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JaSupreme, Page 27

Paul Brown | The Funky Joint

Paul Brown - The Funky Joint CD Cover Art
 
Paul Brown | The Funky Joint
(Woodward Avenue)
By George Strand
 
Year in – Year out, Contemporary Jazz Guitarist/Producer Paul Brown continues to beat the pavement, regardless of how many sour apples taint the overall smooth jazz market. Regardless to the lack of radio station vibes towards the genre and regardless of the massive drop in record sales. The gentleman of the smooth jazz flow breaks out his passion for the groove with the release of “The Funky Joint”.

Robert Glasper Experiment | Black Radio

Robert Glasper Experiment | Black Radio
By Peggy Oliver

 

What
makes jazz musicians so appreciated are their extraordinary musical
moves and how they incorporate their vigorous passions in other genres
into their own distinct musical personality. Robert Glasper was
influenced by a jazz/blues singer in his mother, Kim Yvette Glasper. But
Glasper certainly was destined to become more than the standard jazz
stylist. To continue, please click “MORE”!

Rhythm Will Be Queen at The 34th Annual Playboy Jazz Festival

by A. Scott Galloway


Music Editor
The Urban Music Scene

It was a beautiful sunny afternoon – crystal clear following a night of heavy winds – as host Bill Cosby and producer Darlene Chan announced this year’s exciting lineup of The 34th Annual Playboy Jazz Festival. The festival returns to Father’s Day weekend – Saturday June 16 (3pm-11pm) and Sunday June 17 (3pm-10:30pm) at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. As always, the cultural and musical diversity of the collective likens it more as The Playboy World Music Extravaganza.

For this writer, the group I am most anticipating is Spectrum Road – a jazz-rock power quartet assembled to pay homage to the late, great drummer Tony Williams and his pioneering band The Tony Williams Lifetime. To continue, please click “MORE”!

Najee | The Smooth Side Of Soul

Najee - The Smooth Side of Soul
 
Najee | The Smooth Side of Soul
By Peggy Oliver
 
Multi-award winner Najee is one of contemporary jazz’s long-standing ambassadors and continues to challenge himself with respect towards his fan base that has further translated to his overall industry longevity. As a lifelong fan of R&B and jazz music, Jerome Najee Rasheed decided to follow his musical childhood inspirations while developing his woodwind skills.

Ellee Ven | Her Wildcat Lovin’ Majesty

elleven - her wildcat lovin majesty
 
Ellee Ven | Her Wildcat Lovin’ Majesty
By Stella Titus-Ayala
 
The Beautiful Ellee Ven, hailing from Lexington, KY, is a current Pop/Indie independent artist from the label Hot Sauce Records. Her new CD, “Her Wildcat Lovin’ Majesty” was released last year in May 2011.
 
For starters, the first track on the album SIGNALS, by far, is the best song Ellee Ven delivered.

Kirk Whalum | Romance Language

Kirk Whalum - Romantic Language
 
Kirk Whalum | Romance Language
By Peggy Oliver
 
One of jazz’s unlikely pairs, depending on who you might speak with, stirred some magic in the early sixties. John Coltrane was undeniably a groundbreaking modern saxophone player who leaned more towards the avant-gardism school of thinking. After choosing crooner Johnny Hartman for an Impulse! recording project of romantic ballads came to fruition in 1963, Coltrane immediately connected with Hartman’s melodic and sensitive phrasing, which was the self-titled project’s driving force.

Boyz II Men | Twenty

Boyz II Men - Twenty
 
Boyz II Men | Twenty
by Brent Faulkner
 
Veteran male R&B group Boyz II Men celebrate twenty years in the
game with their most recent studio album appropriately titled Twenty.
Twenty is a double-disc effort, comprised of twenty three tracks; the
first disc is new material while the second disc is re-recordings of the
groups biggest hits.

Amy Winehouse | Lioness: Hidden Treasures

Amy Winehousde - Lioness Hidden Treasures
 
Amy Winehouse | Lioness: Hidden Treasures
by Brent Faulkner
 
When British soul singer Amy Winehouse passed away in July 2011 at age
27, the world lost a talented musician way too soon. While many
predicted Winehouse’s battle with demons would be her ultimate and
perhaps untimely demise, the world was saddened that such a distinct,
passionate, and soulful voice was gone so soon.

Mary J. Blige | My Life II…The Journey Continues (Act I)

Mary J Blige - My Life II
 
Mary J. Blige | My Life II…The Journey Continues (Act I)
by Brent Faulkner
 
Any artist, regardless of genre, would be hard pressed to follow-up one
of their most pivotal releases with a worthwhile sequel. On My Life
II… The Journey Continues (Act I), that is what R&B standout Mary
J. Blige attempts to do. The result is a pleasant effort, but an effort
that never eclipses the original My Life, nor does it eclipse Blige’s
modern masterpiece, The Breakthrough. Despite this and some humdrum,
less distinct moments, there is enough solid material to make My Life II
an enjoyable, though not necessarily the most important or vital effort
in Blige’s rich discography.

Carl Thomas | Conquer

carl thomas album art - Conquer
 
Carl Thomas | Conquer
By Stella Titus-Ayala
 
Carl Thomas and his long awaited and anticipated New Album “CONQUER” hits you with smooth contemporary R&B tracks like “THE NIGHT IS YOURS” and many more to come. This track just goes to show you that in his absence he was going deeper within his talent and musical vault before resurfacing with hot new sounds for the project.

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