Late Great Michael Brecker Wins 2 Grammy's
February 10 2008 - It was another reminder tonight of just how much Michael Brecker is missed. The late saxophonist picked up two Grammy Awards, 'Best Jazz Instrumental Solo' for his tune "Anagram" and the album it's from "Pilgrimage" won 'Best Jazz Instrumental Album.' Brecker died from complications of leukemia on January 13, 2007. Other Jazz Grammy's went to Herbie Hancock winning 'Best Contemporary Jazz Album' for "River: The Joni Letters" and Smooth Jazz mainstay Patti Austin picked up 'Best Jazz Vocal Album' for "Avant Gershwin." Also congratulations to Terence Blanchard winning 'Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album' with "A Tale Of God's Will (A Requiem For Katrina)." The 'Best Latin Jazz Album' was "Funk Tango" by Paquito D'Rivera Quintet. New Age album went to Paul Winter Consort picked up New Age album. - by John Beaudin

 
     
 

Smooth Jazz Christmas 2005
September 28, 2005 - Smooth Jazz artists Dave Koz, Brian McKnight, Chaka Khan, Eric Marienthal, Vanessa Williams, Norman Brown, David Benoit, Toni Braxton, Rick Braun, and Gerald Albright, will all contribute to this holiday seasons "A Charlie Brown Christmas Tribute". The album is due October 4th from Peak Records.

Anita Baker will also release a holiday album with Blue Note. "Christmas Fantasy" hits stores October 4th, and will feature appearances by Joe Sample, Larry Carlton, Nathan East, Ricky Lawson, and all four members of The Yellowjackets. Barry Eastman, who co-produces here, also wrote three original tunes for the outing.

Diana Krall will deliver her first Christmas album in 2005. The outing, "Christmas Songs" will be released on Verve November 1st.

Dave Koz and friends, David Benoit, Patti Austin, and Jonathan Butler will be hitting the road on "A Smooth Jazz Christmas Tour". Dates are available on www.davekoz.com - by Cheryl Philips

 
  
   


Smooth Jazz Goes Cruising Crazy
February 21, 2005 - Seems like everyone is cruising these days. Smooth Jazz Cruise pioneer Warren Hill has just completed his second sell out full charter while, almost at the same time, Bob James was sailing on a musical journey out of San Diego. Later in the year Rick Braun is leading a top-notch line up on a seven-day trip out of Galveston and Warren Hill's 2006 event is already proving to be a big early seller. Sandwiched among all this is the "Dave Koz & Friends At Sea" cruise that sails from San Diego on November 5 and is being managed by the same organization that made Hills last event such a success. Calling at destinations that include Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas and Peurto Vallarta, Koz has assembled a line up every bit as good as one would expect from this master of live Smooth Jazz. Artists already confirmed, and who performed on the Hill cruise, are Wayman Tisdale, Kirk Whalum, Jeff Golub, and Jonathan Butler. Joining them will be Marc Antoine, Patti Austin, David Benoit, Chris Botti, George Duke, Jeffrey Osborne and Praful. It's a line up that promises to produce seven days of high quality Smooth Jazz. - By Denis Poole