Balligomingo Tops Smooth Jazz Chart for 2nd Week in a Row – Alfie Zappacosta is Special Guest
 July 3, 2010 – It may not be a Smooth Jazz song but Balligomingo’s ‘Spinning’ has sure found a comfortable home on Smooth Jazz Now’s TOP 30 Countdown. The tune from the band’s 2nd album ‘Under An Endless Sky” has become a huge hit with listeners of the station according to John Beaudin, Program Director of Smooth Jazz Now. “It’s really important in this format to find tunes that break up the sameness in the Smooth Jazz format,” says Beaudin. “So many songs sound the same or are looking at the center of the pie from the similar angle but ‘Spinning,’ for instance, is the kind of song that literally makes you stare at the speakers. It’s such a mysteriously beautiful piece.”
Led by Garrett Schwarz, Vic Levak and new official member Jody Quine, Balligomingo are known as an electronic band very much in the Enigma or Mythos territory.
On the new album, “We avoided using synths and drum loops where possible while working mainly with live instrumentation and dramatic effects to create a tranquil ambience” says Schwarz. “Also, Vic has an amazing ability to make an electric guitar sound intoxicating and ethereal and it’s really become the core sound of this album. Jody and Rebecca's vocals really pull it all together and I've done my best to arrange the parts into an intricate journey.”
This is the second week for ‘Spinning’ at the top of the Smooth Jazz Now TOP 30 Chart.
Alfie Zappacosta will be the special guest on the countdown this week. Beaudin, who hosts the show says, “Alfie is a national treasure to many in Canada and this new album should really bring him back to U.S. audiences. Zappacosta had the No. 1 song two weeks ago with ‘I Am your Chariot.’
The highest jump this week comes from Nikki Yanofski and her cover of ‘God Bless the Child’, which moves up 9 positions from #22 to 13. Eric Darius’ ‘Uptown Swagger’ moves 5 points from #11 to 6. Also Tammy Weis had good movement with ‘Where did the Time Go’ moving 5 points to #19.
The chart features two debuting songs, Jaared’s follow up to ‘Always Together’ from the album ‘Manhattan Nights’ ‘Dancing with You’ and the title tune to ‘Never Can Say Goodbye’ by Bob Baldwin. The latter is from his Michael Jackson tribute project. – By Shannon Edwards
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May 1, 2012 - We live in a world where most instrumental music sounds like it was made for a 5x5 vertically moving room and that includes some Smooth Jazz. Interestingly, most Smooth Jazz musicians are technically some of the best players on the planet but many have fallen into this big vacuous hole, an amnesic state, where channelling Bert Kaempfert is common place. 
April 17, 2012 – Get ready for another beautiful journey from David Benoit on May 29th. His new album, `Conversation,’ will no doubt serve as another expansion for the Smooth Jazz format. 
April 26, 2012 - Norah Jones is set to appear with a Live-on-Letterman webcast, featuring Jones from the prestigious Ed Sullivan Theater in New York, Wednesday, May 2nd at 8:00 ET. This is a clever, strategic move for Jones to push her next album “Little Broken Hearts” set for a May 1st release. 
April 4, 2012 – Esperanza Spalding is a groovy chick. I mean, really, when she’s in the room, everyone else disappears and I’m talkin’ more than that big “love-sculpture” hair. She’s the type of musician you might walk up to at a party, ask about her music, and walk away three hours later regretting the question. This lady has a vision so you better have a seat. 
February 21, 2012 - As it was stated during the Grammy Awards, "We've had a death in the family." Now our own Jazz family is remembeing Whitney Houston. 
February 21, 2012 - Shock, disappointment and horror are some of the many words fans used to describe Whitney Houston’s untimely death last week (February 11, 2012). My family and I were outside a Starbucks when one of our radio listeners texted me with, at first, the rumor. 
– Not many groups have stood the test of time like Airborne. Coming in around the time that the NAC format was really starting to cook, 1988, this outfit grew with every project, gig and album. Having just released their most powerful album yet, New Horizon’s, it looks like the world is ready for this, a full dose of positive, social conscious fusion. We sat down with the band to chat about all the twisting, yet beneficial roads taken. 
– The smart ones in life know that it’s not how you fall down in life that counts but how you get up. Zach Bandolin has had his fair share of topsy-turvy moments but the guitarist keeps swinging. 
- French Smooth Jazz guitar sensation Emmanuel Abitebol, more known as U-NAM, came to fame with his widely acclaimed somophore album ‘Back from the 80’s’ released in 2007. 
October 20, 2011 – This is no ordinary album. In fact, there is nothing normal about this album and that’s what makes this one of the most perfect projects that’s ever come across my desk. 
– On her third album Colbie Caillat has decided to strategically give us an uptempo summer-vibe. It still sounds like her smash debut “Coco” but this time it’s Colbie with caffeine and it’s positive and fun
– There are not too many things in life as deliciously lazy as Michael Franks voice. The guy could chill out someone on deaths door. Seriously, angst has no place on a Michael Franks record – he’s good at one great thing..making you feel good! 
- Programming Smooth Jazz Radio has allowed me to discover talent over the decades and follow the twists and turns in their career. Such is the case of saxophonist Steve Cole an artist whom has played on numerous number #1 Smooth Jazz hits and been a regular spin on most smooth jazz radio stations play lists. 
– There’s always been an understated value to everything that Sade does and sameness to her entire repertoire. That quality of old wine has served the singer/band well… until now. Unlike Norah Jones who has, at least, tried to mix-up-the-pot, Sade really needs to stop wearing the same dress to every party. 
– Well, one things for sure, Mindi Abair is not shopping on Main Street anymore. As they say, “run away from the past and eventually it will run into you.” 
July 24, 2010 – 
Two songs entered the chart this week – Brian Culbertson’s latest ‘That’s Life’ featuring Earl Klugh at #25 and Jackiem Joyner’s Dance with Me at #30.
