Brian Hughes Goes Live with New Album August
17, 2007 - It's been a long wait for Brian
Hughes fans. The Canadian guitarist has not
released any new material since 2003's "Along
the Way." Though not a treat of fresh tunes
you can hear some of your old favourite on his
excellent new live album appropriately titled
"Live." Recorded at Maison de la culture
Frontenac in Montreal the project features some
familiar Hughes travel mates including pianist
Les Portelli, bassist Tim Landers and drummer
Tal Bergman. The new CD features some of Hughes'
most requested songs including "Omaha Unbound"
and "Thinking of You," both originally
from "Along the Way." Purchase the CD
or download at Brian official site brianhughes.com.
Hughes is originally from Edmonton, Alberta and
now lives in California. Hughes says he may release
a live DVD at a later date. - by John
Beaudin
Brian
Hughes Surprised at Jazz Nomination February
3, 2004 - How does Brian
Hughes feel about his nomination in the
new Smooth Jazz category of the National Jazz
Awards? "I had no idea that I was nominated,"
said Hughes, "Hopefully someone from
the NJA will officially notify me at some
point." The guitarist is nominated along
with Keyboardist Eddie
Bullen, Saxophonist Warren Hill and Demo
Cates and vocalist Nura.
You can vote at http://www.nationaljazzawards.com/vote.html.
The National Jazz Awards will be held at the
Winter Garden Theatre in Toronto on February
24th. Meanwhile, in other Brian
Hughes news, the new single "Wherever
You Are" has just entered our Canadian
National Chart at # 23. The single features
Dave Boruff, one of the top session sax players
in L.A. Boruff has played with everyone from
Madonna to Arturo Sandoval. Hughes told us
the tune has "a travel theme, being on
the road and missing the one you love... a
love song of sorts, as always for my wife
Pamela."
Brian
Hughes Remembers a Favorite Show July
27, 2003 - Smooth Jazz Now's "Artist
of the Month" Brian Hughes says the best
moments of his career have been regular shows
when "the band is just incredibly in
the zone and the audience feels it."
The guitarist says the highpoints are always
about the connection with the audience. He
remembers one particular show with Loreena
McKennitt in Spain, "We were driven to
the venue and we were surprised to see that
it was a twelve hundred seater. We all kind
of looked at each other nervously and wondered
if anyone would show up." Hughes says
it was McKennitt's first big show outside
Canada and they had no idea if there was a
following. "Sure enough at showtime it
was sold out, "says Hughes. " We
played a tune from my second album called
'Nasca Lines' which has a very Flamenco thing
to it and in the middle the song goes into
a Spanish Flamenco clapping" and at that
point the whole crowd just started clapping
without ever hearing the song before. That
was a spontaneously electrifying moment. Hughes
has just released his sixth album "Along
the Way." Read
our interview.
Brian
Hughes Releases Along The Way July
8, 2003 - It's been a long wait for Brian
Hughes fans but the wait is over with the
release today of his new album "Along
The Way". Hughes' last CD "Shakin'
Not Stirred" was released in 1999 on
Higher Octave. The new one has Hughes on a
new label, A440 Music Group and the sound
expands from his past efforts. Here's what
Hughes told Smooth Jazz Now about "Along
The Way," "Well, there's a few different
things on there. There's one song on there
that I really wouldn't call a ballad but it's
almost country-esque, it's very Americana
that's called "Omaha Inbound" and
it's pretty much unlike anything I've ever
done before. There are a couple of Latin tunes
and one is very Cuban sounding so that's kind
of different for me. So it's kind of a mix
from those kinds of things. Expect the Pop/Jazz
thing and some of the Latin stuff with a ballad
or two thrown in the mix." Brian Hughes
is Smooth Jazz Now's "Artist of the Month."
Read
our interview.
Brian
Hughes "Artist of the Month" for
July July
4, 2003 - Brian Hughes' main activity now
may be playing guitar but like most kids growing
up in Canada he spent his fair share of time
on cold outdoor rinks playing hockey. "Yeah,
I definitely had a lot of hockey in my life
from a pretty young age until I was sixteen
or seventeen," says Hughes. "That
was kind of the winter activity." Raised
in the big hockey town of Edmonton Hughes
says he was always realistic about the sport
as a career " I sort of tried out for
junior when I was about fifteen for the Edmonton
Oil Kings and interestingly that process brought
me to the crossroads of either going to school
or go on the road and play hockey." Looking
back now the guitarist feels great about the
outcome, "I think it was probably a prudent
decision to go to school." Read
our new interview with July Artist of the
month Brian Hughes.
Brian
Hughes to Release New Album July 8th March
6, 2003 - Brian
Hughes is busy these days he just started
recording his new album on Feb 29 and he
told Smooth Jazz Now "I'll be finished
early in April and the release date is currently
set for July 8th". Brian may be recording
on a new label - he was with Higher Octave
for his last few. Brian promised to keep
us updated on the progress of the new tunes.
We can't wait!
August
17, 2007 - It's been a long wait for 
February
3, 2004 - How does 
July
27, 2003 - Smooth Jazz Now's "Artist
of the Month" Brian Hughes says the best
moments of his career have been regular shows
when "the band is just incredibly in
the zone and the audience feels it."
The guitarist says the highpoints are always
about the connection with the audience. He
remembers one particular show with Loreena
McKennitt in Spain, "We were driven to
the venue and we were surprised to see that
it was a twelve hundred seater. We all kind
of looked at each other nervously and wondered
if anyone would show up." Hughes says
it was McKennitt's first big show outside
Canada and they had no idea if there was a
following. "Sure enough at showtime it
was sold out, "says Hughes. " We
played a tune from my second album called
'Nasca Lines' which has a very Flamenco thing
to it and in the middle the song goes into
a Spanish Flamenco clapping" and at that
point the whole crowd just started clapping
without ever hearing the song before. That
was a spontaneously electrifying moment. Hughes
has just released his sixth album "Along
the Way." 
July
8, 2003 - It's been a long wait for Brian
Hughes fans but the wait is over with the
release today of his new album "Along
The Way". Hughes' last CD "Shakin'
Not Stirred" was released in 1999 on
Higher Octave. The new one has Hughes on a
new label, A440 Music Group and the sound
expands from his past efforts. Here's what
Hughes told Smooth Jazz Now about "Along
The Way," "Well, there's a few different
things on there. There's one song on there
that I really wouldn't call a ballad but it's
almost country-esque, it's very Americana
that's called "Omaha Inbound" and
it's pretty much unlike anything I've ever
done before. There are a couple of Latin tunes
and one is very Cuban sounding so that's kind
of different for me. So it's kind of a mix
from those kinds of things. Expect the Pop/Jazz
thing and some of the Latin stuff with a ballad
or two thrown in the mix." Brian Hughes
is Smooth Jazz Now's "Artist of the Month."
July
4, 2003 - Brian Hughes' main activity now
may be playing guitar but like most kids growing
up in Canada he spent his fair share of time
on cold outdoor rinks playing hockey. "Yeah,
I definitely had a lot of hockey in my life
from a pretty young age until I was sixteen
or seventeen," says Hughes. "That
was kind of the winter activity." Raised
in the big hockey town of Edmonton Hughes
says he was always realistic about the sport
as a career " I sort of tried out for
junior when I was about fifteen for the Edmonton
Oil Kings and interestingly that process brought
me to the crossroads of either going to school
or go on the road and play hockey." Looking
back now the guitarist feels great about the
outcome, "I think it was probably a prudent
decision to go to school." 
