May 17, 2013 - After only four weeks Andy Snitzer is sitting pretty at the top spot of the Smooth Jazz Now Top 50 Countdown. "Andy's done well," says John Beaudin Operations Manager at the AirCom Jazz Network, "he dethroned Boney James from the #1 spot," adds Beaudin. 
May 3, 2013 - Things keep looking better for Boney James. The popular sax-man has the biggest hit of the year so far on Smooth Jazz Now with 'Batucada.' It's now been #1 for five weeks. "It's always special when a song stands out that much," says John Beaudin Program Director of Smooth Jazz Now. 
April 30, 2013 – Good Morning America has announced a huge line up for its 5th Annual Summer Concert Series. 
April 25, 2013 – Three gifted smooth Jazz musicians; Rick Braun, Kirk Whalum and Norman Brown came together 11 years ago with their group BWB. These guys put their name on the map with the famous album Groovin’ and are back in full swing with an upcoming release ‘Human Nature’ set for release June 18th. 
April 19, 2013 - Boney James is again the most talked about artist on Smooth Jazz Now. His hit 'Batucada' was the most requested tune on our station for the last two weeks. "You have to love a song with this type of staying power," says John Beaudin, Program Director of Smooth Jazz Now. 
April 10, 2013 – The hottest new song on the Smooth Jazz Now TOP 50 chart last week was Andy Snitzer's 'Candy' entering at an impressive #5. The tune comes from, 'The Rhythm,' Snitzer's 3rd Native Language album and his 8th overall. The label calls the single “sweet funk/pop” which it is indeed. “I just love this song,” says John Beaudin Program Director of Smooth Jazz Now. 
March 27, 2013 – They say “everything is perception” and from the start our image of Rob Tardik has been hard working and positive. With the release of his fourth album LIMITLESS, later this year, we thought we would catch up with Tardik and ask about the sound of the new project. 
March 27, 2013 - With the release of Jim Samuel's new album 'Smooth Covers, Smooth Dance' last week and our 90-minute radio special on his career we thought we would delve a little deeper into what makes Samuel tick. 
March 26, 2013 - Boney James had the most requested tune on Smooth Jazz Now for the second week in a row. His new single 'Batucada' has only been on the chart four weeks and two of those have been at #1. "Anytime we get a Boney single we know our audience will get it to #1," says John Beaudin, Program Director of Smooth Jazz Now. 
March 26, 2013 - Mike MacArthur has an impressive resume. Playing with Diane Schuur and the late great Maynard Ferguson creates great cache for an artist.
March 22, 2012 – Dave Koz will be joined by several of his old pals as he kicks off A Summer Horns Tour 2013.
March 13, 2013 - Boney James doesn't fool around! The famous sax-man has reached the #1 spot on the Smooth Jazz Now Top 50 Countdown and it only took him three weeks. "Ok, really - this is Freakin' Boney James," says John Beaudin, Program Director of Smooth Jazz Now. "Boney is not just known as a superstar, he proves it with every song and every album." 
March 9, 2013 – Natalie Cole has found her muse again! The 'Unforgettable' singer told fans on Twitter that she's coming back. The nine time Grammy winner should have a new album out this year. 
March 5, 2013 - Canadian singer, Michael Buble is getting ready for his upcoming album “To Be Loved’ hitting stores April 23rd. 
March 2, 2013 – I think the reputation of a music reviewer is that of a bitter and jaded curmudgeon living in a van down by the river. Years ago after writing a blistering review of a project that sounded half finished the artist approached me at a club and screamed, “You must spend a lot of time looking for things to hate?” “Actually it's the opposite, I answered, “I use my hours looking for the good stuff, 3/4 of the trip, however, is filled cliched blah!” 
March 1, 2013 - For the second week in a row Euge Groove had the most requested song on SmoothJazzNow. As a result his 'House of Groove' easily made it to #1 on the TOP 50 chart. "Euge is like Boney James, Dave Koz or Peter White," says John Beaudin, Program Director of SmoothJazzNow, "They all consistently release music that sticks with listeners." 
December 13, 2012 – SmoothJazzNow has a new artist/interview feature called One-On-One. It’s 20 questions for your favorite Smooth Jazz artists. Most acts will be asked the same questions but we will also change it up on some weeks. 
December 13, 2012 – Greg Adams has been out there. Even though many fans know him from his days with Tower of Power that stint seemed to be just an opening act for what was to come. 
December 11, 2012 - It's been a great year for Pete Giltin. The guitarist reached #1 on the SmoothJazzNow.com chart and there's no sign of him slowing down. We asked Pete to give us some rare facts - things you might not know about him. Check out the list. 
November 18, 2012 - Christmas music is a unique animal. A challenging one. Imagine explaining the concept to an alien, "So we celebrate this holiday and musicians, at least once in their careers, get to record the same 30-40 songs and hope that their versions sticks," MORE
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 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. 
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! |
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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