September 3, 2010 – It’s been another smash week for Eric Darius as his new hits single ‘Uptown Swagger’ stayed at #1 on the ‘Smooth Jazz Now TOP 30 Countdown.’ “Eric went out of his way to create an album that had a little bit of everything on it, a nice mix,” says John Beaudin, Countdown host and Program Director of Smooth Jazz Now. 
August 28, 2010 – Eric Darius is not giving up his #1 spot. The talented saxophonist received the most buzz in the last seven days with his latest single ‘Uptown Swagger.’ “Eric is going to be our special guest on the countdown in the next two weeks,” 
August 21, 2010 – After three weeks at the #1 spot Melody Gardot and her hit ‘Baby I’m a Fool” has finally stepped down leaving room for Eric Darius and his first single from the new album ‘On a Mission.” “Uptown Swagger” which has held the #2 spot for four weeks has gained the most ground in the last seven days on the countdown. “This song is totally taking off. 
August 13, 2010 – “This song has legs,” says Smooth Jazz Now Program Director, John Beaudin, when speaking of ‘Baby I’m a Fool’ by Melody Gardot. The popular love song by Gardot has landed in the #1 position for the 3rd straight week. “Our countdown is solely based on how many times a song spins each week,” says Shannon Edwards, 
August 12, 2010 – Smooth Jazz Now Program Director, John Beaudin, has his own interesting fact about Tammy Weis. They both lived in Vancouver in the late nineties and got to know each other professionally via phone interviews. Though Beaudin knew what Tammy looked like from her high profile in that city, 
August 10, 2010 – Success has a habit of multiplying itself. Chris Botti has had his “A” game on for quite a few years now and is no stranger to TV. Besides being a regular fixture on PBS he has also been the Musical Director for the Caroline Rhea show and not a week goes by that the talented trumpeter is not a guest on some variety show. 
August 10, 2010 Los Angeles CA - Indie Contemporary Guitarist/Vocalist Steve Oliver holds the No.1 slot on Billboard's Smooth Jazz Chart with "Fun in the Sun" from his Global Kiss CD four weeks in a row and is No.1 on 5 other major smooth jazz charts. 
August 6, 2010 – When we talked to Jack Prybylski we found out he was certainly an interesting chap. A deep thinker and a very spiritual man, the saxophonist has truly enjoyed the road to recording his latest album ‘Out of the Box.’ 
August 2, 2010 – Smooth Jazz Now is pleased to announce the addition of Johnny J. Rivera to our on-air staff. Rivera, a successful Jazz musician in Las Vegas, is fast becoming a national phenomenon with the success of his hit single ‘Lady Cab Driver.’ 
August 1, 2010 – Shannon Edwards was raised in the Okanagan, in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. Broadcasting was certainly never on her mind as she searched for a career, “It’s probably the last thing I expected to do,” says Edwards. . 
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. 
February 23, 2010 - 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. 
June 16, 2010 – 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. 
May 12, 2010 – 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.” 
March 28, 2010 – Here is a band that I’ve watched carefully for the past few years and with the release of “Where Are You” I wondered if they could finally move their tickle-trunk of tricks to the next level. Unfortunately, they’ve eluded that destination but it’s not to say that this album is a total bust.|
REVIEW - Mindi Abair – In Hi-Fi Stereo Abair just isn’t pretty anymore, musically that is. On ‘In Hi-Fi Stereo’ she’s taking the elevator to the basement where everything started. It’s not only her musical foundation but also a place we’ve all been before. It’s the room where the backbone of many inspirations first started – the golden age of R&B, Soul and Funk. ‘In Hi-Fi Stereo’ displays a musician almost channelling mid-to-early eighties David Sanborn and that ain’t a bad thing. Sure, I can hear the purists saying it’s derivative but Abair serves up a sense of cool and it’s a smart career choice that still fits in Smooth Jazz and the more traditional outlets will probably taste-test as well. Watch this trend expand as more Smooth Jazz musicians fight to escape the box that’s been built around them and sometimes by them.
"I think it all kind of seeped into me over time. I wanted to move away from a more produced sound and just get into the studio and play. It didn't have to be perfect,” says Abair. “It didn't have to be shiny and new. It's not an intellectual record. It's a fun, feel-good record inspired by some of those great sounds and grooves from that period, but recast for a modern audience." She does capture that gold groove from yester-year and this could open up a whole new fan base for the saxophone player.
Abair co-produced the set with R&B mainstay Rex Rideout who is heavily featured on keys. The first single ‘Be Beautiful’ displays an almost hypnotic bass line and a simply positive message that serves as an anthem to woman. The tune is penned by vocalist David Ryan Harris who shares the chorus vocals with Abair and it’s already a hit on Smooth Jazz charts. The appropriately titled ‘Girls Night Out,’ one of my favorite tracks on the album, has probably the most memorable chorus and, again, an infectious bass line that just says, “Bob that head damn it and make sure you look cool doing it.” ‘Let the Whole World Know (Sing Your Song)’ is living in the seventies and has no plans on leaving home. This is ‘Talkin’ ‘bout the Car Wash’ meets Sly Stones’ ‘Hot Fun in the Summertime.’ With Abair on chorus lead vocals it takes you down that carefree campfire sing-a-long territory. It’s livin’ in the moment fun times.
The album’s last track ‘The Alley’ is a soft gentle epilogue that almost sounds like the closing credits theme considering it’s sonically and thematically a little different from the rest of the album. Interestingly, I had visions of Mindi walking away from the screen with sax in hand. Her job was done.
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May 9, 2010 – 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.”
The project kicks off with ‘Any Way You Wanna,’ and the early message is this ain’t no sound-a-like groove project that’s practically killed the Smooth Jazz format. "This album is a reflection of some of the older more soulful records I've been listening to in the last couple years," says Abair, including Al Green, Alain Toussaint, Junior Walker, King Curtis, Archie Bell and the Drells, and many others. Tunes like ‘Any Way You Wanna’ always sound like a brick house that’s meant to jump but never break and like the best R&B it still sounds as great after 100 listens. 
‘All Star’ is another lean, mean retro ditty that digs a little deeper and shows Abair’s more serious side as a musician but make no mistake she’s got a wink in her eye on this album, as she stated earlier, she’s having fun. ‘L'Espirit Nouveau,’ a tribute to New Orleans keyboardist/composer Alain Toussaint, easily brought me to my pimple face past as a 14 year old imagining what really happens in those smoky clubs. It’s sexy with a hint of wonder and anticipation but really it’s just plain naughty. 
The tune that’s really getting a lot of attention is Abair’s retooling of James Brown’s iconic ‘It's a Man's Man's Man's
Abair has not reinvented any wheels here and I doubt that she planned to. No, she didn’t unseat Sanborn or Grover. Simply put this album is a tip of the old proverbial hat. It’s a stage that I hope she sticks with because this album certainly stuck with me. The project is also a lesson in never underrestimating anyone in life. Just when you think you know them, something happens, they change or simply devolge more of themselves. Maybe they’re deeper than you thought or their journey made them work harder or damn it their smarter than you’ll ever be. Mindi has proved a long time ago that she was more than a cute blonde holding a sax but ‘In Hi-Fi Stereo’ solidifies not only a quantum leap of faith and determination but a line in the sand. An unapologetic artist standing tall and walking down any street she pleases. ( |
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