Smooth Jazz Therapy

Rick Braun - The Album

Due out February 11, 2022 and thirty years since his very first solo release, ‘Intimate Secrets’, hit the streets, Rick Braun’s self titled album finds this multi-faceted performer in full creative overdrive.  Sure, self-titled albums tend to be reserved for an artist’s debut outing but with ten brand new songs, all written or co-written by Braun, this is a musical event for which he is front back and center.

Smooth Jazz Therapy - Top 20 Tracks Of 2021

Seasonal greetings from Smooth Jazz Therapy; The love of music is all about preference and since 2006 I have been sharing what I identified at the time as being my Top Twenty Tracks of the year.  For several reasons, not least of which has been the increase in cover versions, the search for great new music has become increasingly fraught.   However, all is not lost and with an eye firmly on quality rather than quantity I am delighted to reveal, in no particular order, my Smooth Jazz Therapy Top Twenty Tracks of 2021.

‘Esselle’s Dance’ by gguitarist Les Sabler from the CD ‘Tranquility’.  Sabler first found his way onto the Smooth Jazz Therapy radar screen in 2007 with the CD ‘Sweet Drive’.  In fact a song from it, ‘I’m Not The Same’, (with featured vocals from Toni Scruggs and Rahsaan Patterson) made it into my top twenty contemporary jazz tunes for that year.  Now fourteen years on he has done it again with this track that reverberates with the sort of spine tingling melodies that have become Sabler’s calling card.

‘Say What’s On Your Mind’ by Larry Carlton and Paul Brown from their album ‘Soul Searchin’.  Relaxed yet edgy this is a number that sums up the entire collection.

‘Night Vibe’ by Greg Chambers from his 2021 project ‘No Looking Back’.  With serial hit maker Adam Hawley on guitar this sumptuous song is arguably the album’s best track.

‘Back In The Day’ the stand alone single from Dreaming In Colour.  Constructed around the band’s core members of Kevin Ellis and Chris Noonan the line-up has often, over the years, been complemented by some of the genre’s top artists and this is particularly so with the band’s latest single where velvety horns and a piano solo from Michael Scherer really get the job done.

‘Better Days’ by Greg Karukas from the CD ‘Serenata’.  This, the thirteenth solo project from original Rippingtons keyboard player and 2013 Grammy winner Gregg Karukas is his very first collection of piano solos.

Read on for the remainder of this years top twenty and if you have your own list of favorites from 2021 why not e-mail it to me at [email protected]  Happy New Year!!

Emilio Foglio - Walking Through My Head

Milanese guitarist Emilio Foglio is realty making a statement with his brand new composition ‘Walking Through My Head’ that is out now across all digital platforms.  With his musical roots firmly embedded in the jazz fusion of the seventies and eighties for this track Emilio has assembled a group of top notch supporting musicians that include Argentinian trumpeter Pepe Ragonese, keyboard player Antonello Aguzzi, Piero Orsini on bass and Franco Penatti on drums.

Nice track.

 

Nicholas Cole - Feelings

Despite Christmas being very much in the air thoughts are turning to 2022 and the new music that is already in the works.  Notable in this respect is the terrific ‘Feelings’ from the rapidly emerging Nicholas Cole that even at this stage is shaping up to be one of the tracks of the year.

With a discography that includes the 2010 breakthrough album ‘A Journey Of One’, ‘Endless Possibilities’ that followed two years later and the 2015 blockbuster ‘Night Sessions’, Cole has been quietly building his reputation as one of smooth jazz’s brightest stars.  His 2019 project ‘The Weekend’ elevated Cole to another level and ‘Feelings’ seems set to keep him there.

Check back early in 2022 for more on ‘Feelings’.

Benny Barksdale Jr. - Reasons

As some of you will know my favorite band of all time is Earth Wind & Fire and my favorite Earth Wind & Fire track (also of all time) is the wonderful ‘Reasons’.  Consequently, when I stumbled across this excellent instrumental version of the song by veteran sax-man Benny Barksdale Jr. I just had to give it a listen.

So here it is, ‘Reasons’ by Benny Barksdale Jr. from his brand new album  ‘The Heart & Soul of Benny Barksdale Jr.'

Knock yourself out

 

 

Jean Carne - It's Alright With Me

Now for something guaranteed to rejuvenate even the most tired of dancing feet.  It is the sensationally old school, ‘It’s Alright With Me’ from the legendary Jean Carne.  Coming as it does with an equally good instrumental version it proves to be a fine example of that decidedly sixties phenomenon the ‘EP’ and, for soul lovers everywhere, should make the perfect Christmas stocking filler..

Jean Carne began her career with her then-husband, Doug Carne, who has well as being a pianist was also the founder of Black Jazz Records. After recording three albums together, Jean started doing back-up vocals for Earth Wind & Fire and Norman Connors. She went solo in1977 and played a pivotal role in the development of Philly soul with Gamble & Huff, Dexter Wansel and McFadden and Whitehead all producing and writing for her.

Truth to tell her creativity has never waned and her distinctive voice remains in top form. Recently, she released the critically acclaimed album ‘Flashback’ which included the wonderful Skip Scarborough composition ’It's Alright With Me’.

Great Stuff

 

 

Curtis Stigers - Keep Me From The Cold

Initially from his 1995 sophomore release ‘Time Was’, ‘Keep Me From The Cold’ by cross over artist Cutis Stigers is the first single to be lifted from his soon to be released collection ‘This Life’.

The project is Stigers’ way of revisiting some of the landmark songs that have generously populated a career that now stands at thirty years 30 years and counting.

‘This Life’ is due out on February 25 2002 and is something worth looking out for.

 

 

Michael J Thomas - It's Christmas

Back in December of 2018 sax-man Michael J Thomas shared some festive spirit with a free download of ‘Get Your Smooth On’ that was taken from his 2017 CD  ‘Driven’.  Written and produced by Thomas with guitar player Shannon Wallace it featured Oli Silk on keys with the remainder of the line-up comprising Eric Lampley on bass, Frank ‘Third’ Richardson on drums and Paul Scurto on trumpet.

Now, three years on, Michael has just released an all-original Christmas song, ‘It’s Christmas’.  This easy grooving number which features the incomparable Maysa on vocals is a cut above your normal smooth jazz Christmas tracks and comes highly recommended.