Friday, July 04, 2008
Thursday, July 03, 2008
NYC-Based Singer-Songwriter K. J. Denhert Draws Acclaim
Award-winning, NYC-based singer-songwriter-guitarist KJ Denhert – known for her soulful fusion of jazz, R&B, rock and folk – is in the midst of her first-ever itinerary of west coast dates. KJ and her longtime band, the super-tight NY Unit, drew an enthusiastic reception at Yoshi’s in San Francisco, and at Temple Bar in Santa Monica. At the latter date, singer-songwriter Jackson Browne and contemporary blues icon Keb’ Mo’ were in attendance.
In addition to U.S. dates this summer, the Grenadian-American Denhert will be an artist-in-residence at the world-famous Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy for a fifth consecutive year, July 11-20. She and the NY Unit – also featuring ace saxophonist Aaron Heick – will play two shows daily, including a show opening for Alicia Keys on Friday, July 18.
Denhert’s live performances showcase her earthy, vibrant personality as much as her genre-transcending music. Those qualities shine on her new album LUCKY 7, her Motéma Music debut. An enhanced 12-song CD also featuring videos, the disc is in association with KJ’s Mother Cyclone Records imprint. KJ produced the album, her seventh, with NY Unit keyboardist Bennett Paster co-producing several tracks. Highlights include the title track, “He’s Not Coming Home,” and the album’s one
cover, an intimate take on “Over The Rainbow” that’s a fan favorite.
Saturday August 2, 2008, 7 PM & 9 PM - K.J. Denhert at Dazzle Jazz
930 Lincoln St.,Denver, CO 80203 - Ph: 303.839.5100 -info@dazzlejazz.com
http://www.dazzlejazz.com
For more information, log on to kjdenhert.com
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Eric Darius Gets An Assist From Norman Brown On Album Track
Saxophonist Eric Darius is back with his third album, titled Goin' All Out. The popular musician and songwriter creates a smooth jazz album with a contemporary feel, and on one song even got assistance from guitarist Norman Brown.
Brown adds guitar to the upbeat tune "Just For The Moment," which Darius says he wrote during a drive in his car. The tune came after a difficult period for the saxophonist, which included breaking up with his longtime fiancee.
Darius explained: "I just kind of started reflecting on my life and all the great things that I've been through and my experiences. And I just really got this sense of hope. It was this optimistic feel that everything was gonna be OK. It was kind of like this spiritual thing that kind of overtook me, and I all of a sudden started getting really, really happy, and I had the feeling that all the things I was going through were only for the moment and things were only going to get better. And that's what inspired that song."
Darius added that Brown was the first person he thought of as a guest on the track: "I wanted to feature another artist on this song, and Norman Brown was the first person that came to mind. Number one, he's one of my favorite smooth jazz guitarists, and also his playing, he has this real bouncy, exciting, happy type of feel when he plays and it was the perfect complement to the song. He did an incredible job, it was great working with him."
The first single to be released from the new album is the title track "Goin' All Out," which has reached Number 19 on the smooth jazz radio charts.
For more on Eric and his performing schedule, go to ericdarius.com.
By: Janine Coveney
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Upcoming Jazz Releases | 7/8/08
Al Lirvat & His Cigal's Band - Paris 1955 (Pid )
Ambrose - Latin American After Dark / Starlit Hour: Music Of (Dutton Vocalion Uk )
Ambrose - Latin America After Dark/Starlit Hour (Dutton Vocalion Uk )
Aoro - Pling Plong (Pid )
Argentieri - Unitrio (Pid )
Arne Donmerus - Far Jag Lov Eller Sak VI Dansa Forst (Warner )
Baye Magatte - Aywa (Pid )
Billie Holiday - Essentials (Cleopatra -- Navarre -- )
Billie Holiday - The Essentials: Deluxe Edition (Cleopatra -- Navarre -- )
Billie Holiday - Essentials: Deluxe Edition (Cleopatra )
Bjorn J:Son Lindh - Guldkorn (Pid )
Blue Drag - I'll See You There (Filmharmonix) - Book
Blue Note Trip 2 - Blue Note Trip 2 (Emd Int'L )
Bois / Humair / Zufferey - Apres L' Orage (Pid )
Brazilian Trio - Forests (Zoho Music )
Bruce Eskovitz Jazz Orchestra - Invitation (Pacific Coast Jazz)
Bunky Green - Salzau Quartet Liv (Pid )
Christina Jaccard - Blues In The Night (Pid )
Clarke-Boland Sextett - Music For The Small Hours (Cool Division )
Cory Weeds - Big Weeds (Cellar Live )
David Becker - Leaving Argentina (Megaforce )
Derrick Gardner - Ride To The Other Side (Owl )
Derrick Gardner / Jazz Pr - Ride To The Other Side, A (Owl )
Derrick Gardner / Jazz Pr - A Ride to The Other Side (Owl )
DiMartino / Osland Jazz Orches - Quotient (Sea Breeze Records )
Dixon-Rhyne Project - Reinvention (Owl )
DOJO [Dimartino / Osland Jazz Orc - Quotient (Sea Breeze Jazz )
Donald Harrison - Chosen (Pid )
Doug Carn - Al Rahman (Pid )
Dudley Moore - Bedazzled (Pid )
Duffy - Duffy Smooth Jazz Tribute (CC Entertainment )
Duke Ellington & Orchestra - New York Ny (Storyville )
Duke Ellington & Orchestra - Treasury Shows (Storyville )
Duke Ellington & Orchestra - New York, New York (Storyville )
Duke Ellington & Orchestra - The Treasury Shows (Storyville )
Duo Vibracao - A Jazzy Note (Pid )
Edmundo Ros - The Ros Sound of Music/Latin Rhythm Deluxe (Dutton Vocalion Uk )
Elmar Bras Quartet - G.Yorck (Pid )
Fernando Tarres - Camorreando (MDR Argentina )
Fernando Tarres - Milongueando Solo (MDR Argentina )
Fernando Tarres - Perplexity (MDR Argentina )
Fernando Tarres - Cruces (MDR Argentina )
Florian Ross - Eight Ball & White Horse (Intuition )
Georg Riedel - Wolfgang On My Mind (Pid )
Glenn Miller & His Orchestra - On The Radio: Chestefield Shows 1939-42 (Acrobat [cit570] )
Gordon James - In Joy (Nu Groove )
Great Ladies Of Jazz - Great Ladies Of Jazz (United Multi Consign )
Hugh Masekela - Liberation-The Best Of (Pid ) - SACD
Humair & Joachim Kue - Full Contact (Pid )
Ivo Papasov - Fairground (Pid )
Jan-Martin Maechler - Neues Erleben (Pid )
Javier Torres - Rehen Del Amor (Fonovisa Inc. )
Jazz You Night & Day - Jazz You Night & Day (Sony/Bmg Int'L )
Jean-Luc Ponty - Live in Concert (1999) (Koch) - DVD-Video
Jeremie Ternoy - Bloc (Zig Zag Territories )
Jeremy Ternoy Trio - Bloc (Pid )
Jessie - Who I Am (Pid )
Joe Johnson - Afterparty (Yasny Labels Group )
Joe Johnson - The Afterparty (Yasny Labels Group )
Joel Haynes - Transitions (Cellar Live )
Karizma - It's What I Am (R2 )
Klas Lindquist - Lift Off (Pid )
Kuddel Renner & His - From Apes Woman & Othe (Pid )
Larry Ham - Just Me, Just You (Arbors Records )
Leona Lewis - Leona Lewis Smooth Jazz Tribute (CC Entertainment )
Little Jackie - The Stoop (S-Curve )
Louie Ramirez & His Orchestra - Latin Au Go Go (Collector's Choice )
Louis Armstrong - Loluis Armstrong/Greatest Hits (Pid )
Louis Armstrong - Complete Hot Five & Hot (Pid )
Louis Armstrong - Definitive (Pid )
Louis Armstrong - Louis Armstrong: Portrait Of T (Pid )
Louis Armstrong - Best Of The Hot 5 & Hot 7 (Pid )
Louis Armstrong - Ultimate Collection (Pid )
Louis Ramirez & His Orchestra - Latin Au Go Go (Collectors Choice Music )
Lucas Pino - Yellow Flower with Snail (Port Fenix Music)
Lundgren Wickman & Fristorp - En Sommarkonsert (Warner )
Marcel Worms - Red White & Blues: 32 (Pid )
Markus Stockhausen - In Deiner Nahe - Close To You: Live In ST. Maternus (Aktivraum )
Markus Stockhausen - Lichtblick (Aktivraum )
Marlango - Marlango-Reedicion 2008 (Pid )
Marmaduke - Conflictions (Pid )
Martina Almgren - Open Book (Pid )
Mary Halvorson - Calling All Portraits (Pid )
Melody Diachum - Melody Diachum Eq (Cellar Live )
Melody Diachun - Melody Diachun Eq (CLF )
Melody Diachun - Melody Diachum EQ (CLF )
Michael Lington - Michael Lington (Nu Groove )
Michael Lington - Vivid (Nu Groove )
Moi J'Aime Le Jazz - Moi J'Aime Le Jazz (Pid )
Narada Michael Walden - Awakening/Dance Of Life (Edsel )
Nick Colionne - Nick Colionne (Koch )
Nick Colionne - No Limits (Koch )
Oua.Ch - Essence Of A Deep Kiss (Pid )
Ponta Shuichi Murakami - Untitled (Pid )
Quartet / Weeds, Cory - Big Weeds (CLF )
Quasimode - Land Of Freedom (Geneon )
Quasimode - The Land of Freedom (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Quintett, Aion - Tales Of In-Between (Pid )
Rena Meyer Wiel - All Arose (Aktivraum )
Rene Mailhes - Chtildo (Pid )
Robin Trower - Day Of The Eagle: The Best Of Robin Trower (Capitol )
Rolf Beydemuller - Arrival (Aktivraum )
Rueckert & Lemke - Jnana (Pid )
Sahib Shihab - Companionship (Cool Division )
Sahib Shihab - Companionship: Jazz Joint, Vol. 2 (Cool Division )
Seamus Blake / Joel Haynes - Transitions (CLF )
Silvestri Quintet - Les Sirenes (Pid )
Simon Stockhausen - Non Duality (Aktivraum )
Smooth Jazz - Smooth Jazz (Pid)
Spyro Gyra - Stories Without Words (Pid )
Steffen Weber Trio - Lockstoff (Pid )
Steve Allee - Dragonfly (Owl )
Steve Allee Trio - Dragonfly (Owl )
Steve Howe Trio - Haunted Melody (Pid )
Stomu Yamashta - Floating Music & The Man From The East (Raven (Ast) )
Stussi Felix 5 - Baiji (Pid )
Sun Ra - Sleeping Beauty (Pid )
Sun Ra - On Jupiter (Pid )
Thomas Faist - Me-We (Pid )
Traincha - Who'll Speak For Love: Burt Bacharach Songbook II (Caroline World Service )
Valdambrini-Piana Quintet - Afrodite (Family Affair Distribution SRL )
Vincent Gardner - Vin-Slidin' (Pid )
Zodiak Trio - Zodiak (Pid )
Miles Davis - Jazz Profiles (Pid )
Return To Forever - Where Have I Known You Before/No Mystery (BGO - Beat Goes On )
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Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Fourplay Ready For A Shot Of 'Energy'
Smooth jazz super group Fourplay will be delivering a new album this fall, titled Energy. The set, due September 23rd, will be the group's first on the Heads Up International label. According to the group's website, fourplayjazz.com, a live DVD release, to be called Fourplay in Capetown, is also on the way.
Fourplay features keyboardist Bob James, bassist Nathan East, guitarist Larry Carlton, and drummer Harvey Mason. The new Energy CD will also reportedly feature appearances by singer Hillary James, Bob's daughter, and bassist Esperanza Spalding. The set will also feature vocals by East, who has handled vocal tasks on previous Fourplay albums.
The group is in the midst of the Legends Of Jazz tour, sponsored by AARP in celebration of its 50th anniversary. The group also has other, non-LOJ dates as well.
The group's next performance will be July 5th at the Rodney Strong Winery in Healdsburg, California.
By: Janine Coveney
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Norman Brown Welcoming Boney James, Larry Carlton, Steve Cole & More To Smooth Cruise
Guitarist Norman Brown is putting the finishing touches on the lineup for the 2009 Smooth Music Cruise, set for January 31st through February 5th. The cruise, which Brown hosts, will depart from Miami, Florida, and travel to Key West, the private island of Coco Cay and the Bahamas.
Among the confirmed artists for the cruise are Jam Sessions host Nick Colionne, saxophonist Boney James, singer Heather Headley, Grammy winner Larry Carlton, saxophonist Mindi Abair, trumpeter Greg Adams, and saxophonist Steve Cole.
Also on board the Celebrity Cruise Line's "Century" ship will be the Smooth Music Cruise All-Stars, featuring Acoustic Alchemy, Marion Meadows, Shilts, Chieli Minucci, Steve Oliver, Alan Hewitt, Althea Rene, and Michael Lington.
More information will be available at SmoothMusicCruise.com.
By: Janine Coveney
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Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Pain At The Pump Curbs Traveling Bands
Morning Edition, July 1, 2008 - Musicians longing to play live music spend a lot of time playing bars and basements for little more than gas money. But gas money isn't what it used to be, and taking an act on the road isn't happening as much as it used to. Musicians are having to re-think how they tour.
Click here to listen
By Charles Michael Ray
Charles Michael Ray reports from South Dakota Public Broadcasting.
npr.org
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Monday, June 30, 2008
Smooth Jazz Chart | 6/30/08
LW - TW - Artist - Album - (Label)
1 - 1 - Brian Culbertson - "Bringing Back The Funk" - (GRP/Verve)
2 - 2 - Jessy J - "Tequila Moon" - (Peak)
4 - 3 - Earl Klugh - "The Spice Of Life" - (Koch)
5 - 4 - The Sax Pack - "The Sax Pack" - (Shanachie)
3 - 5 - Chris Standring - "Love & Paragraphs" - (Ultimate Vibe)
6 - 6 - Wayman Tisdale - "Rebound" - (Rendezvous)
8 - 7 - Norman Brown - "Stay With Me" - (Peak)
10 - 8 - David Benoit - "Heroes" - (Peak)
9 - 9 - Chuck Loeb - "Presence" - (Heads Up)
12 - 10 - Eric Darius - "Goin' All Out" - Blue Note)
7 - 11 - Kenny G - "Rhythm & Romance" - (Concord)
11 - 12 - Jesse Cook - "Frontiers" - (Koch)
13 - 13 - Mindi Abair - "Stars" - (Peak)
14 - 14 - Marcus Miller - "Marcus" - (3 Deuces/Concord)
16 - 15 - Boney James - "Shine" - (Concord)
18 - 16 - Paul Hardcastle - "Hardcastle V" -(Trippin 'n' Rhythm)
15 - 17 - Euge Groove - "Born 2 Groove" - (Narada/Blue Note)
17 - 18 - Candy Dulfer - "Candy Store" - (Heads Up)
19 - 19 - Paul Brown - "White Sand" -(Peak)
20 - 20 - Bob Baldwin - "NewUrbanJazz.com" - (NuGroove)
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Saturday, June 28, 2008
Lee Ritenour And Dave Grusin Return With 'Amparo'
Guitarist Lee Ritenour and pianist Dave Grusin have teamed up again, for a new classical crossover release called Amparo, which will be released in September by the Decca label Group.
Amparo features Ritenour and Grusin's interpretations of works by classic composers including Maurice Ravel, George Frederic Handel, Tomas Albinoni and Gabriel Faure. It also includes appearances from singer-songwriter James Taylor, soprano Renee Fleming, violinist Joshua Bell, and trumpeter Chris Botti.
Grusin said, "We grew up with the classical music repertoire, and Amparo gives us another chance to delve back into that world together."
Ritenour and Grusin's most recent album together was the classical crossover hit album Two Worlds, in 2000.
The two have a long relationship, as Ritenour explained: "Dave is just such a legendary piano player, you know, he's an Oscar winner, I think he's got about 12 Grammys and he's just made so many of his own great albums. We've done so many collaborations together. He's really my best friend and we've collaborated since I was 18."
Ritenour will be in Switzerland in July 12th through 14th, performing as part of the Quincy Jones Birthday Celebration at the Montreux Jazz Festival. He will also be president of Montreux's International Guitar Competition. Following a short European tour, he returns to the U.S. for August and September dates in San Diego; Idyllwild, California; Seattle; and Fort Worth, Texas.
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Friday, June 27, 2008
Chris Standring Takes To The Road With Third Soul Express Tour
Everette Harp and Phil Perry Are On Triple Bill For 2008 Summer Shows
Coinciding with the success of his newest release, Love and Paragraphs (Ultimate Vibe,) which is currently holding tight to the number two position on the Smooth Jazz Charts, guitarist Chris Standring has once again assembled a triad of top talent for the third annual Soul Express tour. Joining Standring for these evenings of funk, soul and R&B will be saxophonist Everette Harp and vocalist Phil Perry, for a series of dates that will begin with a July 11 show at the Riverfront Jazz and Blues Festival in Omaha , and which will conclude on September 27 at Santa Fe Station in Las Vegas .
Standring, who the London Times has cited as “one of the most talented jazz guitarists,” introduced the Soul Express bill in 2006, when he took the tour out with Jody Whatley and Jeff Lorber. The 2007 Soul Express line up featured Whatley and Everette Harp.
Love and Paragraphs, which was released in April of 2008, features guest performances from both Lorber and Harp, and maintains the seductive vibe that is the trademark of every Soul Express live performance throughout its ten tracks. Smooth Jazz Therapy called the CD “one of the sensations of the year,” and Smooth Jazz News praised it for its “catchy hooks and sublime electric guitar…”
In addition to his upcoming shows with Soul Express, Standring will tour in the US and UK throughout the year in support of the CD’s release.
Saxophonist Everette Harp’s most recent CD, My Inspiration, was released on Shanachie Records in 2007, and reached the #2 spot on the Contemporary Jazz charts. Powerhouse R&B vocalist Phil Perry, who has enjoyed dual success as a sideman for such artists as Anita Baker and Dave Koz and as a solo artist, is set to release a new CD in July of 2008.
For information on Chris Standring, visit his website, chrisstandring.com The Soul Express website, with links to Harp’s and Perry’s personal sites, is soulexpress.us A full itinerary follows.
July 11 Omaha , NE Riverfront Jazz and Blues Festival
August 24 Gardena , CA Gardena Jazz Festival
September 5 West Bend , WI Ziegler Kettle Moraine Jazz Festival
September 12 Detroit , MI Millenium Centre
September 27 Las Vegas , NV Santa Fe Station
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