May 1, 2012 - We live in a world where most instrumental music sounds like it was made for a 5x5 vertically moving room and that includes some Smooth Jazz. Interestingly, most Smooth Jazz musicians are technically some of the best players on the planet but many have fallen into this big vacuous hole, an amnesic state, where channelling Bert Kaempfert is common place. 
April 17, 2012 – Get ready for another beautiful journey from David Benoit on May 29th. His new album, `Conversation,’ will no doubt serve as another expansion for the Smooth Jazz format. 
April 26, 2012 - Norah Jones is set to appear with a Live-on-Letterman webcast, featuring Jones from the prestigious Ed Sullivan Theater in New York, Wednesday, May 2nd at 8:00 ET. This is a clever, strategic move for Jones to push her next album “Little Broken Hearts” set for a May 1st release. 
April 4, 2012 – Esperanza Spalding is a groovy chick. I mean, really, when she’s in the room, everyone else disappears and I’m talkin’ more than that big “love-sculpture” hair. She’s the type of musician you might walk up to at a party, ask about her music, and walk away three hours later regretting the question. This lady has a vision so you better have a seat. 
February 21, 2012 - As it was stated during the Grammy Awards, "We've had a death in the family." Now our own Jazz family is remembeing Whitney Houston. 
February 21, 2012 - Shock, disappointment and horror are some of the many words fans used to describe Whitney Houston’s untimely death last week (February 11, 2012). My family and I were outside a Starbucks when one of our radio listeners texted me with, at first, the rumor. 
– Not many groups have stood the test of time like Airborne. Coming in around the time that the NAC format was really starting to cook, 1988, this outfit grew with every project, gig and album. Having just released their most powerful album yet, New Horizon’s, it looks like the world is ready for this, a full dose of positive, social conscious fusion. We sat down with the band to chat about all the twisting, yet beneficial roads taken. 
– The smart ones in life know that it’s not how you fall down in life that counts but how you get up. Zach Bandolin has had his fair share of topsy-turvy moments but the guitarist keeps swinging. 
- French Smooth Jazz guitar sensation Emmanuel Abitebol, more known as U-NAM, came to fame with his widely acclaimed somophore album ‘Back from the 80’s’ released in 2007. 
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. 
– 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
– 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! 
- Programming Smooth Jazz Radio has allowed me to discover talent over the decades and follow the twists and turns in their career. Such is the case of saxophonist Steve Cole an artist whom has played on numerous number #1 Smooth Jazz hits and been a regular spin on most smooth jazz radio stations play lists. 
– There’s always been an understated value to everything that Sade does and sameness to her entire repertoire. That quality of old wine has served the singer/band well… until now. Unlike Norah Jones who has, at least, tried to mix-up-the-pot, Sade really needs to stop wearing the same dress to every party. 
– Well, one things for sure, Mindi Abair is not shopping on Main Street anymore. As they say, “run away from the past and eventually it will run into you.” |
Airborne Interview with Smooth Jazz Now Airborne - Well, this new CD of ours which is our 7th, we approached it from a place of influences from our last 3 CD's. There is always a concept in a Airborne CD and our plan for ‘New Horizons’ was to keep that Smooth Jazz feel of our 2008 "Winds of Change" CD. We also wanted that World Fusion sound that was on the 2007 "Turbulence" CD and to somehow insert the fire of our 2004 "Heavy Vibes" CD that had hot Latin rhythms and R&B vocal arrangements. Read More
Zach Bandolin Back Home After Lots of World Travelling After touring stints in Seoul and Japan the guitarist is firmly planted back home in Canada. Bandolin dropped by the Smooth Jazz studios recently and talked to Program Director John Beaudin. Here is a transcript of that on-air interview. In Conversation with U-NAM on his latest CD ‘Unanimity’ So when you taste the fourteen groovy and melodic tracks served by the Paris-born musician, you may think at first you’re listening to George Benson and his famous guitar licks. But it is definitely not the case, because even if the French guitarist acknowledges Benson as one of his main sources of inspiration, he does reinvent the genre with his injection of revamped Funk and Soul. This is the U-NAM’s French touch which again delivers a top class Smooth Jazz guitar act with a line up of very high calibre. Read the Interview |
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In Conversation with Paula Atherton  February 19 - 2010 - Smooth Jazz female sax players are not numerous, but there is a collection of talented performers such as Candy Dulfer, Jessy J and Paula Atherton among others. Mrs. Atherton does not only perform sax and other horn instruments, she is also a consummate singer. Her sophomore album ‘’Groove with Me’’ came out this year on her own label, Dream On Records. It is packed up with ten tracks blending Funk, R&B, Smooth Jazz and Latin sounds and also an amazing line up of Smooth Jazz talents such as guitarist Chieli Minucci (Special EFX), trumpet player Greg Adams (Tower of Power), pianist Onaje Allan Gumbs and keyboardist Bill Haller (Rippingtons). Regular members and other side musicians bringing their talents to this project include bassist Schuyler Deale (Jeff Lorber, Billy Cobham, Michael Bolton), drummer Lionel Cordew (Mike Stern, Special EFX, Jeff Lorber), percussionist Emedin Rivera (Special EFX, Dave Valentin, Paquito D’Rivera), bassist Stanley Banks (George Benson), guitarist Darin Brown (Enrique Englesias, Willie DeVille), guitarist Steve Briody (Randy Brecker, Dave Valentin), and keyboardist John Deley (Dido). This New York-based artist makes you want to groove with her. It was a genuine pleasure to chat to this lady. Read the interview |
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Rob Tardik Sticks to the Positive Stuff January 16, 2010 – It’s easy to get negative in a world with too much FOX-News and not enough positive quiet-time. Rob Tardik is well aware of how easily one can become derailed but he had a great foundation, “Having amazing well grounded parents I’m sure helped all the way,” says the guitarist. Tardik adds, “I have a very close friend and she always say to me when we chat, “It’s a beautiful day in the neighbourhood” and we both die laughing but she is right. I always get up happy in the morning, no drama, and try to be the best person I can everyday.” Rob Tardik dropped by the Smooth Jazz Now studio to chat with Morning Man and Program Director John Beaudin. Check out their chat. Read the Interview |
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Interview - In Conversation With Alex Bugnon His crafting musical arrangements and beautiful melodies have a touch of Contemporary Jazz, R&B and Gospel. Bugnon should have become a classical pianist, having studied at the Paris Conservatory and the well-known Mozart Academy in Salzburg. However, he turned his back to Mozart and decided to move to the US, becoming the widely acclaimed and talented pianist we know today. Being a Swiss citizen myself, it was a great pleasure to sit down and talk to this talented artist . More |
Interview:Interview with Patrick Yandall April 7, 2009 - Fran Samuel: Hi Patrick, thanks for doing the interview with us at Smooth Jazz Now. Instead of me writing an intro on who you are why don’t you tell us? So who’s Patrick Yandall?Patrick Yandall: A guitar player from Bay City, MI., and now residing in San Diego who lives and breathes his music. I started playing guitar at 6 years old. Started playing clubs at 13. More |
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Interview: “Up Front” with Bassist Michael Manson
Interview: Candy Dulfer: Still Breaking Down Boundaries
Interview: Peter Friestedt Retuns With Toto/Chicago Inspiration on 'LA Project II
Interview: Bob Baldwin's "New Urban Jazz": Musical Gimmick or Next Step in Smooth Jazz?
Interview: Jonathan Fritzen: Fresh Air from Sweden
Interview: Ken Navarro - Is He the Savior to the Format ?
Interview: David Sanborn Interview: No Limits To Music
We will be posting our list of thousands of other interviews right here once we have switched them to our new website template. thanks! |
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October 10, 2010 – Not many groups have stood the test of time like Airborne. Coming in around the time that the NAC format was really starting to cook, 1988, this outfit grew with every project, gig and album. Having just released their most powerful album yet, New Horizon’s, it looks like the world is ready for this, a full dose of positive, social conscious fusion. We sat down with the band to chat about all the twisting, yet beneficial roads taken.
April 4, 2010 – The smart ones in life know that it’s not how you fall down in life that counts but how you get up. Zach Bandolin has had his fair share of topsy-turvy moments but the guitarist keeps swinging. His new album “Pages from My Book,” as the title states, is a travelogue into his past, present and even future. Bandolin consciously went into the project with an intention to be transparent with his skills and life lessons.
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