Nominations
for the 1st Annual Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards January
3, 2005 - Canadian Smooth Jazz musicians finally have an awards body to recognize
their work - The Canadian
Smooth Jazz Awards. The event was created by Doug
and Mary Kirk, owners of The Wave in
Hamilton and Smooth Jazz Now creator John
Beaudin. The awards will be voted on by the fans via www.canadiansmoothjazzawards.com
. Top nominees for the inaugural ceremony include Diana
Krall, Eddie Bullen, Brian
Hughes, Marc Jordan, Clayton
/ Scott Group and Alexander Zonjic
all with three. Read
more. Holy
Cole Nomination - Female Vocalist of the Year Holly
Cole Looks Back With "Collection Vol. 1" October
12, 2004 - Holly Cole doesn't believe in sitting
in one place too long, professionally or personally, "I like to bulldoze
through whatever is happening now, get it done and move on," says the singer.
Her latest project though "The Holly Cole Collection Vol. 1" was a lesson
in quiet reflection, "It was interesting for me to actually stop and look
back, there are a number of different periods and phases that I've gone through
and it was interesting for me to look back at all the things that I'd done."
Cole included 4 songs on the "Collection" that have never been available
on any of her albums including a new interpretation of a Prince tune, "I
was approached to be part of this project of all Prince tunes for release in Japan
and they asked me to do "Purple Rain" which is my least favorite Prince
tune. So, I made a deal with them that I'd do "Purple Rain" if they
let me also do "The Question of You." Also new on "The Holly Cole
Collection Vol. 1" Tom Waits "Shiver Me Timbers," "Hum Drum
Blues" by Oscar Brown Jr. and Sting's "Fragile" the hit duet with
Holly and Jesse Cook previously only available
on his "Vertigo" album. Read
our new interview with Holly Cole.
Sam
Roberts, Nickelback, Sarah McLachlan, Holly Cole Big Juno Winners April
4, 2004 - Sam Roberts had a night he will not soon forget. The Montreal singer
picked up three Juno awards tonight in Edmonton, winning in every category he
was nominated in. Roberts who as usual looked unkept in that "I just woke
up" kind of way won for Top Artist, Rock Album and Album. Alberta's Nickelback
won two Junos for Fan Choice and Group and Sarah
McLachlan picked up two trophies as top Songwriter and Pop Album for "Afterglow."
Vancouver's Michael Buble' to no ones surprise
has a Juno for Best New Artist. Other jazz or related winners included Holly
Cole's "Shade" picking winning for Jazz Vocal, Great Uncles of the
Revolution, "Blow the House Down" Top Contemporary Jazz CD and Guido
Basso's win Traditional Jazz Album for "Lost in the Stars." Alanis Morissette
hosted the ceremony to a packed crowd of 16 thousand at the Rexall Place In Edmonton.
Winnipeg will host the Junos in 2005.Read more. Sarah
McLachlan, Nelly Furtado Top Juno Nominations February
11, 2004 - Two of Canada's top female vocalists lead the pack as the Juno Nominations
were released today. Both Sarah McLachlan
(left) and Nelly Furtado were mentioned in five categories each. McLachlan who's
recent hit single "Fallen" has charted on both Pop and Smooth Jazz charts
was nominated for the Juno Fan choice, Album, Artist, songwriter and Pop artist
of the year. Read
more. Holly
Cole Talks About Meeting Idol Bonnie Raitt July
24, 2003 - Toronto's Holly Cole has met her fair share of big stars but she told
Smooth Jazz Now that a major highlight for her was meeting Bonnie Raitt. The two
singers got together while touring with Lilith Fair. "She's one of my idols,"
says Cole. "I didn't want to bug her but I just one day came up to her and
said, Hi, I'm Holly Cole." What followed came as a complete surprise to Cole.
It turns out Raitt also admired Cole, "You're Holly Cole? said Raitt, "I
love your second record ." That meeting lead to the two working together
and Cole says, "She asked me to join her on her encore of John Prine's 'Angel
from Montgomery.' I didn't exactly say that I had to wash my hair. So she got
Sarah (McLachlan) to come up also and we did that every night as a trio."
Read
our complete interview with Holly Cole. Holly
Cole Remembers Her First Gig June
16, 2003 - Holly Cole is known for her comfort and ease on stage. The singer says
of all the aspects of her life the stage is still where she feels the best. Like
most singers though Cole has memories of shaky knees and cold sweat of her first
professional gig. "I hid behind the piano player. It was embarrassing!"
she says of that first night before a live audience, "I was seventeen and
luckily the piano player was my brother." Cole who just released the summer
Jazz standards album "Shade" last Tuesday says she loves the "in
the moment" aspect of a live show. Cole told Smooth Jazz Now, "It is
here and then it's gone and then it is just a memory forever. It is either a strong
memory or it isn't." Interestingly the singers first thought on signing her
first record deal years ago was "Great, I've just signed on and now I can
do a lot of gigs" The actual mechanics of recording an album were an afterthought
because of her love for the stage. Holly Cole's cross Canada tour kicks off in
Winnipeg on June 21st. Cole is also Smooth Jazz Now's "Artist of the Month."
Read
our new expanded interview. Holly
Cole - Smooth Jazz Now "Artist of the Month" June
3, 2003 - With an exciting summer album called "Shade" coming out on
June 10th Holly Cole was an easy choice for our "Artist of the Month"
Honor. We talked with Holly about the making of the album; specifically her Jazz
reunion with David Piltch, and Aaron Davis plus how solo producing for the first
time was a challenging yet rewarding road. She also treated us to a sneak peak/listening
session of "Shade" so look for our review of the album later this month.
Holly
Cole Returns to Jazz Standards May
15, 2003 - Universal artist Holly Cole first made a name for herself with Jazz
standards and her new album due out June 10th will bring her back home. "Shade"
her first Jazz covers disc in four years will also reunite Cole with long time
collaborators Aaron Davis, David Piltch, George Koeller, Kevin Breit, Guido Basso
and John Johnson. According to Universal the album will have a summer theme and
include covers of Rodgers & Hart, Cole Porter and Irving Berlin classics.
Cole will also cover Brian Wilson's Beach Boys classic "God Only Knows."
Holly
Cole Tour Dates: June
21st Playhouse Theatre Winnipeg June 22nd Centennial Auditorium Saskatoon
June 24th Jubilee Auditorium Calgary June 25th Banff Centre Banff June
27th Winspear Edmonton June 28th Royal Theatre Victoria June 29th Orpheum
Theatre Vancouver July 3 - 6th Theatre du Nouveau Monde Montreal July
7 - 8 Joe's Pub New York, New York
Want
to volunteer for 'Smooth Jazz Now' email us here
January
3, 2005 - Canadian Smooth Jazz musicians finally have an awards body to recognize
their work - 
October
12, 2004 - 
April
4, 2004 - Sam Roberts had a night he will not soon forget. The Montreal singer
picked up three Juno awards tonight in Edmonton, winning in every category he
was nominated in. Roberts who as usual looked unkept in that "I just woke
up" kind of way won for Top Artist, Rock Album and Album. Alberta's Nickelback
won two Junos for Fan Choice and Group and 
February
11, 2004 - Two of Canada's top female vocalists lead the pack as the Juno Nominations
were released today. Both 
July
24, 2003 - Toronto's Holly Cole has met her fair share of big stars but she told
Smooth Jazz Now that a major highlight for her was meeting Bonnie Raitt. The two
singers got together while touring with Lilith Fair. "She's one of my idols,"
says Cole. "I didn't want to bug her but I just one day came up to her and
said, Hi, I'm Holly Cole." What followed came as a complete surprise to Cole.
It turns out Raitt also admired Cole, "You're Holly Cole? said Raitt, "I
love your second record ." That meeting lead to the two working together
and Cole says, "She asked me to join her on her encore of John Prine's 'Angel
from Montgomery.' I didn't exactly say that I had to wash my hair. So she got
Sarah (McLachlan) to come up also and we did that every night as a trio."
June
16, 2003 - Holly Cole is known for her comfort and ease on stage. The singer says
of all the aspects of her life the stage is still where she feels the best. Like
most singers though Cole has memories of shaky knees and cold sweat of her first
professional gig. "I hid behind the piano player. It was embarrassing!"
she says of that first night before a live audience, "I was seventeen and
luckily the piano player was my brother." Cole who just released the summer
Jazz standards album "Shade" last Tuesday says she loves the "in
the moment" aspect of a live show. Cole told Smooth Jazz Now, "It is
here and then it's gone and then it is just a memory forever. It is either a strong
memory or it isn't." Interestingly the singers first thought on signing her
first record deal years ago was "Great, I've just signed on and now I can
do a lot of gigs" The actual mechanics of recording an album were an afterthought
because of her love for the stage. Holly Cole's cross Canada tour kicks off in
Winnipeg on June 21st. Cole is also Smooth Jazz Now's "Artist of the Month."
June
3, 2003 - With an exciting summer album called "Shade" coming out on
June 10th Holly Cole was an easy choice for our "Artist of the Month"
Honor. We talked with Holly about the making of the album; specifically her Jazz
reunion with David Piltch, and Aaron Davis plus how solo producing for the first
time was a challenging yet rewarding road. She also treated us to a sneak peak/listening
session of "Shade" so look for our review of the album later this month.
May
15, 2003 - Universal artist Holly Cole first made a name for herself with Jazz
standards and her new album due out June 10th will bring her back home. "Shade"
her first Jazz covers disc in four years will also reunite Cole with long time
collaborators Aaron Davis, David Piltch, George Koeller, Kevin Breit, Guido Basso
and John Johnson. According to Universal the album will have a summer theme and
include covers of Rodgers & Hart, Cole Porter and Irving Berlin classics.
Cole will also cover Brian Wilson's Beach Boys classic "God Only Knows."
