Smooth Jazz Therapy

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.

Bob James Trio - Feel Like Making Live

 

Four years after the release of ‘Espresso’ multi-Grammy award winning keyboard player Bob James returns to the trio format with the sensational ‘Feel Like Making Live’.  With Bob’s unique artistry immaculately on show ‘Feel Like Making Live’ reflects a storied career that stretches back fifty-nine years and reunites him with the piano trio format with which he began his professional music career in 1963.

Comprising bass player Michael Palazzolo and drummer Billy Kilson, this blend of youth and experience is an integral component of a collection that reaches back in time to embrace Bob’s musical roots.

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.

Maysa - A Very Maysa Christmas

Often described as the best-kept secret on the urban adult contemporary scene, the incredible Maysa scored a major success in 2014 with the splendid seasonal collection ‘A Very Maysa Christmas’.  This tight ten-track set delivers familiar Christmas music in a way that you have never heard before and in this respect there was none more so than the wonderful ‘This Christmas’ for which Maysa is found in a sublime duet with the always-excellent Will Downing.

Seven years on the album still sounds great and continues to be available on the Shanachie Entertainment label.

 

 

Kirk Whalum - How Does Christmas Sound

Congratulations go out to soulful sax-man Kirk Whalum who has just been awarded the USCT Humanitarian Award as recognition for being a hero of the community of Franklin, TN.

The USCT Humanitarian Award is given to recipients that have shown kindness and bravery, honouring African American heroes of the past and present and is presented during three days of celebration and educational events.

Whalum is currently riding high with his latest festive offering ‘How Does Christmas Sound’ which is out now on the Mack Avenue label.  This fine collection of seasonal songs taps into Whalum’s spiritual core yet in terms of personal favourites it is difficulty to look beyond the decidedly romantic ‘What Are You Doing New Years Eve’

Check it out and get your Christmas started right now.

 

 

Randy Brecker & Eric Marienthal - Double Dealin

It is that time of the year again, no, not Christmas but more significantly Grammy Season and right up there with the nomination for  ‘Best Contemporary Instrumental Album’ are Randy Brecker and Eric Marienthal with their project ‘Double Dealin’.

Throughout their various careers Brecker and Marienthal have always operated at what might be described as ‘the high end’ of contemporary jazz.  Indeed Randy Brecker has been a key figure in numerous ground-breaking fusion bands such as Blood, Sweat and Tears and Larry Coryell’s The Eleventh House whereas Marienthal has played with luminaries like Elton John, Patti Austin, Lee Ritenour and Billy Joel.

For  ‘Double Dealin’ this dynamic duo reconnects with producer and keyboard player George Whitty, bassist John Patitucci and drummer Dave Weckl for a collection that is very much a jazz aficionado’s jazz recording.

It’s out now on the always-excellent Shanachie Entertainment label so check it out.

 

 

Tower Of Power - 50 Years Of Funk & Soul Live

Also vying for honours at the upcoming Grammy Award ceremony will be those powerhouse performers we know and love as Tower Of Power.

The bands 2021 celebratory collection ‘50 Years Of Funk & Soul: Live At The Fox Theater’ captures, in two terrific volumes, the essence of this iconic collective who, in the company of a few thousand friends and a lifetime of memories, converged on the Fox Theater, Oakland CA in June 2018 to play two outstanding shows and in so doing make a little history along the way.

Founded in 1968 by saxophonists Emilio Castillo and Stephen ‘Doc’ Kupka the band had a string of hit albums through the seventies.  Going forward the renowned Tower Of Power horn section remained in high demand and can be heard on recordings by Otis Redding, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Santana, Jefferson Starship and many, many others.   Indeed, apart from the Muscle Shoals rhythm section, they were the must-have session band of the era yet Tower Of Power never lost its appetite for touring.

Consequently, with 2018 marking its 50th anniversary, there was no better place to be than Oakland, CA, the city where it all began.

 

 

Marion Meadows - Twice As Nice

‘Twice As Nice’, the sixteenth solo recording from sultry saxman Marion Meadows, was released April 23 on the Shanachie Entertainment label.  It includes a veritable who’s who of contemporary jazz talent such as Paul Brown, Joey Sommerville, Jeff Lorber, David Mann, Steve Oliver and Chris ‘Big Dog’ Davis.  The first single to be serviced to radio was the decidedly jazzy and blues infused title cut that Meadows co-wrote with long time collaborator Davis.

Another track on the jazzy side is ‘Lunchbox’.  With Jeff Lorber on keys and a top notch horn arrangement from the always reliable David Mann it is hardly surprising that it has now also hit the airwaves yet it is fair to say that this is an album with ‘radio ready’ written all over it.

 

Take for example the easy grooving ‘On The Uptown’ that was co-written and features bass player Robert Vally, keyboard player Leon Bisquera and the one and only Paul Brown.  With Meadows doubling on tenor and soprano plus Joey Sommerville weighing in on trumpet this one checks all the right boxes and when the tempo eases the result is ‘Yesterday Is Gone’ that showcases the penchant Meadows has for sublimely blending R&B and contemporary jazz. With fabulous vocals from Donnelly Smallwood this is another number co-written by Chris ‘Big Dog’ Davis as is the laid back ‘The Thrill Of Rain’ that Meadows uses to close out the collection.

Arguably Meadows is at his soulful best when traveling a more sensuous route and this is particularly so with the sumptuously hypnotic ‘Don’t Wait Up’ and again with the understatedly Latin ‘Kaleidoscope’.  Here Meadows’ interplay with both ‘Big Dog’ on keys and Steve Oliver on guitar is nothing short of magical while the album’s only cover is a steamy rendition of the Read and Shamblin penned ‘I Can't Make You Love Me’ that can be found on Bonnie Raitt’s 1991 CD ‘Luck Of The Draw.

In terms of personal favourites the Paul Brown, Lew Laing, Marion Meadows composition ‘Step To This’ is where smooth jazz meets ‘steppin’ in the most wonderful of ways yet all things considered the Smooth Jazz Therapy top track is ‘Pandora’.  Written by Meadows, Paul Brown and keyboard player Gerald McCauley, this is a near perfect example of what smooth jazz circa 2021 should be all about.

Norman Brown - Heart To Heart

Released on August 7, 2020, ‘Heart To Heart’ was Norman Brown’s twelfth album and his third on the Shanachie Entertainment label.  Now, with the servicing to radio of the exquisite title cut, it seems totally appropriate to revisit what, over the fourteen months since its release, has turned out to be an extremely understated gem.

 

Pieces Of A Dream - Fired Up

 

With the duo of James Lloyd and Curtis Harmon very much at its core, the story of Pieces Of A Dream is nothing short of remarkable.  It is well chronicled how Lloyd and Harmon at age 16 and 18 respectively released their first recording in 1981. Not long after that they hit the road performing in Grover Washington Jr.’s rhythm section and opening for him as Pieces Of A Dream.  Washington Jr. took Lloyd and Harmon under his wing and signed the band as the first group with his brand new production company.  They released three albums in quick succession, ‘Pieces Of A Dream’ (1981), ‘We Are One’ (1982) and ‘Imagine This’ (1983).  Those recordings included some of their biggest early hits, including ‘Warm Weather’, ‘Mount Airy Groove’ and ‘Fo Fi Fo’.  The band recorded its Shanachie debut, ‘In The Moment’, in 2013, followed by 2015’s ‘All In’, ‘Just Funkin Around’ from 2017 and ‘On Another Note’ in 2019.