Smooth Jazz Therapy

Richard Smith - Lets Roll

By any account 2020 was a bad year but for guitarist Richard Smith it was worse than for most.  He was fighting a battle against stage three cancer of the throat that included radiation, chemotherapy and taking part in a clinical trial of a drug that involved four hours a day of intravenous infusion.  He was left with an eight-inch scar on his neck from the surgery but twelve months on he is cancer free.

 

Right through the process, whenever the doctors asked him if he was strong enough to continue with the treatment, Richard would simply say “Let’s Roll” so it is totally appropriate the that he should take this mantra as the title of his first US single in five years.  Co-written with Billboard chart-topping guitarist Adam Hawley (who also produced the track) and featuring sax-man Jeff Kashiwa ‘Let’s Roll’ is a very west coast, very LA kind of a number from a very west coast, very LA kind of a player.  In fact Richard remains a full professor at USC Thornton School Of Music while ‘Let’s Roll’ is in effect a sneak preview of Richard’s forthcoming 13^th album, ‘Language of the Soul’ that is expected to be released later this year.

Roberto Restuccia - With Every Turn

Out on the Trippin N Rhythm label, ‘With Every Turn’ is the excellent new project from UK guitarist and composer Roberto Restuccia.

 

Restuccia made his solo debut in 2016 with the album ‘Exposure’.  ‘When The Smoke Clears’ followed a year later and included input from Paul Hardcastle’s ‘go-to’ sax-man Rock Hendricks while now ‘With Every Turn’, with ten original compositions plus production from Oli Silk, could well be described as a quintessential contemporary jazz collection.

Marion Meadows - Twice As Nice

On April 23, 2021, Shanachie Entertainment will release the latest album from Nashville based sax-man Marion Meadows.  Titled ‘Twice As Nice’ it is Meadows sixteenth solo recording in a career that can be traced all the way back to 1990 and his debut project ‘For Lovers Only’.  Over that time Meadows has worked with a veritable who’s who of smooth jazz and R & B talent with his sophomore effort, ‘Keep It Right There’, finding him in collaboration with Will Downing, Bob Baldwin, Angela Bofill and Norman Connors.  Consequently it is no surprise that thirty-one years on he is still attracting ‘A-Listers’ of the genre. In fact ‘Twice As Nice’ features Paul Brown, Joey Sommerville, Jeff Lorber, David Mann, Steve Oliver and Chris “Big Dog” Davis.

Greg Karukas - Serenata

 

Original Rippingtons keyboard player and 2013 Grammy winner Gregg Karukas has twelve solo projects to his name and is about to make that thirteen with his very first solo piano album, the wonderful ‘Serenata’.  Make no mistake, for his myriad of fans that first discovered Karukas through seminal tracks such as ‘Girl In The Red Dress’ this is quite a departure. It represents a nostalgic return to the Brazilian music that he first found as a fledgling musician when learning his trade in the Washington DC - Baltimore area.  Indeed, right from the get-go, the lush melodies of artists such as Milton Nascimento and Dori Caymmi proved to be a wonderful counter-point to the jazz fusion that back then he was writing and playing.  He looks back on his days touring with Sergio Mendes and Ricardo Silveira as some of his favorite musical experiences and now, with ‘Serenata’, he is bringing these magic moments to an all new audience.

Mindi Abair - The Best Of Mindi Abair

In the ultra competitive world of smooth jazz saxophone differentiation is the name of the game and that is even more the case when applied to the female of the species.  Whether it be Paula Atherton, Candy Dulfer, Jeanette Harris or Pamela Williams, they have all found elements of uniqueness with which they define their musical identity yet when it comes to Mindi Abair she has elevated uniqueness to a whole new level.  Just what that represents is about to become clear with her first ‘Best Of’ collection that will be released April 2 on the Pretty Good For A Girl label.

Her earlier albums such as ‘Always And Never The Same’, ‘It Just Happens That Way’ and ‘Come As You Are’ were top-notch smooth jazz collections but then along the way something happened.  Maybe it was her appearances as the sax player on American Idol, the fact she toured with rock band Aerosmith or that she shared the stage with Bruce Springsteen but Mindi began to emerge from her contemporary jazz cocoon as something of a rock chick.  This was underlined with her 2014 project ‘Wild Heart’ and reconfirmed with the thunderous ‘Mindi Abair & The Boneshakers Live In Seattle’.

Les Sabler - Tranquility

Guitarist Les Sabler first found his way onto the Smooth Jazz Therapy radar 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 tracks for that year.  He last made some waves in 2014 with his tribute to the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim but now, with his feet firmly on smooth jazz ground, Sabler is back with the superb ‘Tranquility’.

 

Richard Elliot - Authentic Life

With an all-star lineup that bears testimony to the respect and admiration he has garnered from his peers over a solo career that has now spanned thirty five years the Grammy nominated sax-man Richard Elliot is back with his latest CD, ‘Authentic Life’, that was released January 29 on the Shanachie Entertainment label.

 

Patrick Bradley - Exhale

When, in 2017, jazz-fusion keyboard player Patrick Bradley released ‘Intangible’ on his own Song Factory label I described it as an album that was sure to find favour with fusion aficionados everywhere.  At its heart was Bradley’s collaboration with Jeff Lorber who, as well as producing throughout, combined with Bradley to co-write all ten numbers.  Now Bradley is back for 2021 with the excellent ‘Exhale’ and although he again teams with Lorber for two choice tunes the main thrust of his artistic interplay is with songwriter, producer and sax-man supreme Darren Rahn.  In fact Rahn produces and mixes nine numbers, performs on eight and co-writes seven with the first of these being ‘Completely Yours’ which is a mellifluous easy grooving concoction that proves to be the perfect showcase for Bradley’s talents.

 

Justin Lee Schultz - Gruv Kid

Multi-instrumentalist Justin Lee Schultz is thirteen.  Let me repeat that.  Justin Lee Schultz is thirteen and has already, dazzled audiences on TV shows such as Harry, Little Big Shots and American’s Most Musical Family.

His debut album, ‘Gruv Kid’, is out now on the Shanachie Entertainment label and, with featured performances from the likes of Bob James, Harvey Mason, Najee, Jonathan Butler, Gerald Albright, and Pieces Of A Dream, is every bit as good as the early hype suggested it would be.

Take for instance his jazzy fusion tinged take on the Stevie Wonder classic ‘Do I Do’ or the foot tapping title cut which proves to be a slice of piano driven smooth jazz of the highest order.  In similar vein is the wonderful ‘Better Days Ahead’ and although the mellifluous ‘Color Blind’ is among the best that ‘Gruv Kid’ has to offer it is when Schultz eases down the tempo that he conjures up the magical ‘Miracle’ that has class written all over it.

 

Jackiem Joyner - Journey Of Passion

Fifteen years and still going strong, smooth jazz sophisticat Jackiem Joyner is back with a cool five track EP titled ‘Journey Of Passion’.  This mellifluous collection of all original music is quickly up and running with the edgy mid tempo ‘J Time’ that is rapidly evolving into a real Smooth Jazz Therapy favourite.  It’s the sort of number that Joyner’s legion of fans will instantly identify with and much the same can be said of the super chilled title cut which proves to be an instrumental ballad of the highest order.

Elsewhere Joyner keeps things mellow with ‘In Your Eyes’ that, quite simply, is beauty personified and although he lifts the tempo for the big, expansive ‘Road To Soul’ another of my personal favourites is the hugely atmospheric ‘The Space Between Us’ that glides along on a relaxed ‘steppers’ beat.

Joyner performed and produced all five tracks while under quarantine and although the original plan was to release it earlier in the year the production ended up taking a bit longer than expected.

Recommended

 

 

Jazz In Pink Featuring Gail Jhonson - Joy

That revolving door of female musical excellence Jazz In Pink was founded twelve years ago by the first lady of smooth jazz Gail Jhonson together with flautist Althea Rene and promoter Kyna Hubbard.   Since then over fifty women have graced the stage with them, both as headline artists or side musicians, and now Jazz in Pink is making its Shanachie Entertainment debut with the CD ‘Joy’ that hits the streets today.   Yet make no mistake ‘Joy’ is very much the Gail Jhonson show.  With ten of her own impeccable compositions this long time Musical Director for Norman Brown produces and plays keyboards throughout. The fact she is joined in her endeavours by label mates Kim Waters. Marion Meadows and Paul Jackson Jr. serves simply as the icing on a particularly tasty cake, a fact that becomes obvious from as early as the opening track, the deliciously smooth ‘Joy Joy’, that incidentally was the first single to be serviced to radio.

Alexander Zonjic - Playing It Forward

 

Flautist Alexander Zonjic has been a shaper of the genre since the release of his self-titled debut CD in 1978.  Since then, and with a myriad of complementary musical activities, he has balanced his solo career with being a DJ and club owner in his adopted city of Detroit.

Yet by birth Zonjic is Canadian.  He grew up in Windsor, Ontario where at age 21, and after playing guitar as a teenager, he discovered the flute.  On leaving college Zonjic often played at jazz clubs in the Detroit area and one evening, jazz keyboardist Bob James happened to catch his act.  It led to an immediate invitation to join James’ band.  Recording sessions with Earl Klugh, Kirk Whalum, Harvey Mason, and Angela Bofill soon followed and as a guest soloist Zonjic appeared on Bob James’ ‘Ivory Coast’ project where he can be heard on the hit tune ‘Ashanti’.

Over the years his discography has expanded with a clutch of intriguing projects that, although jazz based, have also included seasonal and classical offerings.  Zonjic’s 2004 album ‘Seldom Blues’ (which featured Bob James, Kirk Whalum, Jeff Lorber and James K Lloyd) was received to critical acclaim and ‘Doin The D’ which came along five years later was equally well received.  His latest offering is the decidedly jazzy ‘Playing It Forward’, which with tracks written by Jeff Lorber, Bob James and James K Lloyd feels very much like a reunion of like-minded musical friends.

Randy Scott - Elevation

Already fan-fared by the hot radio single ‘Joy Ride’, ‘Elevation’ is the latest project from Detroit based sax-man Randy Scott who burst into the scene in 2015 with the album ‘Serenity’

Perhaps ‘Elevation’ is best summed up by the feisty title cut that demonstrates to perfection the penchant Scott has for big, ballsy sax driven smooth jazz.  Equally fulsome is ‘Sanctity’ that has the sort of hook that could well become infectious yet when Scott turns down the tempo the result is just as good.

This is particularly so with the decidedly moody ‘Day Dreams’ that includes a featured performance from trumpeter Cindy Bradley and again with ‘Intimacy’ which proves to be a sumptuous slice of instrumental quiet storm.

Scott keeps it mellow for ‘Tempo’ that is anchored by vocals from Anesha Birchett and he closes out ‘Elevation’ with the interesting named ‘Untitled (How Does It Feel)’ that uses Hammond B3 as a scene setter before kicking open the door to more of Scott’s smoky sax.

He again hits the gas and then some with the high octane and appropriately titled ‘Ignite’ and although ‘Step’ has all the attributes of being a dance floor filler in the making the Smooth Jazz Therapy top track is the sublime ‘Affection’.

Take a listen, right here, right now.

 

‘Elevation’ is out now on Trippin n Rhythm and is well worth checking out.

Andrey Chmut - Soulmate

Brand new for the summer is the up-tempo sunshine filled ‘Soulmate’ from sax-man Andrey Chmut.  With all ten tracks written and arranged by Chmut, it builds on the impact this talented player made with his 2018 Skytown Records debut ‘Smoothability’ which included the tune ‘Moving Forward’ that featured the timeless Bob James on electric piano.  Quickly becoming a staple on Sirius XM Watercolors it was also one of the station’s favorite songs of 2019.

The high octane ‘Soulmate’ opens exactly in the way it means to continue with the deliciously upbeat ‘Night Town’ that features superb interplay between Chmut on alto sax and Alex Logvinenko on keys.  It establishes an intensity that permeates the entire collection and this is also apparent with ‘Dance With Me’ that not only finds Chmut bringing it home with his driving yet melodic playing on soprano sax but also Gennadii Bondar making a contribution on guitar that is reminiscent of Peter White at his best.

Paul Hardcastle - Hardcastle IX

Just short of two years since the release on Trippin N Rhythm of Paul Hardcastle’s ‘Hardcastle 8’ comes the logically titled ‘Hardcastle IX’.

All things considered ‘Hardcastle IX’ finds PH in decidedly chilled mode and none more so than with the distinctly ethereal ‘Welcome To The Morning’.  Several tracks later he sends out another welcome, in fact ‘Welcome To The Beach’, that is as light and airy as the title suggests it might be.  It possesses the usual Hardcastle elements of smoky sax and seductive rhythm while elsewhere the moody ‘Outside My Window’ possesses a tension that just builds and builds.

U-Nam - Each Day A Gift EP

Innovator par excellence U-Nam has done it again.  He is releasing an EP built around the track ‘Each Day A Gift’, that originated both in instrumental and vocal form on his hot new CD ‘U-Nam Goes Big Band’.  In addition to these original two versions the EP also includes the associated radio edits plus a brand new smooth funk remix featuring vocals from Tim ‘TiO’ Owens.  With a velvety horn foundation and a mood that has a George Duke meets Earth Wind & Fire thing going on, this really is U-Nam at his very best and is all the more remarkable for the way he has re-constructed the song from its Latin tinged roots.

Reaching out as it does to both smooth jazz stations and more R & B orientated outlets this is an EP that could well be a radio programmers dream.

Euge Groove - Sing My Song

Ever since 2000, when the runaway hit single ‘Vinyl’ blasted him into the contemporary jazz spotlight, the always-excellent Euge Groove has been the real smooth jazz deal.  The song was lifted from his self titled Warner Bros debut CD and set in motion a solo career that can not only be measured by his blockbuster live shows around the world but also by a discography of eleven best selling albums which is all set to become twelve with ‘Sing My Song’ that is released today, June 26, on the Shanachie label.

Kim Waters - Shakedown

For three decades Kim Waters has reigned supreme as one of the premier exponents of contemporary jazz.  Indeed Since 1989, and the release of his debut CD ‘Sweet & Saxy’, sax-man composer and producer Waters has been a constant on the urban-jazz landscape.  With a reputation for being one of the most technically gifted players around, he has released twenty-three recordings as a leader and has just made that twenty-four with ‘Shakedown’ on the always excellent Shanachie Entertainment label.