Smooth Jazz Therapy

Les Sabler - New Bossa

Guitarist Les Sabler’s 2021 project ‘Tranquility’ was notable for many things; The writing skills of Shane Theriot and Lew Laing, production from two-time Grammy-winner Paul Brown and Sabler’s faultless playing all added to what proved to be a total gem.

Now, brand new for 2023, comes the aptly titled ‘Flying High’ for which Sabler has assembled the same creative team that delivered so masterfully with ‘Tranquility’.

It is due out on February 3 and to whet the appetite comes the first single ‘New Bossa’, a laid back charmer that really hits the smooth jazz spot.

Check back here soon for a complete review of ‘Flying High’.

 

 

Roberto Restuccia - Stand Up

Out now on the Trippin N Rhythm label, ‘Stand Up’ is the excellent new single from UK guitarist and composer Roberto Restuccia. It reveals a very different musical persona from that demonstrated on his 2021 project ‘With Every Turn’ which, with tracks like ‘Crazy Love’, ‘Arrival’ and ‘1985’, was characterised by a feel good component that defines much of what good smooth jazz is.

In fact the horn enriched ‘Stand Up’ is a foot tapper of the highest order and should do well.

Restuccia made his solo debut in 2016 with the album ‘Exposure’ and ‘When The Smoke Clears’ followed a year later.

 

 

Najee - Bounce

Taken from his 2022 album ‘Savoir Faire’, the Grammy nominated sax and flute player Najee is back on radio with ‘Bounce’. This easy grooving gem is something of a contemporary jazz master class, orchestrated by Najee and added to by joint composers and performers Paul Brown on guitar, Roberto Vally on bass and Leon Bisquera on keys. It is right up there with the best that ‘Savoir Faire’ has to offer.

 

 

Wade C Long - Celebrate You

Brand new for 2023 comes the sophomore release from keyboard player and vocalist Wade C Long. Titled ‘A Long Story’ it features the up beat yet romantic ‘Celebrate You’ that finds him in delightful collaboration with songstress of the moment Hil St. Soul who is currently enjoying unbridled success with the CD ‘Back In Love’.

Nice track

 

 

The 3 Keys - That Beat

Ahead of the January 20 debut album release from keyboard super-group The 3 Keys comes the groove drenched radio single 'That Beat'.

Constructed around a coming together of those established and talented solo artists, Bob Baldwin, Gail Jhonson and Phil Davis, this three cornered collaboration unites three of the hottest keyboard players the genre has ever known and in so doing brings about a smooth jazz first.

Bob Baldwin is a contemporary jazz superstar with over twenty-five top ten radio hits as well as collaborations with smooth jazz A-Listers such as Grover Washington Jr., George Benson, Gerald Albright, Bob James, and Will Downing.

Often described as “the first lady of smooth jazz,” Gail Jhonson is the Musical Director for jazz guitarist Norman Brown and creative force behind the all-female band, Jazz In Pink.

Keyboard player, and producer for artists such as Najee, Will Downing, and Norman Brown, Phil Davis has scores of top ten contemporary jazz singles to his credit.

 

 

 

 

Walter Beasley - Wichita Lineman

Taken from Walter Beasley’s current album ‘Meet Me At My Place’ this ultra cool interpretation of the Jimmy Webb classic ‘Wichita Lineman’ is as captivating as it is different. With more than two dozen hit albums to his name and a parallel career as a music educator (Walter has trained a plethora of soul and jazz artists as a Professor at the Berklee School of Music) he shows no signs of slowing down. ‘Wichita Lineman’ is a case in point where Beasley not only plays sax but also delivers an on point vocal performance.

 

 

Paula Atherton - Ready Or Not

New York based singer, songwriter and woodwind player Paula Atherton has had quite a 2022.  Her white hot single ‘Keep it Comin’ came in at number three on the Billboard Smooth Jazz Airplay Year-End Chart while another single, ‘Ready Or Not’, is still in heavy rotation twenty five weeks after its first release.

Check it out.

 

 

Hil St Soul - Christmas With You

Although her myriad of fans had to wait fourteen years for her current album ‘Back In Love’ to drop, the award winning Hilary Mwelwa (aka Hil St. Soul) is back only a matter of months later with the sumptuous Christmas single ‘Christmas With You’.

Very few seasonal offerings are able to cut it outside of the traditional festive period but make no mistake ‘Christmas With You’ is one of them.  Soulful with a streetwise swagger this one is a real winner.

 

 

Mattias Roos - Fast Lane

Released September 12, 2022, the latest album from Swedish keyboard player Mattias Roos is ‘Cali Dreaming’ which at the time of its release I described as everything one would expect from an artist who without a shadow of doubt is riding the tsunami of a burgeoning solo career.

Arranged, produced and for the most part written by Roos, ‘Cali Dreaming’ is an exquisite slice of piano driven contemporary jazz and the latest single from it to be serviced to radio is ‘Fast Lane’.  It is the sort of feel good smooth jazz tune to attract follows and with a backing line up of Peter Gustafsson on drums, Henrik Kniberg on bass and the Billboard chart topping U-Nam on both rhythm and lead guitars is sure to do well.

‘Fast Lane’ is out now the Skytown Records label.

 

 

Michael Broening - Let It Breathe

New out on Trippin n Rhythm records is the single ‘Let It Breathe’ from artist, producer, pianist and songwriter Michael Broening.

Since 2001 Michael has written and produced albums for a veritable who's who of contemporary jazz talent including George Benson, Wayman Tisdale, Marion Meadows, Nick Colionne, Cindy Bradley, Brian Simpson, Michael Lington, Steve Oliver, Tim Bowman, Lin Rountree, Althea Rene, Lebron Dennis and Randy Scott.  Not only that, he has written and produced over fifty contemporary jazz hits, including twenty six top five and thirteen number one singles, one of which was the 2007 Grammy winning song ‘Mornin’ by George Benson and Al Jarreau.   A former touring musician, DJ, and private music teacher, LA born Michael works from his B-Hive recording studio in Phoenix where he operates as both producer and engineer.

For Broening ‘Let It Breathe’ represents a change of direction and a move to center stage.  The song, together with the recent singles ‘Summer in Blue’ and  ’Shine A Light’ are all slated for inclusion on his debut CD ‘Never Too Late’ which is scheduled for release on February 3rd, 2023.

 

 

Christophe Goze - Far Away

When, in April of this year, I reviewed the album ‘Soul To Soul’ from composer, producer and guitarist Christophe Goze I summed it up as being 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 shimmered with a distinctly cinematic quality that betrayed the passion Christophe has for movie soundtracks and his brand new Christmas single ‘Far Away’ delivers more of the sublime same.  Replete with soothing Christmas vibes yet not anchored in any way to the festive season this is the kind of tune that will play just as well in July as it ever would on December 25.

A swing jazz ballad with a real catchy melody this is quite simply a really lovely tune.

 

 

Carlos Jimenez - Wood

Born in Yonkers, New York and raised in Villaba, Puerto Rico, jazz flautist Carlos Jimenez has released nine solo albums to date with the latest being ‘Wood’.

Classically trained and with a vibe that sits very much on the straight head

side of the jazz spectrum. Carlos had an aptitude for percussion from an early age and played timbales, bongos and congas. His first lyrical instrument was trumpet but, inspired by Mongo Santamaria, he quickly switched to flute where he began what has become a life long passion for the instrument.

Carlos Jimenez is an outstanding flute player, vocalist, composer and bandleader with a focus very much on jazz, Latin jazz and salsa.

 

 

Lindsey Webster - I'm OK

Replete with cool collaborations with some of the biggest names in contemporary jazz ‘Reasons’ by vocalist Lindsey Webster is one of the standout albums of 2022.  Out now on the Shanachie Entertainment label it has already garnered considerable airplay with tracks such as the smoky streetwise ‘Stay With Me’ featuring legendary trumpeter Randy Brecker, the sumptuously jazzy  ‘I Didn’t Mean featuring Brian Culbertson on trombone, Lil John Roberts on Drums, Lenny Castro on Percussion, Chris Snowden on bass, Chris Harris on guitar and Lindsay’s long time writing partner Keith Slattery on keys.

Now, and just to prove that ‘Reasons’ is very much the gift that keeps on giving Lindsey is back on radio with ‘I’m OK’ where she shares the spotlight with Nicholas Payton.

Another great track from a collection rammed full of them.

 

 

Hil St. Soul - A Feeling So Beautiful

Ahead of her first album in fourteen years the award winning Hilary Mwelwa (aka Hil St. Soul) is back on the airwaves with the sublimely soulful ‘A Feeling So Beautiful’.  Indeed after a couple of appetite whetting singles over the past couple of years she is ready to make her official return with ‘Back In Love’ that will be released November 18 on the Shanachie Entertainment label.

 

Paul Hardcastle - Coastline Crusader

Variously described as soothing yet edgy, ethereal yet rock solid, street-wise yet sensitive, the current CD from Trippin N Rhythm recording artist Paul Hardcastle is titled  ‘Hardcastle X’.  It marks yet another milestone in Hardcastle’s redoubtable career and is crammed full of the grooves that over the years have become his calling card.

Testimony to this was ‘Wavelength’, the first single to be serviced to radio and much could be said of the follow up ‘Angelic Chimes’ that I described at the time as arguably the album’s best track.

Now he is going three for three with the radio ready ‘Coastline Crusader’.

Check it out

 

 

Merlon Devine - Stirred

Taken from his 2021 album ‘Soul Jazz’ comes the dexterous ‘Stirred’ from sax-man Merlon Devine.  It is the third single from what is Devine’s eighth solo recording and was written by Devine with producer Matt Godina who has worked with smooth jazz exponents such as Darren Rahn, Julian Vaughn, Nicholas Cole and Lin Rountree.

Godina also features on keys with the line-up being completed by bass player Kevin “Mr. Kevin Jerome” Stancil and drummer Lester Estelle, Jr.

Born in Little Rock, Arkansas to parents who pastored a church, his music is informed by influences such as those brought by Grover Washington, Jr., Najee, George Howard and Kirk Whalum.

As Merlon explains  “My love for contemporary jazz grew as I grew as a player. Listening to these saxophonists, mixed with the soulful and heartfelt riffs I was hearing at church, shaped me into what I am today”.

 

 

Patrick Trahan - New Day

Out now on the constantly good Trippin N Rhythm Records comes the easy grooving ‘New Day’ from sax-man Patrick Trahan.  This former touring band member with five-time Grammy® award winning Little Joe y La Familia has from time to time been active in the genres of straight ahead, smooth, and Latin jazz yet with ‘New Day’ there seems little doubt that Patrick has a feeling for what contemporary jazz should be all about.

 

 

Norman Brown - Easy Livin

Taken from Norman Brown’s current CD ‘Lets Get Away’, ‘Easy Livin’ is a wonderfully feel good number that comes complete with a top notch horn arrangement from Greg Vail.  Indeed the entire album, a fine amalgam of jazz, R&B, pop and blues, is delivered with the sort of style that has become Brown’s calling card.

Factor in that the collection is both produced and mixed by Paul Brown and you are left with what might be best described as classic smooth jazz.

‘Easy Livin’ is playing on a smooth jazz radio station near you right now.