Queen Latifah: The Rapping Jazz Queen is back!
October 2, 2007 - Queen Latifah became famous as one of the first female rappers to break onto the stage with the album All Hail the Queen (1989). Since then she has turned to a successful multi-faceted entertainer, becoming an Oscar nominated actress and a soulful jazz singer. She did her first steps in the jazz sphere in 2004, when she released her first album under her real name (The Dana Owens Album), Dana Owens, better known as Queen Latifah, did not rap, but sang various blues, soul and jazz standards, surrounded by an amazing cast of jazz giants including Arif and Joe Mardin, Herbie Hanccok, Vinnie Colaiuta and John Patitucci.

And three years later, The Queen is back with her second jazz-oriented album "Trav'lin'Light', due to be released September 25, 2007 on Verve Records. She again takes the same successful recipe she used for her debut album: singing standards with her warm vocals, helped by a bunch of great artists: piano and keyboard pioneers George Duke and Joe Sample, bossa nova famous guitarist Oscar Castro-Neves, experienced guitarist Paul Jackson Jr, drum master Abraham Laboriel Jr, famous bassist Christian McBride and eventually legendary Stevie Wonder's harmonica on one track of the album.

Furthermore, the album has been produced by three-time Grammy winner Tommy LiPuma and Grammy-nominated producer and Geffen Records chairman Ron Fair. It has been engineered by 15-time Grammy winner Al Schmitt. With such big names, Dana Owens has raised the bar even higher than her successful debut album. If you want to see the Queen perform live, she will be touring in various American cities, starting on September 29,2007 in Dallas. For more information: www.queenlatifah.com By Akbar Nour, Smoothjazznow.com's Contributing Editor

Queen Latifah Stays With Jazz
August 21, 2007 - The follow up to "The Dana Owens Album" will be another Jazz affair for Queen Latifah. The successful actress/singer will release "Trav'lin' Light" on September 25th. Latifah says the new album gives props to her favourite singers of the past, including Peggy Lee, Nina Simone, Sarah Vaughn, Mary Wells and Roberta Flack. The singer who named her debut album after her real name Dana Owens recently spoke out about insane diets in Hollywood adding that she was perfectly happy being a plus size performer. "Trav'lin" will include some of her high profile friends including, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Joe Sample, George Duke, Christian McBride and Stevie Wonder. "Trav'lin' Light" is produced by music legend Tommy LiPuma and Ron Fair and will be released on the Jazz label Verve. Latifah was recently featured in the new hit film "Hairspray."- by Kari Graham

Smooth Jazz Nominees at the Grammys
December 8, 2004 - Looks like the sun won't set any time soon on Norah Jones. The singer was nominated for five Grammys yesterday including nods for Pop Vocal Album and Female Pop Vocal for her second CD "Feels Like Home." The late Ray Charles was another multiple nominee with seven (his album had 10 nominations) and the biggest artist heard on Smooth Jazz radio was Alicia Keys with eight nominations. Read more.

Queen Latifah 1 Nomination
- Best Jazz Vocal Album - - The Dana Owens Album
 
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