Smooth Jazz Therapy

Hil St. Soul - Back In Love

‘Back In Love’ from the award winning Hilary Mwelwa (aka Hil St. Soul) is her first album in fourteen years and was released November 18 on the Shanachie Entertainment label.  Constructed over a three-year period, and very much a labour of love, Hilary collaborated with producers Regi Myrix, Lorenzo Johnson and Prince Damon to release a series of singles that have now all found their way onto ‘Back In Love’.  Take for example the easy grooving ‘One Life’ that has been described elsewhere as an instant classic or ‘In My Groove’ that has quickly become a personal favourite.  Both were originally released in 2020 and a year later came the sumptuous ‘Blessed’ and a cool reworking of the Ohio Players hit ‘Heaven Must Be Like This’.

 

Rebecca Jade - A Shade Of Jade

Walking an exciting line that takes a neo soul vibe and splices it with contemporary jazz ‘A Shade Of Jade’ from vocalist Rebecca Jade is out today October 14, 2022.  All ten choice tunes are written by Rebecca (she also co-produces with Carnell Harrell) and typically find her in the company of Harrell on keys, guitarist Kyle Bolden, bass player Raymond McKinley, and drummer Charles Streeter Sr. The result is an extremely tight, hugely soulful collection that has the potential to take Jade anywhere she wants to go.

‘A Shade Of Jade’ is quickly up and running with  ‘Show Me’, a textbook slice of neo soul that incidentally was the first single to be serviced to radio.  Another track put out there to whet the appetite is ‘What’s It Gonna Be’.  Last September it was the subject of a basketball themed video that to date has garnered more than 126,000 YouTube views.  With fellow San Diego native Kevin Flournoy on keys plus a big ballsy horn section that comes courtesy of Derek Cannon and John Rekevics this hip hop flavored cut really gets the job done.

Chris Standring - Silent Night

The love affair that popular music has long enjoyed with the festive season has never been stronger or more enduring than the romance contemporary jazz has with Christmas.  Over the years the discographies of many smooth jazz artists have been populated with at least one ‘holiday album’ and this has led to a wide range of individualistic interpretations of how music of the season should sound when played in a jazz groove.  Now it is the turn of Chris Standring with the outstanding ‘Silent Night’, a sumptuous collection that immediately begs the question “what took him so long?”

Gordon James - Smooth Sunshine

Back in March 2020, when the pandemic brought everything to a halt, trumpet and flugelhorn player Gordon James found himself with no work and lots of free time.  It was the spur that led him to create his latest album, the perfectly titled ‘Smooth Sunshine’, a cool combination of instrumentals and vocals that are variously relaxing, upbeat and uplifting.

Mattias Roos - Cali Dreaming

Flourishing in the smooth jazz friendly confines of Skytown Records, Swedish keyboard player Mattias Roos will release his latest project, ‘Cali Dreaming’ on September 12, 2022.  Indeed with nine original compositions plus one carefully crafted cover ‘Cali Dreaming’ is everything one would expect from an artist who without a shadow of doubt is riding the tsunami of a burgeoning solo career.

Paul Brown - Promised Land

‘Promised Land’ by guitarist and ace producer Paul Brown is his ninth solo project and the first (not counting his 2021 collaboration with Larry Carlton) since 2020 and ‘Ones Upon A Time’. It is a tight ten-track collection of original compositions embellished as usual with contributions from his inner circle of backing musicians plus input from some of the biggest names in smooth jazz.

U-Nam - California Funk Machine Volume 2

Back, and this time with a focus completely on the greatest funk of the eighties, comes Volume 2 of the genre defining series California Funk Machine which was released July 22, 2022 on the Skytown Records label.

Indeed, much like Volume 1, the driving force behind the project is none other than Billboard chart topping artist, Platinum producer and multi instrumentalist Emmanuel “U-Nam” Abiteboul who, since moving to Los Angeles from his native Paris, France in 2007, his built a reputation for knowing funk like no one else knows funk.

California Funk Machine Volume 2 is not just a collection of music, it is a concept, a style, a coming together of like minded musical brethren to breath new life into some of the hottest funk, disco, soul and jazz funk classics of that golden age otherwise known as the eighties.

U-Nam’s contribution to California Funk Machine Volume 2 reaches far and wide. As well as arranging both horns and strings, U-Nam also produces and arranges the entire album. In fact his own prodigious input extends not only to lead and rhythm guitars, talk box, vocoder, bass, moog bass, Rhodes, clavinet, synth guitar, keyboards, drums, horn programming and editing but also lead and background vocals.

Mark Etheredge - Love Planet

It was in 2016, with the CD ‘Connected’, that keyboard player Mark Etheredge took the world of smooth jazz by storm.  It was his first genuine foray into the genre and maybe it was the ten self penned songs or the plethora of A-List collaborators who rallied round to lend a hand but there seemed little doubt that here was an artist who had truly arrived.  Well that was then but as he slipped into the despair of alcoholism, faced the specter of bankruptcy, lost his West Hollywood home and watched on as his mother slowly slipped away, Etheredge’s world had turned on its head.  Yet through all of those dark times he found strength by composing and playing music.  Now, coming out of the other side and reunited with producer Paul Brown, he is back with the excellent ‘Love Planet’.

Brendan Rothwell - Destiny

Originally from North Yorkshire, England, and now comfortably ensconced in Alberta, Canada, Brendan Rothwell is one of that exclusive group of contemporary jazz musicians who as a bass player has made his mark as a lead artist. His latest release is ‘Destiny’ which follows his 2016 debut ‘Time On My Hands’ and ‘Sentiment’ that hit the streets two years later.  Much like his previous work ‘Destiny’ finds him front, back and centre of a project for which he writes all twelve tracks and plays every instrument.

In fact it is unobtrusive piano that adds another dimension to the ultra contemplative ‘My Time’ and truth to tell the entire collection finds Rothwell predominately in tender mood.  This is particularly so with ‘Foundation’ where he sublimely blends bass guitar with keys and again with the equally laid back  ‘Solitude’.  The track is further enhanced by a seriously catchy riff while elsewhere, and for anyone who has ever been to the Californian city of Carmel, there will be instant recognition of the sun blushed location that gives its name to this luscious tune.

Chris Standring - Simple Things

Twelve Months doesn’t seem all that long but for guitarist Chris Standring these last twelve months have been different.  They began with his thirteenth solo CD ‘Wonderful World’ only to be hijacked by a pandemic that refused to go away.  Then there was the small matter of a heart attack before getting to this, his latest album ‘Simple Things’ that will be released on May 20.

Given his recent traumas it is not surprising that the underlying theme to ‘Simple Things’ is joy and here with regular collaborators Andre Berry and Kevin Axt on bass, Chris Coleman on drums and Rodney Lee on keys that feeling of joy comes shining through.

Najee - Savoir Faire

Well known for his classy virtuosity, Grammy nominated sax and flute player Najee has been one of the most influential figures in contemporary jazz for the past thirty plus years.  He enjoyed his first big break in 1983 when, with his brother Fareed, he toured with Chaka Khan.  This in turn brought him to the attention of producer Charles Huggins and it was through Huggins that Najee cut his debut long player for EMI, ‘Najees Theme’, in 1986.  The album went platinum and, as they say, the rest his history.  Since then Najee has added seventeen more releases plus one ‘best of’ collection. Now, on the Shanachie Entertainment label, he is back with his latest offering, ‘Savoir Faire’.

Special EFX - Twenty Twenty 2

Just released, ‘Twenty Twenty 2’ from sophisticated super group Special EFX marks the band’s forty years of making music and despite the frequent changes in personnel that have characterised the evolution of this cool collective the creative constant of Chilli Minucci remains front back and centre.  In fact Minucci co-founded Special EFX thirty-five years ago with the now deceased George Jinda and here he writes eleven new tunes, reworks two previous tracks from back in the day and adds a neat remake of the rock classic ‘In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed’.

Christophe Goze - Soul To Soul

The latest album from composer, producer and guitarist Christophe Goze is the wonderfully rhythmic ‘Soul To Soul’.  It is a fine example of everything that Goze does best, blending contemporary jazz with ambient and world vibes whilst leaning on the influences he has picked up while living in eight, yes eight, different countries.

The entire collection shimmers with a distinctly cinematic quality that betrays the passion Christophe has for movie soundtracks.  He has scored the music for many projects both in Europe and in the USA yet his versatility does not stop there.  Working in the world of television advertising he was nominated in 2001 in the category ‘Best Music In A TV Advert’ for his work on the Lynx commercial.

In terms of musical highlights the easy grooving title cut checks all the boxes.  In this respect is in the fine company of ‘The Nightfly’ that Goze delivers as a concise three minutes twenty second version and again as an extended five minutes thirty-four second extravaganza.

Elsewhere he teams with fellow guitarist Marc Antoine for the super tight ‘At The End Of The Street’ which is right up there with the best that ‘Soul To Soul’ has to offer yet all things considered the Smooth Jazz Therapy top track is the heavily ambient ‘You & I’.  Served up in instrumental form and with subliminal vocals this one is a real winner.

‘Soul To Soul’ is Christophe’s sixth solo album and comes highly recommended.

 

 

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.

 

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.

Atlantic Groove Society - Past & Present

Trumpeter Alexander Hartgers and keyboard player Raymond Kaitjily aka Atlantic Groove Society have just released the album ‘Past & Present’ which with nine original compositions and one choice cover is a cool mixture of chilled out lounge music and smooth jazz that is worthy of some attention.

In fact Hartgers from Los Angeles and Kaitjily from Holland have been musical friends for over twenty years and ‘Past & Present’ is a reflection of the music that over time has emanated from this long-standing collaboration.

California Funk Machine - Volume 1

California Funk Machine is not just another tribute band. California Funk Machine is not just a collection of music. California Funk Machine is a concept, a style, a coming together of like minded musical brethren to breath new life into some of the hottest funk, disco, soul and jazz funk classics of the 70’s and 80’s.

The driving force behind what is envisaged to be a series of volumes is none other than Billboard chart topping artist, Platinum producer and multi instrumentalist Emmanuel “U-Nam” Abiteboul who, since moving to Los Angeles from his native Paris, France in 2008, his built a reputation for knowing funk like no one else knows funk.

Mindi Abair - Forever

It is fair to say that the career of Mindi Abair has not always followed what might be referred to as conventional lines.  Sure, her earlier albums such as ‘Always And Never The Same’, ‘It Just Happens That Way’ and ‘Come As You Are’ were all 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 now eight years later she is back with her eleventh studio recording, ‘Forever’, that will be released March 18, 2022 on her own Pretty Good For A Girl Records.