Currently browsing category

Jazz, Page 12

The Yellowjackets | Timeline

The Yellowjackets - Timeline
 
The Yellowjackets | Timeline
by Brent Faulkner
 
Veteran fusion jazz group Yellowjackets return with their newest effort, Timeline. On Timeline, Yellowjackets sound as if they have not missed a beat, adding yet another gem to their discography. A set of eleven cuts, there are no misses to mention, with each of the tracks exhibiting some special ‘magic.’ While Timeline may not be coined as being the group’s best effort – that would be their breakthrough and classic recordings – it certainly shows ‘the old guys’ still have their ‘mojo.’
Jazz enthusiasts shan’t be disappointed in the least by this effort.

Paul Hardcastle | Desire

Paul Hardcastle - Desire
 
Paul Hardcastle | Desire (Trippin ‘n’ Rhythm)
By Brian Soergel
 
Although British synth wiz Paul Hardcastle landed on worldwide music charts 25-plus years ago with “19” and with his Zero One alter ego, he of course has made a nice second career with smooth-as-silk smooth jazz songs. They really are his forte. Hardcastle has slipped just a bit with recent releases and, with ideas possibly thin, has lately offered a greatest hits collection, DVD set to old songs and even a relaxed, smoothed out version of “19.”

Elan Trotman | Love and Sax

Elan Trotman - Love and Sax
 
Elan Trotman | Love and Sax (E.T. Muzik Production)
By Brian Soergel
 
Saxophonist Elan Trotman is a new star on the smooth jazz world. Although inspired by masters likeGrover Washington, Jr. and Kirk Whalum, his compelling tone and R&B touches mark him as a new force a la Boney James or Euge Groove. Trotman, which the New England Urban Music Awards named best male jazz performer, is a Barbados native educated at Boston’s esteemed Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Keiko Matsui | The Road…

Keiko Matsui - The Road
 
Keiko Matsui | The Road…(Shanachie)
By Brian Soergel
 
Keiko Matsui is a master on the piano or on her portable Yamaha strapped around her neck. She’s showed her technical skills on her CDs, in shows and especially with some remarkable four-hand piano gigs with Bob James. But Matsui, throughout her distinguished career, hasn’t been concerned about earning bravos for her virtuosity, though she certainly has earned the accolades that do come her way.

Marcus Miller | A Night In Monte-Carlo

Marcus Miller - A Night in Monte-Carlo
 
Marcus Miller | A Night in Monte-Carlo
By Peggy Oliver
 
Marcus Miller has worn many musical hats through his established career. Besides being one of the most in-demand studio musicians, especially for Luther Vandross, David Sanborn and Miles Davis, Miller is one of the master bass guitar technicians. From the slap style to gorgeous melodic washes, Miller has furthered the cause for contemporary urban bass players; certainly through the inspirations of other bass greats Stanley Clarke and Jaco Pastorius.

Steve Cole | Moonlight

Steve Cole - Moonlight
 
Steve Cole | Moonlight
By Brian Soergel
 
Windy City saxophonist Steve Cole, who released his debut CD in 1998, has been a steady force on the smooth jazz charts and touring scene for more than a decade. He’s also a member of the Sax Pack, an in-the-pocket trio with fellow saxophonists Jeff Kashiwa and Kim Waters. His early music got me through some long, long drives on the West Coast.

Chelsea Baratz | In Faith

Chelsea Baratz - In Faith
 
The New Voices of Today Presents…
 
Chelsea Baratz | In Faith
by Brent Faulkner
 
It is always a ‘breath of fresh air’ to hear a young, new voice in jazz. This time, the new voice comes from über talented saxophonist and composer, Chelsea Baratz, who sounds like a seasoned veteran at the ripe ‘old’ age of twenty four. On her debut effort, In Faith, creativity runs rapid whether it be funk-oriented numbers or more cerebral, neo-traditionalist cuts.

Kenneth Whalum III | To Those Who Believe

Kenneth Whalum III - To Those Who Believe
 
Kenneth Whalum III | To Those Who Believe
by Brent Faulkner
 
Reinvigorating the ‘art’ that IS jazz is a tall, if nearly impossible order for the modern jazz recording artist. With the shoes of ‘untouchable’ legends to fill (Parker, Coltrane, Davis, etc.), it is not that often that the jazz enthusiast discovers a ‘new jazz album’ that truly ‘whets his appetite‘ or better yet serves as a ‘pipeline‘ to the future of jazz. With the recent release of the exceptionally well crafted To Those Who Believe, the future of jazz is clearly BRIGHT.

Paula Prophet | From Me To You


 
Album Review: Paula Prophet – From Me To You
By George Strand
 
(Scheduled to be released, January 11th, 2011)
 
Pacific Coast Recording artist Paula Prophet is no stranger to the jazz vocal program. Encompassing a selective mix of jazz standards, a swirl of R&B delicacies and a shake of that popcorn pop music sound, and well after 20 years stimulating listeners with her deep soul enticing voice, Ms. Prophet keeps her passion for singing alive and well in “From Me To You.”

Hide