Smooth Jazz Therapy

Mark Jaimes - ABC

Released in May of 2021 on Trippin ‘N’ Rhythm, ‘Hear At Last’ from UK based guitarist Mark Jaimes was a project that had been long in the making.  Now it is being given a new lease of life with the servicing to radio of the easy grooving single ‘ABC’ that finds Jaimes at his foot tapping best.

In fact it was Rick Braun who originally suggested that Jaimes should record a solo album and not only did he take Braun’s advice but also invited him to appear on one of the collection’s outstanding tunes, the horn-drenched track ‘Heads Up’.

Other notable performances come from bass player Dwayne Smitty Smith, the UK based keyboard player Oli Silk and smooth jazz superstar Peter White who with  ‘We’ll See’ combines with Jaimes to sensational effect.

The complete review of ‘Hear At Last’ can be found in the Smooth Jazz Therapy archives dated July 24, 2021 and be sure to check out ‘ABC’ right here right now.

 

 

Norman Brown - Let's Get Away

Following on from guitarist Norman Brown’s 2020 project ‘Heart To Heart’ comes the highly anticipated  ‘Lets Get Away’, a fine amalgam of jazz, R&B, pop and blues all delivered with the sort of style that has become Brown’s calling card.

 

J3 - Hela

Multi-instrumentalists Justin Lee Schultz, Jamie Lee Schultz and Jaden Baker, aka J3, might only be teenagers but are already leaving their indelible mark on the world of contemporary jazz.  Of course Justin Lee Schultz was only thirteen when he shot to fame with his debut album, ‘Gruv Kid’.  It included featured performances from the likes of Bob James, Harvey Mason, Najee, Jonathan Butler, Gerald Albright, and Pieces Of A Dream but now Justin has teamed with his sister Jamie and musical friend Baker to create the album ‘Opus 1’ that will be released April 15 on the Shanachie Entertainment label.

Ahead of that comes the first single, ‘Hela’ which in every respect is a superb slice of rhythmic high end smooth jazz.

Astonishing

Michael Broening - Summer In Blue

After two decades of making hits for a veritable who’s who of smooth jazz talent writer, producer and keyboard player Michael Broening finally stepped out of the shadows in June 2021with his debut single ‘Shine A Light’.

Out on Trippin ‘N’ Rhythm this easy grooving number was co-written by Broening with long time sparring partner Thano Sahnas and featured label mate Mel Brown on bass.

 It offered a tempting taster for his forthcoming album that is now expected later in 2022 and with this in mind the label has just released the second single from it, the truly sensational ‘Summer In Blue’.

Check back here soon for more on Michael Broening.

Nick Colionne - What You Do To Me

When, on News Day 2022, the death was announced of contemporary jazz guitarist Nick Colionne the smooth jazz community was shaken to its core.  Throughout his illustrious career Colionne was never anything short of being the consummate live performer and along the way gained a well-deserved reputation as being the best-dressed man in smooth jazz.  His musical legacy was colossal yet wonderfully it is about to become even greater.

At the time of his sad demise Nick had just completed the recording of what turned out to be his final album and the first single from it, ‘What You Do To Me’, is available now.  It’s a slice of sumptuous easy grooving smooth jazz and comes highly recommended.

 

 

Cindy Bradley - Love Yourself

In anticipation of her forthcoming new album, Trippin & Rhythm recording artist Cindy Bradley is back with the radio single ‘Love Yourself’. It is a cool reworking of the title cut from the 2015 project by Justin Bieber and, If Cindy’s 2019 recording ‘The Little Things’ is anything to go by, it should be the forerunner of something rather special

Check it out

 

 

David Benoit - A Midnight Rendezvous

David Benoit’s highly anticipated new album, ‘A Midnight Rendezvous ‘, which hit the streets February 18, 2022, is a stellar ten-tune foray into both known and unknown territory.  Indeed it finds him recording for the very first time with a big band under his own leadership but that said this is far from being a ‘Benoit Does Big Band’ kind of a deal.  Instead the project breaks down into two distinct parts with the first seven tracks being an excursion into Benoit’s familiar world of sophisticated, high end, contemporary jazz.  The final three songs are colossal and beautifully orchestrated big band tracks: ‘Generations’ ‘Waiting For Spring’ and ‘Cabin Fever’ all brought to life by Benoit’s 12-piece powerhouse big band that includes a blazing horn section comprising among others sax players Eric Marienthal and Sal Lozano, trumpeter Wayne Bergeron and trombonist Francisco Torres.

Richard Elliot - Move Ahead

Taken from his 2021 release ‘Authentic Life’, the latest radio single from sax-man Richard Elliot is ‘Move Ahead’.  It is co-written and performed by Elliot in the company of long time collaborator Rick Braun and the always-excellent Philippe Saisse.  Infused as it is with a percussive backbeat that comes courtesy of drummer Jay Williams and percussionist Lenny Castro this one is as refreshing as it is uplifting.