer and keyboard player Michael Broening is at last stepping out of the shadows with his debut recording ‘Shine A Light’.

Out June 14 on the Trippin ‘N’ Rhythm label this easy grooving number was co-written by Broening with long time sparring partner Thano Sahnas and features label mate Mel Brown on bass.  Offering a tempting taster of his forthcoming album that is expected later in the year this one should do well.

Since 2006, Broening has scored eleven #1 airplay hits including the Grammy-winning ‘Mornin’ with George Benson and Al Jarreau.

Check back here soon for more on Michael Broening.

Brian Bromberg - A Little Driving Music

Since 1985, acclaimed bassist and producer Brian Bromberg has been confounding the music industry with an ever increasing catalogue of straight ahead and contemporary jazz offerings that are often driven by specific sounds and themes.  His 2002 ‘Wood’ was built around acoustic bass, ‘Metal’ had electric bass as its centrepiece and with ‘Jaco’ Bromberg celebrated the artistry of fretless bass pioneer Jaco Pastorius.

Over subsequent years he has been nothing other than prolific and this has extended right into the pandemic with ‘A Little Driving Music’ a thirteen track tour de force that in a very vibrant and funky way captures the spirit of the open road.  He is helped in his endeavour by a gathering of all-star socially distanced musicians including Dave Koz, Marion Meadows, Elan Trotman, Everette Harp, Gary Meek and Nick Colionne.

 

In fact it is Koz who partners with Bromberg for a tasty reimagining of the Katrina And The Waves 1985 hit ‘Walking On Sunshine’ while elsewhere it will take very little effort for the feisty title cut to transport the listener to Highway 1 where driving with the top down is a given.