Norah Jones to Release New Album in Spring
Jan 31, 2012 - Good news for all the Norah Jones fans out there! The singer is set to release a new album in spring called 'Little Broken Hearts.'  This will be Jones' fifth studio CD and she will be joined by producer and musician, Danger Mouse who is notably the backbone for the project. He also co-wrote many of the tunes with her.

Jones will really be promoting this project with tons of shows this year. She is set to appear at many festivals including a stint at the Hollywood Bowl.

Though she has never out-performed her debut album, "Come Away with Me," from 2002, the nine-time-Grammy winner, with the famous rootsy voice, just keeps belting out the tunes. Norah insists on writing songs that speak to her soul more than returning to the same radio-formula hits of the past. MORE

Etta James Dies at the Age 73
Jan 20, 2012 - Etta James, an iconic R&B American singer known for her classic songs “ At Last” and “Something’s Got A Hold Of Me” has died today at the age of 73.

Recognition and appreciation has rolled in for James over the years. She was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2000 and in 2001 she was honored with a Grammy for Lifetime Achievement. Etta was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of fame in 2003.

Etta is survived by her two sons Donto and Sametto who are both musicians that performed in her band. MORE

Kenny G's Wife Files For Separation
January 20, 2012- Kenny G may be standing in the ring with his wife of 20 years, Lyndie Benson-Gorelick. According to TMZ she has recently filed papers for a legal separation from the sax player in L.A. County Superior Court stating “irreconcilable differences.”

Both parties have hired bigwig lawyers and maybe that's in preparation for a match in divorce court. TMZ reports Kenny has scooped up lawyer Laura Wasser, who has represented Angelina Jolie and Kim Kardashian.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees Announced
Dec 9, 2011- Well, after much consideration let it be known the class of 2012 inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have been announced. Congrats to first time nominee Guns N’Roses and previously nominated groups Red Hot Chili Peppers and Beastie Boys who all made the grade.

It turns out the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ended up letting in seven of the total 13 acts nominated. Inductees Donovan, Laura Nyro, Freddie King and The Small Faces/ The Faces will also be rising to the occasion.

 All of this will be wrapped up in this year’s ceremony scheduled for April 14, 2012 in Cleveland and tickets will go on sale Dec 17th. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will also be celebrating that whole week with special events and the impressive opening of their new library and archives. The word isn’t out yet whether Guns N’ Roses and Beastie Boys will be performing at the event but it looks promising for The Red Hot Chili Peppers since they are already touring the U.S. in 2012. MORE

Lionel Richie Honored with Humanitarian Award
Dec 5, 2011- It is no surprise that today, iconic superstar Lionel Richie is set to receive from the Harvard Foundation at Kirkland House, the 2011 Peter J. Gomes Humanitarian Award.

Richie has written and recorded many billboard hits and has co-written a few songs aimed solely to benefit hunger victims in Africa and also for the earthquake in Haiti in 2010. He also gives back in supporting and helping to raise funds and world awareness for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

"The students and faculty of the Harvard Foundation are pleased to present the 2011 Humanitarian Award to Mr. Lionel Richie in memory of the late Reverend Peter J. Gomes," said Dr. S. Allen Counter, director of the Harvard Foundation. "Richie is one of our nation's most creative musical artists, who has inspired many through his artistic and philanthropic endeavors. Reverend Gomes would be proud of the selection of the legendary musician, Lionel Richie, for this singular honor. We are honored to have him as our special guest on the Harvard campus."

George Michael Recovering from Pneumonia
Dec 2, 2011 - Oh no, is what I thought when the news came out that George Michael was recently stricken with respiratory complications in Vienna, Austria. It was so bad that George has to cancel his show two hours before it was about to start, get himself into an emergency room and looked at fast!
The 48 year old pop singer was diagnosed with a lung infection and on the insistence of doctors rest is his only option. He cut out a number of shows on his ‘Symphonic’ tour to fight the illness and then decided to pull back completely.

Death of the CD Expected By 2013
November 22, 2011 - Industry insiders are saying that the compact disc may be a thing of the past within 2 years! I remember when that little shiny disc wiped out the cassette tape and I thought that would never happen.

According to Side Line Music Magazine, the CD is set to expire by 2013 and will be in motion to start elimination sometime into 2012. The only CD’s that will be out there will be limited edition prints from major record labels. Here we are now left wrapping our minds round streaming and digital download options with retailers such as iTunes and Amazon. The truly bad news is a digital download has inferior sound to a CD, so once again I guess speed kills.

The magazine tried to get a statement from some of the big labels to confirm the extinction of the CD and no one would come forward but some employees and associates of the labels said indeed things are in the works.

So, like all things, time will tell if our CD’s will be collecting dust on our shelves and if inevitably we will be clicking a link on our computers for our song selection.  MORE

Are The Police Returning?
Nov 16, 2011- Well, if you’ve got the main member of the band saying no then that’s a big fat no! In an interview with Billboard Magazine, Sting, vocalist/bassist of the band (that was most popular in the 70’s and 80’s) can’t see the trio getting back together again. “You know, it's something I am very proud of but I’m not sure there would be a reason to open it again except for nostalgic reasons, and I think we did that” in 2007-2008, he said. “I thought we did it very successfully. The timing was perfect. Everybody was happy to see us. So you know say, ‘OK, let’s close the book….”

 Here’s a double whammy too for Sting fans as he says they shouldn’t expect a solo album anytime soon either. Ouch!

Right now Sting is promoting his 25 Years box set, one-CD greatest hits album and iTunes app. “It’s hard to know what the new model is. I think the app is the new model,” says Sting. “People are going to stop buying CDs. People are going to stop selling and making them, so I am looking for different ways to get music to people, and the application at the moment seems to be the favorite.” Looks like Sting is just moving with the times. MORE

Dave Koz- Ultimate Christmas Collection & Tour
November 15, 2011 - Dave Koz fans are thrilled with his fourth Christmas album. All the songs on his new release “Ultimate Christmas” are compilations from his three previous holiday albums. Now this is ringing in the festivities Koz style!

The Collection features 18 holiday classics and special appearances on vocals by Kelly Sweet and Kimberley Locke.  Koz also throws in two brand new instrumentals with: “Welcoming the Season and “Welcoming the New Year.”

Dave Koz and Friends Christmas Tour 2011 starts on November 25th at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center in Atlanta, GA. What a better way to kick off the 14th anniversary of the tour than to be joined by a great line- up featuring Rick Braun, Jonathan Butler and Candy Dulfer . Each artist will bring to the table their own hits and jam together on many holiday favorites.  Check out the tour dates below. – By Shannon Edwards

Check out the Dave Koz and Friends Christmas Tour dates

Dr. Conrad Murray Found Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter
November 7, 2011 – Michael Jackson fans are cheering in the streets right now. Dr. Conrad Murray has just been found guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter.

All twelve jurors found Michael Jackson’s last doctor responsible for his death.

A sentencing date was set for November 29, 2011. Murray was denied bail for his own safety and for the safety of the public. He was led away in handcuffs.

Michael Bublé Works Harder for What He’s Got!
November 4, 2011 - Here is a Canadian crooner who has won over the hearts of many with his genuine voice, captivating smile and boyish looks. The singer has sold over 35 million records worldwide and has won many awards during his solo career.

Michael works harder for what he’s got and realizes how much he could lose, especially while sitting at the top of his game. ''I’m more afraid of failure now than I have ever been,” Bublé told British magazine GQ. “It's only recently I've understood the maths of what make artists go up and down. They make too much money. They have too many people blowing smoke up their ass. You have to have that fear and desperation. Always want to do something better.”

Buble’ is now getting set for the festive season promoting his new Christmas album, which is no doubt going to be another hit. The 36-year old performer feels very fortunate to have many devoted fans and consistent record sales.

Coroner: Amy Winehouse Died of Alcohol Consumption
Oct 26, 2011- Well, we finally know what killed Amy Winehouse. As many feared it was one of her vices that took her away. According to a coroner’s report released today it was a result of alcohol consumption coining it a “death of misadventure.” Amy had ultimately died of voluntary actions on her part and nothing criminal had taken place.

Winehouse had a long time battle with substance abuse and was found dead on July 23, in her London apartment at the young age of 27. Investigators found three empty bottles of vodka in her bedroom and apparently she had been on a bender after being sober for three weeks. It was stated that an autopsy on Amy’s body actually showed her blood-alcohol level was 5 times over the legal drinking limit.

Last month her parents created the Amy Winehouse Foundation in her memory to help raise funds to aid people in similar situations. MORE

Smooth Jazz Now has a Sister Radio Station
October 25, 2011 – It was only a matter of time before the Air-Com Radio Network added another station to its line-up. Interestingly, the new station attracts the same demographic as the very popular Smooth Jazz Now – 35-64 adults.

We are proud to announce Rock History Book to the fold. The new radio station focuses on Classic Rock first but is also plays a sprinkle of new music as well. “We represent the 1970’s as the major decade on the station,” says Operations Manager John Beaudin, “But we also play much from the 1960’s and the 1980’s. Beaudin adds that any station with a name like Rock History Book.com needs to represent all the decades of the Rock n Roll era.

Rock History Book will also be giving away iPad-2 packages, like Smooth Jazz Now, but at 11AM (eastern) where the Jazz station does it at 12-Noon (eastern).

Also expect to hear some familiar voices on Rock History Book. Beaudin and Shannon Edwards from Smooth Jazz Now will cover the morning duties and popular musician and Smooth Jazz Now DJ Johnny J Rivera is hosting the Afternoon Drive program.

“I know a lot of Smooth Jazz fans, like me, also love the Classic Rock format,” says Beaudin. “As different as the formats are sonically,” says Beaudin, “It’s important to note that most adult Smooth Jazz Lovers grew up in the 60’s and 70’s.”

You can listen to Rock History Book here http://streamdb2web.securenetsystems.net/v4/index.cfm?stationCallSign=ROCK1&relocateURL=true

You can go to the official site here http://www.rockhistorymusic.com

Only Nine iPad-2 Packages Left to Win on Smooth Jazz Now
October 24, 2011 – It’s a great time to win an iPad-2! With the Holidays just around the corner you could consider it a great present for yourself or, better yet, give it to the one you love!

We want to congratulate all our listeners who have already won these great iPad-2 packages worth over $900 but lets remember, we have nine packages left.

Each weekday at 12-noon (eastern) John Beaudin will call out 5 names from our Smooth Jazz Listeners Club. The first of those five to call us back at (917) 310-7625 will win the iPad-2 package. If we don’t get a winner, the first time, John will call out 5 more names, up to 20 names each weekday.

Also remember our sister station, Rock History Book, gives away the same iPad-2 packages but instead of 12-Noon (eastern) our Rock station starts calling out names at 11AM (Eastern). Like Smooth Jazz Now, you need to be a member of our mailing list. Join here

If you’re not a member of our Smooth Jazz Listeners Club its very easy to join. Just fill in the pop-up that appears when you go to listen to Smooth Jazz Now Radio.  You can also join via the form on the left hand side of each page of Smooth Jazz Now.com.

Get ready for the holidays with Smooth Jazz Now and the sensational iPad-2!

REVIEW - Kennard Ramsey – Somos – 5 out of 5
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.

There is something that happens to a critic after many years of writing reviews. The writer either ends up loving everything they hear, and God knows most Smooth Jazz reviewers are shameless flag-waivers, or the critic needs to hear something with inventive originality – something that paves a new road. This album has all of the latter.

Kennard Ramsey is a successful film composer who has worked on such projects as “Ted Bundy,” “Ringmaster” and the TV shows “Knots Landing” and “Lincoln Heights.”

This whole project has a world-music feel wrapped around cool contemporary Jazz. The opening track kicks off like a Peter Gabriel album, dark, moody and mysterious. “Neo Shaman” serves as a great introduction to an artist ready to shake up the genres that he effortlessly flies through. The tune is melodic, pretty and the toe-tapping quota wasn’t lost on my ears either. The great Stanley Clarke also does an incredible bass solo.

Guest vocalist Chiwoniso handles “White Owl” a tune inspired by a dream that Ramsey had about a carnival of people passing through turnstiles possibly in New York. It’s got a Sade vibe that could make this a single.

“Loved Right” is the type of tune much needed in the Smooth Jazz format. It reminded me of the great work that Bernie Williams has been doing in the last few years. It has many hooks for radio but it’s all in its sense of cool that brings the track top-notch. Like much of Ramsey’s catchy film work I’d be proud to have this catchy little ditty as my soundtrack.

The proof in the different angle this album takes is best demonstrated on “This Time,” how Ramsey’s guitar and DJ Maga Bo’s drum programming almost sound like one instrument. The tune, about warm summer nights, demonstrates that pretty doesn’t have to be generic or derivative.

The gorgeous “Interlude (for Ian & Lucy)” is dedicated to his children and really portrays the innocence of those building block years when mortgage and savings were not in our vocabulary.

As we begin our new “star” ratings system today for album reviews, we all turn this corner on Smooth Jazz Now with a great beginning. 5 out of 5, yeah, we kinda like this one! MORE

Now Even More Chances to Win an iPad-2 From Smooth Jazz Now – LISTEN TODAY TO WIN
Last week “Smooth Jazz Now” called out one name to win a new Apple iPad-2. Today, starting, at 12/noon (eastern) we will give up to 4 listeners a chance to win the hottest gadget in the world.

John Beaudin will call out a name at noon, if that person does not call us back, at  (917) 310-7625, within 15 minutes he will call out another name at 12:15PM, then 12:30 and finally at 12:45.

These are the top-of-the-line iPad 2’s with Wi-Fi + 3G and 64 gigs. You can't buy a better iPad!

Make sure you are a member of our mailing list. You need to be to win! If you are not a member then simply join via the pop-up that appears when you go to listen to Smooth Jazz Now Radio. (Top right hand side of each page of our site)

Want to increase your chances to win? Just forward our weekly emails to a friend and our tracking system will let us know. You will get an extra chance to win with every person you forward our mailer to. Why not increase your odds.

Members of our mailing list also have a chance to win a “Mountain of 100 Classic CD’s” on Wednesday, August 31 at 1:10PM. Just listen for your name. Also “Smooth Jazz Now” hands out "Classic Albums Ten Packs” each weekday. Listen to Smooth Jazz Now at 11:10AM,  1:10PM, 3:10PM and 5:10PM (all times eastern) with John Beaudin. If you hear your name call us back at (917) 310-7625 within 15 minutes and the albums are yours!

The new iPad-2 is thinner, lighter and faster than it’s predecessor. It’s a must have!

Smooth Jazz Now Tightens Up The Sound
August 2, 2011 – With two more Smooth Jazz stations (WLOQ in Orlando and Wave/Toronto) giving up on the format this week we thought it was time to mix up the genre, just a bit! “Smooth Jazz Now” has decided to add more life to this format.

You may have noticed a gradual change in our sound during the last month. We have re-listened to every song on our station, carefully, to make sure they represent a sense of positivity, an interesting journey and most of all we listened for melody. “There has been too much generic groove in this format,” says “Smooth Jazz Now” Program Director John Beaudin. “So many of the songs sound the same and lack melody and life so we made sure to add more familiar songs with more tempo.” Consider it a “Greatest Hits” format for Smooth Jazz.

“We are lucky,” says Beaudin, “we get hundreds of calls each week from our listeners with fantastic requests and great advice – we are listening to them on where this format should go.”

Listen for Your Name Today to Win an iPad 2 on "Smooth Jazz Now"
July 27, 2011 - "Smooth Jazz Now" is very excited to be giving away our first, of many, iPad-2's today (Wednesday July 27) at 12:10PM (eastern). It's the hottest gadget in the world!

Smooth Jazz Now.com is giving away an iPad 2 each week to members of our mailing list.

John Beaudin will draw for a name today, if it's you call us at (917)310-7625 within the hour and it's yours. These are the top-of-the-line iPad 2 with Wi-Fi + 3G and 64 gigs. You can't buy a better iPad!

If you are not a member of our mailing list then simply join via the pop-up that appears when you go to listen to Smooth Jazz Now Radio. (top right hand side of each page of our site)

Want to increase your chances to win? Just forward this email to a friend and our tracking system will let us know. You will get an extra chance to win with every person you forward our mailer to. Why not increase your odds.

So remember, listen for your name every Wednesday at 12:10PM starting TODAY. READ MORE

REVIEW – Colbie Caillat – All of You - Universal Republic
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.

Caillat co-wrote every tune on the album with different famous, mostly behind-the-scenes songsmiths.

The singer’s father, Ken Caillat, co-produced two of Fleetwood Mac’s biggest albums, “Rumours” and “Tusk” and that early inspiration has always showed in her music but nothing like the first tune on this album, “Brighter Than the Sun.” It could easily fit on most Buckingham/Nicks-Mac projects. It’s also her latest single from the CD. It easily reflects that silly-willy-in-love drug that changes the directions of our lives – It’s an irresistible pop tune. MORE

REVIEW - Michael Franks – Time Together – Shanachie Records
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!

Franks has taken some time away from the studio with his last project being “Rendezvous in Rio” from 2006. “Time Together” is a very consistent CD like it’s predecessors. Many of the songs have a similar feel but if you truly get Franks vision, his philosophy of wonderment then it all makes sense. It’s the smaller things in life, the simple things that bring us to where we want to go. Franks really gets that.

The lead off single “Now That the Summer’s Here” is one of his strongest tunes in twenty years. It’s as if he grabbed all the different nuances from his strongest tunes and got back in that winning zone. Chuck Loeb produced this one and three others on the album and provides guitars, keys and drums to the mix. Let this one be a perfect soundtrack for the summer of 2011. MORE