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Jazz, Page 10

3 Brave Souls | John Beasley / Daryl Jones / Ndugu Chancler

3 Brave Sould - John Beasley
 
3 Brave Souls
John Beasley / Daryl Jones / Ndugu Chancler
(BFM Jazz)
by Peggy Oliver
 
Occasionally, I ponder about what truly inspires bands or vocal groups in choosing their names and what their thought process was behind it. For instance, the name 3 Brave Souls sparked immense curiosity. After checking their musical background, I particularly noted that John Beasley, Daryl Jones and Leon ‘Ngudu’ Chancler had one major common bond. These veteran musicians represented three generations who played behind modern jazz trumpet pioneer Miles Davis.

Kenny G & Rahul Sharma | Namaste India

Kenny G - Namaste II
 
Kenny G & Rahul Sharma
Namaste India
(Concord)
By Peggy Oliver
 
Since the mid-eighties, Kenny G’s distinct aesthetic soprano saxophone has been a strong force in the smooth jazz community. G (which stands for his last name Gorelick) initially paid major dues with jazz fusion giant Jeff Lorber. Like many superstars in waiting, the Seattle, WA native’s solo triumph was not immediately realized when he released his debut in 1982. Album sales were more respectable on his second and third releases but the breakthrough arrived in 1986 with his fourth disc, Duotones, and the smash jazz/R&B single “Songbird,” which sealed Kenny G’s longevity in the industry.

Gerald Albright & Norman Brown | 24/7

Gerald Albright - Norman Brown 247
 
Gerald Albright & Norman Brown – 24/7
Concord Music Group
By Peggy Oliver
 
If one is seeking the perfect summer smooth jazz breeze, or better yet, a super sweet jazz treat for all seasons, there is one special project that is a must hear headlining two of the contemporary jazz’s most respected musicians. Multi-instrumentalist Gerald Albright, who has backed superstars from Phil Collins to The Temptations, and guitarist Norman Brown (compared frequently to George Benson) who began with Motown’s custom label Mo Jazz in 1992, finally connect for a retro jazz/R&B anchored ride entitled 24/7.

Bob Baldwin Presents “Betcha By Golly Wow – The Songs Of Thom Bell”

Bob Baldwin - Betcha By Golly Wow
 
Bob Baldwin Speaks On “The Spark of Magic” of Thom Bell
by A. Scott Galloway
 
Once upon a time, a ubiquitous Bell tolled throughout the land.  It was the sound of music at its creamy dreamiest, crooned hearts-on-sleeves by groups with mystical monikers like Stylistics, Delfonics and Spinners.  T’was a time when real men feared not to sing of love and romance in phrases like “You Are Everything” and “You’re as Right as Rain.”  Their inescapable signals were carried on the wind by the multitudes, massaging the magic in their own inimitable ways. In this time of soul-warming enchantment circa `70, hearts throbbed to the pulses of true love and romance…the symphonic soul soundscapes of Maestro Thomas Randolf Bell.

Esperanza Spalding | Radio Music Society

Esperanza Spalding - Radio Music Society
 
Esperanza Spalding
Radio Music Society
(Heads Up International)
by Brent Faulkner
 
Esperanza Spalding, then relatively unknown to the masses, accomplished a feat previously unaccomplished by any jazz artist in 2011; she won the Grammy award for Best New Artist. Spalding’s victory could be viewed shocking considering she defeated more visible popular artists including Justin Bieber and Drake. While the Grammy could be considered Spalding’s ‘crowning’ achievement, it logically accompanies a rich, captivating biography, highlighted in its entirety on her website (http://www.esperanzaspalding.com).

Carmen Lundy | Changes

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Carmen Lundy
Changes
(Afrasia)
 
A Record Reflection by A. Scott Galloway
 
Singer/Songwriter Carmen Lundy’s twelfth album, Changes, is the kind of jazz vocal album that does more than entertain. It enhances your very existence. This is music that soothes your being, uplifts your spirit and quiets your mind – music you can use. It has a very strong Afrocentric foundation and an overflowing of warm musical sunshine to light your way. Ms. Lundy composed 8 of the 9 numbers herself, making for an album truly classifiable as “one from the heart.”

Greg Adams | East Bay Soul 2.0

Greg Adams - East Bay Soul 2.0
 
Greg Adams | East Bay Soul 2.0
(Greg Adams Music)
By George Strand
 
While much of today’s contemporary/smooth jazz music is dominated by certain brass and wind instruments [sax, flute, trombone (Shorty), etc.], we as aficionados in appreciation of the art should never squeeze out the space still made available for the grace of the trumpet – a very powerful horn in the brass family. Perhaps a good dose of the sound of the trumpet and Flugelhorn from Greg Adams, founding/long-time member of hit R&B band Tower of Power might do the trick.

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”.

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.

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.

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