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June 2015

Najee | You, Me and Forever

Najee - You, Me & Forever II - HighRes
 
Najee | You, Me and Forever
by Peggy Oliver
 
From the moment he earned a Grammy nomination for his debut album inspired by his namesake almost three decades ago, Najee has claimed the market for his distinct crossover ability in sustaining jazz and R&B fans. Any other superlatives that may apply to Najee’s career can be summed up with an Energizer Bunny work mentality and a knack for oozing the soul in smooth jazz, as proven with fifteen CD’s starting with Najee’s Theme, most having reached the top five on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart.

Janet + Summer = Strawberry Smash (“No Sleeep” Single Review)

Janet-Jackson-2015 (1)
 
Janet Jackson – “No Sleeep”
Single Review
by A. Scott Galloway
 
Janet’s “No Sleeep,” the lead single from a forthcoming project potentially to be titled Conversations in a Café, is a sensual, laid back, easy-on-the-ears groove – something she does very well and that her writing/production partners Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis make to seem effortless. It’s a smooth summer song (think “…And On and On..,” “That’s The Way Love Goes”) and Jam & Lewis did an excellent job of creating an aural space for Janet’s singular sound.

Tamia | Love Life

Tamia - Love Life
 
Tamia | Love Life
Def Jam Recordings
by Darnell Meyers-Johnson
 
Tamia was literally picked from obscurity 20 years ago when Quincy Jones auditioned her for his 1995 album Q’s JOOK JOINT. Her solo feature, “You Put A Move On My Heart” became the set’s lead single and earned Tamia the first of her six Grammy nominations. The rest, as they say, is history.

Reggae Legends Third World Rock Playboy Jazz Festival Day 2

Playboy Jazz Festival – Day 2 – Sunday June 14, 2015
 
A Concert Reflection by A. Scott Galloway
Photos: Mathew Imaging
 
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Brown Bunnies of Playboy
 
An afternoon of tradition and roots gave way to an evening of mash-ups and fusions for the second day of the 37th Annual Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl.

37th Annual Playboy Jazz Festival Proves An Avalanche of Diversity

Playboy Jazz Festival – Saturday June 13, 2015
 
Concert Reflection by A. Scott Galloway
Photos: Mathew Imaging
 
June gloom morphed into jazz-soul glory for Saturday June 13, 2015 – the first day of the 37th annual Playboy Jazz Festival – a day of great music that found the heat slowly and consistently escalating to the very end.
 
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Honeys at Playboy

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