Smooth Jazz Therapy

Brian Simpson - Under The Stars

‘Midnight Groove’ from keyboard player Brian Simpson will be his twelfth studio album and ahead of its release comes the hot new radio single ‘Under The Stars’ which even at this early stage seems destined to be one of the contemporary jazz tracks of the year.

This rhythmic gem is everything you would expect from an artist who enjoys status that might best be described as smooth jazz royalty. Not only that, the supporting musicians he routinely enlists for all his projects is a glowing tribute to the regard in which he is universally held.

‘Under The Stars’ is a case in point with Isaiah Collier on sax, Ray Fuller on guitars, ‘go to’ bass player Alex Al, drummer to the stars Michael White, the ubiquitous Ramon Yslas on percussion and Yarone Levy on acoustic guitar.

This is a track that is destined to be right up there in my Smooth Jazz Therapy Top Twenty of 2025.

 

Steve Cole - Without A Doubt

A little over a year ago smooth jazz ‘A-Lister’ Steve Cole released his latest high-octane blockbuster ‘Without A Doubt’. Out on the Mack Avenue label it marked the culmination of Cole’s partnership with rising smooth jazz star Adam Hawley as together they delivered an avalanche of high energy tracks that would not have been out of place in the genre’s golden age of times gone by.

Take for example ‘One Two!’ the storming title cut or the just as good ‘Its Like That’. Then again, what about when Steve turns down the tempo and comes up with the sultry ‘Dreaming Of You’?

 

Arthur Thompson - I'm Free

‘I’m Free’ is the fourth single from drummer and vocalist Arthur Thompson’s up coming debut release ‘Arthurized Volume 1’ which is due out later this year.

Written by Thompson, Fred Smith, and Jaconell Mouton, ‘I’m Free’ is a feel good number that, in addition to Thompson’s drums and percussion, includes Kamaal Malak on bass, Tom Braxton on tenor sax, David John on guitar and a standout horn section comprising Rod Clark on trombone, Dave Johnson on trumpet, and Victor Anderson on sax.

 ‘I’m Free’ follows the singles ‘Smile’ (for which Mindi Abair plays a part), ‘We Can BEAT Cancer’ (featuring Dave Koz) and a cool reimagining of the Roberta Flack hit ‘Oasis’

 

Kim Scott - Freedom

Ahead of the February 28 release of her latest CD ‘Livin It Up’ flautist Kim Scott is back on radio with the single ‘Freedom’ that finds her making a foray into the rhythms of South Africa for the very first time.

The idea for the song came from producer Greg Manning and the decision to push the musical boundaries of contemporary jazz was arrived at jointly and from an intent to make music unlike anything currently on the radio.

To make this a reality a style incorporating house, jazz, and kwaito rhythms (known as South African Amapiano) was employed with the opening chant being in Swahil. Very different, very liberating and one to look out for.

 

Gumbo - Citrus Soup

Hidden away in the seductive shadows of top-notch contemporary jazz is a project named ‘Gumbo’, the brainchild of producer, composer and keyboard player Chris ‘Big Dog’ Davis. Through 2024 the label Trippin N Rhythm has been drip feeding a selection of their tracks to streaming platforms that include ‘Shakedown’, ‘Downtown’ and ‘Thrill Me’ which in addition were all destined for the 2024 album ‘Vertigo’.

Well make that one more as out now is another track from the ‘Vertigo’ collection, ‘Citrus Soup’, has hit the airwaves and in so doing started up the Gumbo conversation all over again.

 

Peter White - Catalonia

With a touring schedule that could well be described as insane guitarist Peter White might well be described as the hardest working artist in smooth jazz. His latest venture is the album ‘Light Of Day’, his first since 2019 and the ‘Music for STARLUX Airlines’ project that found him composing six tracks that primarily were intended to be played on the airline’s onboard entertainment systems.

‘Light Of Day’ sees him returning to the sounds and vibes with which he has built a truly illustrious career and none more so that the first radio single, the zesty, hugely evocative ‘Catalonia’.

Check it out and check back here soon for a complete review of ‘Light Of Day’.

 

Vincent Ingala - Lets Get To It

First there was the wonderfully funky ‘Movin And Shakin’. Then came the even better title cut that proved to be a mid tempo gem of the highest order which came complete with a vibe to die for and a nod from me declaring it as one of the best smooth jazz tracks of 2024.

Yes that’s right I am talking about the delicious ‘Escape With Me’, the current hot CD from multi instrumentalist Vincent Ingala and those two choice tracks are now being joined by the album’s latest radio single ‘Lets Get To It’.

Fabulous track.

 

Jazz In Pink - Expansions

In 1974, before his collaborations with Miles Davis and Pharoah Sanders, the legendary jazz-fusion pioneer, Lonnie Liston Smith recorded the classic jam, ‘Expansions’. It became an inspiration to generations of musicians to follow and now, half a century later, the founder, leader and keyboard player of super group Jazz In Pink, the wonderful Gail Jhonson, picks up the torch and blazes a new trail with her inspired re-imagining of this classic track.

Gail Jhonson, Althea Rene and promoter Kyna Hubbard founded Jazz In Pink over fifteen years ago. Since then the collective has established itself as a veritable revolving door of female musical excellence. Indeed, over that time over fifty women have graced the stage with them, both as headline artists or side musicians.

Very nice track

 

JoAnna Lee - Put That Record On

Out now on the Cutmore Entertainment label is the sensational ‘Put That Record On’ from soulful vocalist JoAnna Lee. It was six years ago that JoAnna moved from the small town environs of her long time home of Bend, Oregon to Austin Texas from where she has been able to build on the success she enjoyed with her 2017 project ‘So Free’.

Within the corridors of contemporary jazz there has long been a gap just begging to be filled by a coherent vocalist such as JoAnna and, indeed, if ‘Put That Record On’ is anything to go by that gap is about to be conclusively filled.

 

 

Paul Taylor - Forever More

Ahead of Paul Taylor’s thirteenth studio album, ‘It’s A Brand New Day’, come the tight, in the pocket, ‘Forever More’ that was written by Taylor along with legendary producer Barry Eastmond.

Showcasing nine original tracks plus one well-crafted cover ‘It’s A Brand New Day’ marks Taylor’s debut on the Shanachie label. He is joined on ‘Forever More’ by ‘go to’ drummer Michael White, bass player Freddie Washington plus Randy Bowland on guitars. The result is a number of the calibre we have come to expect from an artist who has enjoyed a string of Billboard #1 hits and collaborations including those with Regina Belle, Maxi Priest, Peabo Bryson, Keiko Matsui, The Rippingtons, Peter White, Euge Groove, Michael Lington and Marion Meadows.

Check it out.

 

Castella - Nights Over Egypt

Featuring contemporary jazz flutist Ragan Whiteside, the latest single from the rapidly emerging R & B vocalist Castella is a cool cover of the 1981 classic from the Jones Girls ‘Nights Over Egypt’.

Old School but with a modern twist this one really has it all going on.

 

 

Back 2 Basics - Manhattan Blue

‘Manhattan Blue’ is the latest single from musical duo Eddie M and John Paris aka Back 2 Basics (B2B). This sophisticated blend of smooth jazz and R & B was produced by award winning, multi platinum musician, producer and songwriter Derek DOA Allen who in his time toured and recorded with The Time.

Manhattan Blue follows the band’s 2023 single ‘After The Game’ that with its stunning bass line pays tribute to the late great Wayman Tisdale.

Check it out.

 

John Smith & DA'JA - Make Me Feel Good

‘Make Me Feel Good’ is the latest single from John Smith and his band DA’JA. Written and produced by Detroit musician Smith, and with the title inspired by a line from the movie ‘Monsters Ball’, the single is the latest to be lifted from the band’s current album ‘Life After Life’. The first album from DA’JA’ was ‘Straight Up John Smith’ from as far back as 2002 whereas ‘Life After Life’ has already garnered a jaw dropping seven singles, ‘Life After Life,’ ‘Takin It Easy’, ‘Paradise (Full Mix)’, ‘After Five’, ‘Magical’, ‘True Love (Acoustic)’, and now, ‘Make Me Feel Good.’

 

Johnny Britt - Midnight In Paris

Smooth jazz fans will know singer, songwriter, producer, trumpeter and arranger Johnny Britt for his contributions to Boney James critically acclaimed CD, ‘Contact’. Others may recall his work with the likes of Josh Groban, David Bowie, Jennifer Lopez, The Temptations, Maxwell, Peabo Bryson, Quincy Jones, Luther Vandross, Dionne Warwick, Norman Conners, Aaron Neville, Harvey Mason Jr. and Marcus Miller while film buffs are likely to recall his name in connection with blockbusters such as Ides Of March, The Lion King, Forest Gump and Spiderman 3.

Now, ahead of his latest album ‘Midnight In Paris’, that is expected early in 2025, comes the wonderful title cut that is sure to do well.

‘Midnight In Paris’ will be Britt’s sixth album and follows the excellent ‘After We Play’. Notable for many things ‘After We Play’ included the moody title cut that featured contemporary jazz superstar Peter White.

 

Mark Jaimes - Wheels In Motion

Back in 2021 I commented that ‘Hear At Last’ from UK based guitarist Mark Jaimes was a project that had been very much worth the wait.   It was Rick Braun who originally suggested that Jaimes should record the album and, as they say, the rest is history. Almost four years on and Jaimes is back with the excellent single ‘Wheels In Motion’ which, much like ‘Hear At Last’ before it, is also proving to be worth the wait.

Good track.

 

Kayla Waters - Murky Moon

Taken from her 2023 CD ‘Presence’ the latest single from keyboard player Kayla Waters is the excellent ‘Murky Moon’. It is a song that that oozes sophistication and which follows both ‘Waterkisses’ and ‘Undulation’ as worthy examples of what this choice collection is all about. Not only that it confirms her place very much on he quality end of the smooth jazz spectrum.

Classically trained at Howard University from where she graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance Kaya Waters is very much the real musical deal.

 

Curtis Haywood - Last Dance

Featuring guitarist Steve Oliver, ‘Last Dance’ is the latest single from smooth jazz sax-man Curtis Haywood. Lusciously mid tempo, it is a track that builds on the success of his 2018 album ‘Summer Breeze’ and the hit single ‘City Lights’ that arrived four years later.

Nice track

 

Andrew Neu - Living Your Best Life

‘Living Your Best Life’ is the latest single from saxophonist, woodwind player, arranger, composer and educator Andrew Neu. Neu wrote this up beat charmer with rising star Greg Manning who also produced and mixed the track.

Neu’s CV is impeccable. Not only has he toured the world with contemporary jazz heavyweights Bobby Caldwell, Diane Schuur, Norman Brown and Smokey Robinson, Neu has also shared the stage with Elton John, Patti Labelle, Mellissa Manchester, The Four Tops, and The Temptations among others. He has recorded with Sister Sledge, Manhattan Transfer, David Sanborn, Gerald Veasley, Jeff Lorber, Brian Bromberg, Rick Braun, Brian Culbertson, Chuck Loeb, Paul Brown and Buddy DeFranco. While elsewhere he was a featured soloist on Peter White’s ‘Here We Go’ and also composed the horn arrangement for Brian Bromberg’s chartbusting ‘Coupe De Ville’.