For a guy who says he never consciously tries to compose a radio hit, Chris Standring has an awfully impressive track record on the airwaves. The popular guitarist, who’s always textured elements of retro soul, acid jazz and chill with his trademark archtop Benedetto axe, scored one of 2000’s most spun songs with the title track from Hip Sway and more recently hit in 2006 with the Paul Brown-produced “I Can’t Help Myself.” As co-writer of the Rick Braun/Richard Elliot hit “RnR,” Standring also scored one of the biggest genre songs of 2007; the track stayed at #1 on Radio & Records’ smooth jazz chart for 12 weeks.
Despite this success, Standring says he’s bothered sometimes by the way many of today’s genre recordings are so sonically cluttered, and makes it his primary objective when helming a project — as he does with his latest recording Love & Paragraphs — to simply let the music breathe. When seeking inspiration for his compositions, his major reference points are everything but the typical smooth jazz bells and whistles that would guarantee airplay. “I grew up in the 70s, so I’m always hearing old, organic sounding instruments instead of bright fake synth sounds to create a vibe that’s warm and sexy,” he says. “If I want a Fender Rhodes sound, I’ll use a real Fender Rhodes. If the song needs a Hammond B-3, the organ I use better be pretty close to it. And I love to use those old Fender four string basses.”
Standring, who studied classical guitar while growing up on a farm in Aylesbury, Buckingshire, also creates his fascinating hybrid of retro and contemporary soul by keeping his ears peeled for hip sounds coming from the DJs on his home continent. “I love listening to progressive club music from Europe,” he adds, “because these guys have a complete license to experiment and go crazy with fresh new ideas. Sometimes, I’ll hear a track I like and think, ‘wow, what can I do personally with that?’”
Case in point: the horn enhanced, mid tempo retro blues-funk song that became the eventual title track on Love & Paragraphs began as a piece for a Portis Head-styled chill/alternative trip hop project Standring is working on with singer Mary Cassidy. He came up with a basic track layered with guitars and beats that he originally wanted to put vocals on, but loved the result so much he wrote a guitar melody over it and kept it for himself; the completed song features Cassidy’s dreamy wordless vocals blending with a rising horn section on the chorus.
Beyond drawing from the classic soul-jazz tradition (on tracks like “Qwertyuiop” and the pure pop delight “CS In The Sunshine”) and the realm of moody chill ambience (the intro to “As Luck Would Have It” and the trip-chill blues jazz jam “Ooh Bop”), Standring finds another way to stir things up sonically. He puts aside his trusty longtime jazz axe, the archtop Benedetto, and digs into more earthy blues-rock territory on five tracks with two Fender Strats; he played the Strat back in the 80s until switching to the other guitar to better tackle the acid jazz grooves which caught his ear in the early 90s. “Playing a jazz guitar and then switching to a Strat is a little like playing a violin and then picking up a cello,” he says, “so I had to figure out a new approach so there wouldn’t be quite so much of a head trip. I played the Strat for years but have never recorded with it as a lead instrument. The key was to find a tone on the Strat that is reminiscent of the Benedetto so while the guitar is a little bluesier and I can dig in a little more, it still comes across with my trademark sound.”
With the release of Love & Paragraphs, Standring is also taking the initiative of launching his own indie label, Ultimate Vibe; he believes more genre artists will follow in his footsteps now that so many major labels, responding to slower CD sales in the digital age, have dumped their jazz divisions and other small companies have closed shop. He is releasing the disc via a pass through deal with Braun and Elliot’s label ARTizen and their distribution company Ryko. Thinking ahead, he is ultimately hoping to develop Ultimate Vibe into a label for niche compilations in the chill lounge arena. First up is the Cassidy recording, which Standring calls a “KCRW project” as a reference to the progressive music played on the Santa Monica, California based public radio station. He joined with ARTizen on Love & Paragraphs to increase his viability with Ryko, but isn’t yet sure what label he will partner with for the second project; he may even distribute it himself.
“Smooth jazz artists are being forced to start our own labels because lack of sales is causing conventional companies to drop like flies,” Standring says. “If we want to stay alive and viable, we have to get our left brain and right brain thing going at the same time, or at least partner up with someone who has a strong business acumen to help us. The days when artists could finish recording a project and think our work is done are over, and I believe what I and Ray Parker, Jr. are doing is the wave of the future.
“All artists who have tied to a label,” he adds, “eventually realize they can make more money if they launch their own label that’s set up just like those bigger labels are set up. Being signed to four different companies over the years, I learned how they do things, from hiring outside publicists and radio promoters to securing strong national distribution. Doing this, we can sell as many albums as before but make a larger amount of money. The record business may be in a big transitional period right now, but there have never been better opportunities for those who are willing to take the chance.”
Chris Botti is one of the few contemporary jazz artists whose home web page (www.chrisbotti.com) lists his tour schedule immediately. The mega-popular trumpeter’s latest album, Italia, was an immediate hit, reaching #1 on the Billboard Jazz chart and scoring the hit radio single “Venice,” which hit the Top Ten on Radio & Records’ smooth jazz chart. A few months after its September 2007 release, the collection scored a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Instrumental Album. But none of that jumps out at the fan browsing the site because Botti is, in every sense of the word, a musical citizen of the world, spending most of his life on the road here and abroad. His early 2008 schedule found him on some extended stays on the West Coast (Yoshi’s in San Francisco and Oakland, Blues Alley in Seattle) but also included dates throughout Canada and, in March, Poland, the U.K. (Ronnie Scott’s in London) and Mexico City. If you can’t catch him this year, there’s always 2009; he’s already booked for May at Symphony Hall in Atlanta! His musical stop in Italy is a lush and inspired one, transferring the simple and effective swirl of dreamy trumpet pieces and sweeping vocals from Botti’s previous albums When I Fall In Love and To Love Again to a balmier locale that’s even more ripe for romance. Rather than draw from The Great American Songbook, the trumpeter and his producer Bobby Colomby create magic with the music of film composer Ennio Morricone, opera classics like “Caruso” and “Nessun Dorma” and “Ave Maria.” Botti co-wrote the Andrea Bocelli-sung title track with famed pop composer/producer David Foster, but the most remarkable vocal on Italia is “I’ve Grown Accustomed To Her Face,” rendered here as a Nat King/Natalie Cole style duet between Botti and the original 1957 recording by Dean Martin.
Personal Taste
1) Brian Hughes, Live (Radio Canada) – A slew of high profile side gigs (including touring the world with Loreena McKennitt) has kept this Wes Montgomery influenced Canadian guitarist from making the same kind impact in this decade as he did as a solo artist in the 90s, but this truly riveting concert in Montreal reminds fans of his heyday while inspiring an overwhelming hunger for more.
2) Phillip Martin, Pride & Joy (Three Keys Music)
3) Chris Geith, Timeless World (Nuance Music Group)
4) Alicia Keys, As I Am (J Records)
5) Amy Winehouse, Back To Black (Island Records)
Heading into its 18th year in 2008, The Berks Jazz Fest in Reading, Pennsylvania is an annual mecca for some 45,000 jazz fans for a few key reasons beyond an exciting ten-day lineup. Aside from its small city community spirit — the heart and soul behind the music is some 300 local volunteers — Berks is unabashed in its appeal to smoothies and jazz purists alike, juxtaposing Brian Culbertson and Pat Martino, Stanley Jordan and Rick Braun, Dave Brubeck and Mindi Abair in any given year.
Beyond that, while most festivals just hop from one big name to another, Berks these last few years has offered some tasty one time only all-star gatherings paying homage to icons like Marvin Gaye, Ivan Lins and Luther Vandross. The unofficial house ringleader for these events is Grammy winning keyboardist Jason Miles, who knows something about mining the old Rolodex for sweeping album projects that defy common logistical sense. He’s been the unofficial Quincy Jones of contemporary jazz over the past decade, helming star-studded discs paying homage to Gaye, Lins, Grover Washington, Jr. and Weather Report.
For Berks 2007, Miles reached back to the 60s soul that shaped his diverse musical sensibilities and put together a dream lineup of modern artists and still brilliant old school sidemen to help him re-imagine his favorite all-time R&B and soul-jazz songs. In an industry that generally shies away from live album releases, Shanachie Records shows progress by releasing this explosive concert on disc as Soul Summit. The subtitle “Can You Feel It?” comes from the easy grooving, wistfully brassy song by saxman/flutist Karl Denson and featuring Denson, Incognito singer Maysa and a host of sensual backup singers. For Miles, that track, that title, “got the message across.”
“Back when I was growing up, a lot of us didn’t know that what we were listening to was ‘soul music,’” he says. “I played organ in different bands in the late 60s and I loved Booker T and the MG’s, Howard Tate, Dyke and The Blazers and The Staple Singers. Soul is one of the building blocks of American music. From Memphis to Chicago blues, from the Mississippi Delta up to the Detroit of Motown, it represents the cultural history of our country. What was the first instrument man ever heard? The heartbeat. The music comes from that. We need to build off this legacy if we want the music to survive. With Soul Summit, I wanted to dig into these songs with the idea of revisiting classic music with a modern sense.”
To that end, he built his dream band beginning with famed Motown “Funk Brother” bassist Bob Babbitt, British skin legend Steve Ferrone (known for picking up the pieces with Average White Band and now a member of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers) and guitarist Reggie Young (Elvis, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles). The guest list grew to include saxman/flutist Karl Denson (Lenny Kravitz), singer Maysa (from Incognito), blues/soul singer songwriter Susan Tedeschi, Mike Mattison (gravel voiced lead singer from The Derek Trucks Band) and — paying as much homage to Tower of Power as the groovin’ side of smooth jazz — blistering saxman Richard Elliot.
Elliot loves playing “Shotgun” with his own band, but the experience of doing it here amongst old soul legends — where the tenor man blazes out of the gate and sets the hard driving energetic tone for the tracks to come — was somehow transcendent. He also gets in some deeper blues-soul licks than his smooth jazz catalogue allows on Miles’ hypnotic, simmer-soul composition “Chicken And Waffles,” which the keyboardist originally cut with Grover in 1996.
“When I was starting out in the early 80s, I played on sessions at Hitsville West with the Four Tops, Temptations and Smokey Robinson, who were experiencing career resurgences at the time,” Elliot says. “But Bob Babbitt and the Funk Brothers were on their original tracks that I was listening to growing up. That made Soul Summit something of a poignant experience for me. There’s an inherent, intangible quality in the way guys like him, Steve Ferrone and Reggie Young play that just comes from years of doing it. All of that is saved into a level of experience that you can’t get any other way but by touching and feeling the music of that era. Soul music to me is the one genre where the expression of pure emotion is mixed with the exactness and precision that comes with great R&B timekeeping.”
The fun part of the way this musical cirque du Miles covers the waterfront comes from some creative mixing and matching. Young played on the original “Son Of A Preacher Man” nearly 40 years ago and he adds the same simmering blues touch here behind Tedeschi’s raspy vocals and the blazing horn section. Tedeschi also adds torchy heartache to Irma Thomas’ “It’s Raining.” The deep voiced but underrated soul diva Maysa is to this generation what Stax singer Linda Lyndell was to hers, which makes her the perfect choice to lead a fiery run through “What A Man,” which was reworked in the 90s by Salt ‘N Pepa with En Vogue; one of Miles’ goals is to educate young listeners, and this song is a great way to do it — i.e. all of today’s R&B had its roots back in the Stax (and Motown).
Before Soul Summit wraps with an extended crowd pleasing medley of James Brown songs (it ain’t soul without the Godfather), Miles tackles something more unexpected because it’s as much jazz as R&B driven: his connection to the late flute icon Herbie Mann. The concert goes all retro-soul/jazzy with a wistful, laid back, Denson led version of Mann’s 1969 classic “Memphis Underground”; Young played on the original track. Miles, again handing the reins to Denson’s lead flute, also includes the similar-vibed “Memphis 2000,” an original he and Mann recorded (with Ferrone on drums) in 1996.
Miles promises that Soul Summit isn’t just a one-time thing, adding, with the hope that some funky lightning can strike again, “The convergence of all these exceptional musicians onstage and on the recording was a meeting of perfection. The groove and vibe between the musicians, along with the response from the audience, let us know that something special was going on.”
Ferrone adds, “What made it memorable was that I ate the best Philly Cheesesteak sandwich I ever had! Oh, and with the show and rehearsal, it was two days of playing with some of the greatest musicians ever. ‘Shotgun’ was my favorite, the way Richard burned through the thing and scorched the rhythm section. You’ve got to be impressed with guys like that.”
What do David Letterman’s right hand man Paul Shaffer, Yankees outfielder Bernie Williams and trumpet god Randy Brecker have in common? All are buddies of one of the East Coast’s most versatile guitarists, Grammy nominee Gil Parris, who gathered for an exciting night of jamming pop/jazz in January 2007 at the Irvington Town Hall just outside NYC. The concert is now a can’t miss DVD called Gil Parris and Friends, which the guitarist — in a clever promotional tactic - is giving away with the purchase of any one of the five discs in his eclectic catalogue. The latest of these, Strength, was one of the best indie discs of 2006 but suffered from the folding of its label, 215 Records. Parris, who does over 200 dates a year in the Tri-State Area (NY, New Jersey, Connecticut) and has shared bills with Spyro Gyra, Bob James, George Benson, Robben Ford, Joshua Redman and Chris Botti, is now marketing it independently. The album’s song “Duck Walk,” a blues funk duet with Brecker, was a longtime #1 in the summer and fall 2007 on Music Choice, America’s top cable radio channel.
For more info on Parris, check out www.gilparris.com.
Personal Taste
1) Mark Berman, The Genesis Project (Mark Berman Music) – Someone was paying attention in Sunday School! The veteran NYC pianist and Broadway conductor explores the first chapter of the Bible with a witty, Manhattan Transfer-ish vocal harmony driven mix combining elements of rock, soul, samba, gospel and blues. This engaging set celebrates Judeo-Christian traditions while drawing attention to our connection to the earth itself.
2) Shannon Kennedy, Never My Love (Angel Eyes Creation Records)
3) Chris Botti, Italia (Columbia)
4) Dave Koz, Memories Of A Winter’s Night (Capitol)
5) Peter White Christmas (ARTizen Music Group)
Kirk Whalum has engaged in a happy artistic schizophrenia since For You, his first recording exclusively featuring colorful interpretations of contemporary pop and soul tunes — that’s a nice way to say “cover songs” - became the best selling release of his career in 1998. Since then, while also pursuing a successful career in jazz gospel, he has followed highly personal statements like Unconditional and Into My Soul with The Babyface Songbook, covering well-known chart toppers from the prolific R&B/pop composer.
Roundtrip, the saxophonist’s latest disc on Rendezvous Music, is his most joyously scattered date yet, mixing songs we know well, old tunes we’ve never heard but should have and cool new tracks featuring Whalum family members, fellow contemporary jazz icons Jeff Golub, Gerald Albright and Earl Klugh, R&B singer Shanice and fluidly cool spoken word poetry by “Tootie” from “The Facts Of Life” (a now grown up Kim Fields).
This is crazy all over the map fun, for sure, but for those willing to take the passionate and funky journey, there’s a method to his madness as he celebrates 22 years since his debut album Floppy Disk — and 23 since Bob James introduced Whalum to the world on his last Columbia disc, titled 12.
Though the saxman says the idea of covering himself started as something of a half-joke, he quickly realized that refashioning some of his old songs would lay a nice foundation for a project that’s both retrospective and forward thinking. He pays homage to influential icons like Grover Washington, Jr. (this time on the bouncy old school grooving “Big Ol’ Shoes,” written with producer Rex Rideout) while also acknowledging the modern influence of rap on R&B music (with the help of his nephew “Caleb The Bridge” on “Back In The Day”).
The title Round Trip is also a reference to the frequent flyer miles Whalum racked up doing sessions for the album with top genre producers Rex Rideout and Philippe Saisse, in addition to James McMillan, who has helmed projects for various American Idols and recorded the Prague Symphony Orchestra (in the Czech Republic!) to heighten the drama on a newfangled, heavy bottomed take on Whalum’s early radio hit “Desperately.” Tracking was done everywhere from Whalum’s current home base and original hometown of Memphis to East Sussex, U.K., Atlanta, New York, St. Louis and Los Angeles.
“As hectic as all this studio hopping was, it’s the perfect reflection of all the moves I’ve made with my family over the years,” says Whalum. “We started in Memphis, went to Houston, then Pasadena, Paris and Nashville before making the real round trip back home. I’m grateful to be around and still making music. Nothing’s guaranteed in this business and I’m always looking for new ways to stay relevant to what’s going on. The smooth jazz format has stagnated to some degree now, and the last thing I want to do is make a typical album whose only goal is being ‘radio friendly.’ I want to evolve and reflect something of substance. I had to ask myself, what’s more important, a #1 smooth jazz hit or a record that means something to me. The answer is obvious.”
Two standout tracks capture the heart and soul of what Whalum was aiming for on Roundtrip. The first is his crisp and balmy cover of “Ruby, Ruby, Ruby,” a song he wrote and originally played on the James album whose inspiration then and now is his wife of 27 years. Then there’s the Whalum family jam happening on the high spirited title track, which finds Kirk tradin’ fours with his 23 year old sax playing nephew Kenneth and his bassist son Kyle (also 23) as his Uncle “Peanuts” and brother Kevin contribute Al Jarreau-like wordless vocals.
“Concerning ‘Ruby, I remember writing that song in our little apartment on a Wurlitzer piano when we were both still in college,” Whalum says. “We have an empty nest now, but after all these years, it's nice to think I wrote this song for my girlfriend, who is now my wife and the mother of my children. I start the album even further back, with a song I never recorded that I wrote for my daughter ‘Courtney,’ who was a baby then but is now 29! It was fun finding fresh vibes for ‘Glow’ and ‘The Wave’ with Philippe and ‘Afterthought’ with Rex as well. But the real joy of this project hands down was working with the whole family. For me, this brings the trip home both literally and spiritually.
“When I hear my nephew Kenneth play and watch him soak in everything and memorize old Coltrane solos,” he adds, “I realize he’s starting on the journey I’ve been on for 36 years now. When I was his age, I was hanging out in Nice, France in James Moody’s hotel room, asking the master to show me how it’s done. If we ever get to the point where jazz is just a product to be sold, this cross-generational magic will be lost. I’m here to make sure it survives.”
Whalum purists who would rather hear his classic hits as they were done back in the day will enjoy Ultimate Kirk Whalum, a newly released Mosaic Contemporary collection of 12 gems from his career that includes the still vivacious original versions of “Desperately” and “The Wave.” The disc was compiled and produced by Matt Pierson, former VP of Jazz at Warner Bros. who guided Whalum to his greatest creative and commercial heights on that label in the late 90s.
Always willing to help out a brilliantly talented labelmate, Whalum brings his rich, urgent tenor color to the bluesy, Ramsey Lewis-styled “Juicy,” one of the best tracks on Above The Clouds, pianist and keyboardist Brian Simpson’s exuberant second release on Rendezvous. A familiar presence to genre fans for years as music director for Dave Koz and the ringleader on many of the recent popular smooth jazz cruises, Simpson broke out as a solo artist in 2005 with It’s All Good. The disc’s title track hit #1 on the Radio & Records Airplay chart and remained in the Top 5 for four months; his follow-up single “Saturday Cool” went Top 15. The first single from Above The Clouds is the similarly happy “What Cha Gonna Do?” but Simpson has a lot of more significant, deeper expressions to offer, including the title track (essentially a duet with George Duke’s vibes and mini-Moog), the haunting meditation “Memories Of You” and the soulful acoustic quartet closer “That’s Right,” featuring some parting tenor genius from the late, great Michael Brecker.
Personal Taste
1) Lalo Schifrin & Friends (Aleph Records) – The legendary pianist and film composer — who just scored Rush Hour 3! - gets back to his traditional jazz roots with this thoughtful and vibrant, highly improvisational jam session of classics and originals with a spirited all-star ensemble of Brian Bromberg, Alex Acuna, Dennis Budumir, James Morrison and the great James Moody.
2) Suzy Bogguss, Sweet Danger (LDR Records)
3) Les Sabler, Sweet Drive (The Music Force Media Group)
4) Jim Brickman, Homecoming (SLG Music)
5) Peabo Bryson, Missing You (Peak Records)
With apologies to the late, great James Brown, Rick Braun and Richard Elliot have been the hardest working cats in showbiz — or at least smooth jazz-land - since launching their indie label ARTizen Music Group with their manager Steve Chapman and industry vet Al Evers in 2005.
The trumpet and sax icons signed and released projects by three solid artists in Shilts, Jackiem Joyner and Rick Kelly/Soul Ballet and criss-crossed the U.S. as half of Jazz Attack (with Peter White and Jonathan Butler) in the summers of 2005 and 2007. Along the way, each put out a solo album that spawned a hit cover song, Braun scoring with “Shining Star” from Yours Truly and Elliot spending 11 weeks at #1 on Radio & Records’ airplay chart with “People Make The World Go Round,” from Metro Blue, which was co-produced by Braun.
After all that, you can’t really blame them for wanting some RnR, the name of their cleverly titled dual album that Braun feels—after so much previous collaboration—is way overdue.
“We’ve talked about doing a full length project together for a long time,” he says, “and when we finally had the chance, it was exciting and fun for both of us. We have so much mutual respect for each other and are such great friends that it was just a matter of getting together, being spontaneous and letting things fall where they may. From start to finish, RnR was this effortless flow of energy and exchange of ideas.”
For both musicians, the overriding concept was to reach back beyond the smooth jazz era and draw on their individual roots with powerhouse horn sections, Elliot’s with Tower of Power (1982-87) and Braun’s with War (mid-80s). By tapping into those experiences and writing on the fly — the mic was permanently switched on at Brauntosoarus, Braun’s home studio in Los Angeles, to capture the melodic and arrangement ideas as they flowed - Elliot says they were able to create the raw, percolating feeling of a live date but with the polish of a studio recording. This approach offered the opportunity for many more first takes than most genre recordings.
“It was a blast to make music in such an uncontrived way and from the gut level like this,” he says. “While we didn’t fixate on the retro R&B vibe, doing it like this took us back to the old days when recordings were done more organically. These days, being retro is also keeping current, so it’s a mix of old school and contemporary sounds. The horn playing also happened naturally. There are some cool horn section passages, but we didn’t want to fall into the trap of constantly stacking up trumpet and sax in people’s faces and overpowering the melodies. Instead, we treated the project as if it were a dual vocal album, creating a lot of intimate single tenor and trumpet or flugelhorn lines. Then maybe we’d come back together on the chorus.”
After Elliot invokes inspirational works by Miles Davis with Wayne Shorter and John Coltrane, Braun adds, “The sessions were like a lot like old recordings from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s, which gave the record a warm sound. Then the horn section parts were doubled to give it that oomph and muscle.”
The buoyant, hard grooving title track captures this controlled madness perfectly, opening with bright and sensual dual textures on the chorus, then jetting into urgent, brief conversations between Elliot’s tenor and Braun’s trumpet before a return to the party. The late night romantic vibe of “Sweet Somethin’” starts with Elliot at his subtle, simmering best, offering a few gentle lines before Braun chimes in on muted trumpet in response; but even when they come together for the hook, they’re cool about it.
With a funky foundation created by Braun and Jeff Lorber, the Brecker Brothers styled “Curveball” has some high octane, percussive brass; but between the scorching chorus parts, there are laid back singular passages. This sly rapport reaches deep into RnR, illuminating what Elliot calls the “just plain stinky” grooves of “Down and Dirty,” the hypnotic funk jam “Da JR Funk” and the slightly more genteel “Two Heart Tango.” Lorber’s not the only heavyweight contributing groovy ideas; Braun and Elliot also called on old pals Rex Rideout, Philippe Saisse and Shilts to launch some wild but steady foundations.
It took about three months to record the album at Brauntosoarus whenever the two were between tour dates, but Braun did a lot of the heavy lifting on the production side while Elliot was stuck in 2-3 hours traffic coming up from Escondido, in San Diego Country, to Woodland Hills in L.A. Road rage filled Southern Californians could take a lesson from Elliot, who used the gridlock to his advantage. “I was driving back and forth each day, which was about 5-6 hours roundtrip,” he says. “But I kind of liked it. It gave me time to listen to tracks in the car on the ride in so I knew what I wanted to do that day. At night, I’d drive home with what we worked on so I could listen to what I wanted to do or change at the next session.”
Braun, waiting for the screech in his driveway, was amazed every time his partner showed up refreshed and ready to work. “With a large family, outside entrepreneurial endeavors and a full life, Richard has every right to be scattered at all times,” he says. “But once you get a hold of him, he’s brilliant and completely focused. He’s capable of getting off hours on the 405 Freeway and walking into the studio without needing a minute to enter a creative headspace. Making RnR was a fascinating process, and I think without a doubt the best record I’ve ever done.”
Braun’s 20-year friendship with the versatile composer/producer Rick Kelly made it easy to choose his chill-electronica-jazz-pop instrumental outlet Soul Ballet as ARTizen’s latest signing. A veteran pop songwriter, film/TV composer and sideman to numerous pop and jazz artists (Herbie Hancock, Michael Jackson, Jaco Pastorius, Madonna), Kelly launched his Soul Ballet concept in the mid-90s and scored two #1 airplay hits, “NYC Trip’n” and “Blue Girl.” His greatest success came some years later, as “Cream” became one of the biggest smooth jazz hits of 2005, staying at #1 on the R&R airplay chart for nine weeks and ranking as the #2 single of the year.
Kelly, who spends his non-musical time as a TV actor (Nip/Tuck, Days Of Our Lives, Cold Case, CSI), is a big fan of modern urban music and calls his ARTizen debut Lavish “hip jazz, smooth hop” — a hybrid of contemporary and retro soul, sweet piano melodies, orchestral flavors and hypnotic ambiences. By way of comparison, the vibe takes the beautiful ivory touch of Keiko Matsui, engages it in a lively street dance with Timbaland, Jay-Z and Pharrel and sweeps them all up into some old soaring James Bond film scores. With Lavish, ARTizen artfully expands beyond its roster of in the pocket, funky smooth jazz artists and looks to the future.
Elliot and Braun take a hands on approach to Soul Ballet’s latest as well, with the saxman playing the lead tenor melody on the title track and the trumpeter lending his own vibrant touch to the album’s catchy and soulful lead single “SmoothVegas.”
PERSONAL TASTE
1) Carol Welsman (Justin Time) – The popular Canadian Smooth Jazz Award winner and multiple Juno nominee proves herself a true musical citizen of the world with this Latin and Brazilian flavored mix of originals, well known pop and jazz tunes and the singer’s incredible facility for singing in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese.
2) Colbie Caillat, Coco (Universal Republic)
3) Sara Gazarek, Return To You (Native Language)
4) Marc Antoine, Hi-Lo Split (Peak Records)
5) Kirk Whalum, Ultimate Kirk Whalum (Mosaic Contemporary)
In 1989, 20-year-old up and coming Dutch saxophonist Candy Dulfer was thrust into the global limelight when Eurythmic and film composer Dave Stewart tapped her to play on his simple but undeniably catchy composition “Lily Was Here,” theme from the Dutch film De Kassiere. The song hit #1 on the Dutch radio charts, hit #6 on the U.K. singles chart and #11 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Though she hardly felt ready for prime time, Dulfer was an instant contemporary jazz superstar, with a Grammy nominated gold selling debut album (Saxuality), a concert appearance in Knebworth, England with Pink Floyd and a tour with pop superstar Prince. Seventeen years later, “Lily” is still a smooth jazz format staple. Yet for a long time, as she came into her own as an artist, the self-critical saxophonist had a hard time listening to the song and playing it live.
“Don’t get me wrong, I love it now,” she laughs, “because finally after all these years, I can look back and see a young girl and Dave Stewart working together with something magical happening. But that first year after I did it, as everyone in the world was going crazy over it, I hated it. When I heard it, I was so hard on myself and literally cringed at every note. I realized as I was growing, I was a much better player than I was when I made that. ‘Lily’ put me somewhere I knew I didn’t belong, and I thought people would find out I wasn’t a very good player. I really would have preferred to have more years to hone my chops before emerging as an artist.
“Over the years, though,” Dulfer adds wistfully, “I had to deal with people who loved the song so much, some who had asked their wives to marry them while listening to it, others making babies to it, that I had to adjust to the fact that maybe it wasn’t so bad. Looking back at it more nostalgically, I can see beautiful things about it, being this bold young girl Dave pulled out of nowhere. For a long time in concert, I overplayed it or played it too heavy, trying to overcompensate, but now I just let it flow and put a lot of passion and love into it.”
Writing and producing with longtime musical cohorts Thomas Bank (keyboards) and Ulco Bed (guitar), Dulfer puts generous amounts of re-energized passion, love and cool flow into her aptly titled Heads Up debut Candy Store — a feisty collection that blends her longstanding penchant for bright funky melodies and bouncy grooves with silky ballads and, most impressively, includes ample improvisations that reflect her tremendous growth as a true jazz player.
Over the years, as she’s built rabid fan bases among European and U.S. jazz audiences, Dulfer has received a lot of interesting input from both sides of the Pond. In Holland, if she plays more than one slow song, people protest that there’s too much “elevator music.” At U.S. festivals, the crowds love the dance stuff and her wild alto adventures, but she still has a letter from Broadcast Architecture (which many radio stations rely on for market research) telling her to “stop playing self-indulgent solos” on disc. But Dulfer believes that life isn’t that happy or sad every day, and the music she makes should reflect both vibes of the journey.
Adding to the major funk quotient on Candy Store (typified by all out wild, edgy jam tunes like “Candy,” the buoyant anthem “Summertime” and the horn-drenched “Music=Love”) is the R&B keyboardist, songwriter and vocalist Chance Howard, a huge presence physically and musically, whom the saxophonist met when the two played on Prince’s 2004 Musicology tour. Howard is also a longtime member of the famed Minneapolis based groove band Morris Day & The Time.
“Thomas, Ulco and I have a unique, unspoken vibe when we write, and even though Chance is from the States, he fits in perfectly with the music we love, and everything clicked perfectly,” says Dulfer, who invited Howard to stay at her small form in Holland, an hour outside of Amsterdam during the making of Candy Store. “We’ve got the same click with him, and he just has a great soul-funk ear.”
Dulfer worked with two English producers (George Stewart and John Kingsley Hall) on her previous, electronics dominated studio album Right Into My Soul, but from the minute she, Bank, Bed and Howard started in on Candy Store, everything felt more free and loose and she was digging the fresh variety of organic sounds they were coming up with. The key was not thinking about sales and target audiences, but just having fun.
“Creatively,” she says, “being natural turned out better for us. But when we were done, we thought maybe there were far too many styles here. Like the reggae tune ‘Smokin’ Gun’ and that crazy Latin dance thing ‘La Cabana.’ We wondered what the U.S. record companies would think. Dave Love from Heads Up expressed interest but we thought it might be too all over the place. He got the tape and called and said, ‘Are you kidding? I love it.’ He totally got behind it. I’m really happy because Candy Store is a testament to the kind of music I really like to make. A little something for everyone, with so much stuff to check out and keep you excited. It’s like me, I can walk into the store to buy some CDs and I walk out with a pair of heels, makeup and perfume. I like when a place can mesmerize you into doing something you didn’t know you would do.”
Since jumping onto the contemporary jazz scene in the mid-90s with a uniquely exotic hybrid sound he called Classical Soul (also the name of his 1994 debut), Marc Antoine has been the genre’s answer to expedia and travelocity. The Parisian born, wanderlusting acoustic guitarist’s album titles have conveyed his status as a musical citizen of the world (Universal Language) and his desire to hop in the car (or plane) and just start Cruisin’. He released Madrid, the birthplace of his wife Rebecca, in 1998 and it’s now his family’s home. And that’s only a few hours drive from the Mediterraneo.
After experimenting sonically with DJ beats on his second Rendezvous Music album Modern Times, he’s back to a more organic vibe on his Peak Records debut Hi-Lo Split. The official story goes that on a visit to Los Angeles, his manager invited him to participate in a weekly poker game and Antoine had a major case of beginner’s luck. But when we listen to the mix of styles swirling around his infectious as ever melodies — shuffling old school R&B (“For A Smile,” “Voodoo Doll”), dynamic Latin flavors (“Cancun Blue”), Brazilian (“Bossalectro”) and cool chill ambience (“Panacea,” “Tomorrow”) — it might be more fun to imagine Antoine in a tux, with millions at stake in a casino on Monte Carlo.
Also noteworthy is Hi-Lo Split’s status as a truly homegrown creation. Not only did Antoine record everything in his home studio, he also wrote a majority of the songs, guitar in hand, by his indoor pool; the tiled floors created a cathedral like acoustic effect. The sessions were an international affair, naturally, as the guitarist flew in his longtime keyboardist and homeboy Frederick Gaillardet from Paris and used Cameroon native Andre Mange on bass. Antoine also hired a local Spanish horn section. The only fudging Antoine did can easily be overlooked, given the high cost of airfare and the power of the digital age. L.A. based percussion god Luis Conte emailed his parts from California.
PERSONAL TASTE
1) Alan Bergman, Lyrically (Verve) – The Oscar winning lyricist — who along with wife Marilyn and numerous legendary composers, has penned some of the most memorable pop songs of all time — does a beautifully arranged, Burt Bacharach-type recording of his magical hit parade. His graceful voice and the sharp, generally low-key arrangements allow the listener to hone in and appreciate anew the incredibly inspiring poetry The Bergmans have contributed to our culture for over 40 years.
2) Down To The Bone, Supercharged (Narada Jazz)
3) Jeff Kashiwa, Play (Native Language)
4) Late Night Rendezvous (Rendezvous Music)
5) Paula Cole, Courage (Decca)
A mainstay on the smooth jazz charts and festival stages since the mid-90s, Paul Taylor hit a significant career milestone this past May when Ladies’ Choice — his fourth release for Peak Records and seventh overall — debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Chart, the first time he’d ever hit the top slot right out of the box.
The titles of his previous albums seemed designed to capture the joyful seduction the saxman conveys in his sensuous rhythms and melodies: Pleasure Seeker, Nightlife, Hypnotic. Yet the moniker of his latest project goes further, reflecting not only the grooving, retro vibe of the music, but his fascinating impact as one of the genre’s genuine sex symbols. Most smooth jazz sax players write and perform amazing make-out music, but few cast the Tom Jones like spell that Taylor does when he’s onstage.
Those big first week sales indicate that husbands and boyfriends are snatching up his music, too, but ask any female who’s ever fallen under his sway during a live performance: he’s their choice. He’s been happily married to his wife Laronda for 19 years, but that doesn’t stop his fans from coming up to him afterwards for photo op, a hug and kiss, and fantasizing about more.
Taylor enhances his natural charisma with a strong stage presence and sense of showmanship that comes across as casual, yet shows an awareness of his own personal charm and the simmering power of his music. For the past ten years or so, the ladies lucky enough to have seats in the first rows have clamored for a shot to get onstage with about ten fellow pleasure seekers and accept his invitation to come up and slow dance along as he plays one of his trademark hits, “Deeper.” The moment has become a crowd-pleasing staple of his set. Those who don’t make it up cheer vicariously for those that did and hope they’ll have a chance next time.
“The idea for the ‘Deeper’ thing happened when we were putting together a tour in support of my Pleasure Seeker CD,” Taylor says. “The title track was #1 on the radio charts and it was important for me to create a show that could keep that positive momentum going. The idea to bring one or two fans up came from Andi Howard (Taylor’s manager and co-founder of Peak Records). We started small and when it was clear that the audience was digging it, I started inviting more and more women onstage and it became a vibe. There have been shows over the years where I haven’t done it and no one complained, but I’ve learned over the years to go with my strengths. It started as an experiment, but as it grew I became more aware that this was a great opportunity to touch my fans with more than simply the music.”
Before his gig as a sideman for Keiko Matsui which led to his emergence as a solo artist with 1995’s On The Horn, Taylor cut his chops playing in numerous showrooms in his adopted hometown of Las Vegas. The razzle-dazzle clearly rubbed off. “Working so many gigs in Vegas was great for building my confidence and learning the value of putting on an entertaining show,” he says. “I knew I always wanted to be a star playing the sax, so when I had the chance to do my own shows, I felt it was important to do everything I could to have an advantage. The music has to be there, but I also worked on my image. When my first album came out, I had one of those perm, bi-level haircuts that were trendy at the time, but then I grew these dreadlocks and liked how they looked.
“It’s all about enhancing what comes naturally to you, and finding ways to be interesting to people,” he says. “It’s so flattering to have such adulation and for women to consider me sexy. Part of that’s genetic, and I think it’s the way I approach the horn as well. If the image they respond to enhances their appreciation for my music, and helps me connect with them in a more meaningful way, that’s great for everyone.”
Ironically, Taylor wasn’t thinking about his frenzied fans when the title of the new album came to him. Preferring a natural flow in the studio to over-conceptualizing his projects, Taylor came up with the cool moniker when he and producer Barry Eastmond were listening back to the song that became the title track. Its thumping, discofied Chic flavor reminded the saxman of a distinct 70s club vibe. In those days, there was a sweet moment during the night when the DJ would stop the music, take the mic and turn the moment over to “Ladies’ Choice” - an invitation for the girls to choose the guys they wanted to boogie with.
Once the concept grabbed hold, Taylor took it to heart and invited four exciting female soul singers to the party as lead vocalists on five of the eleven tracks: LaToya London (a former American Idol finalist who released her debut album on Peak), who sings the tender candlelight ballad “I Want To Be Loved By You”; labelmate Regina Belle (the crisply romantic “How Did You Know” and the soaring “Open Your Eyes”); Terry Dexter (“Long Distance Relationship”); and Lauren Evans (a horn-splashed cover of AWB’s “A Love Of Your Own.”) Taylor insists that surrounding himself with these ladies was a purely creative move, but he’s excited about the multi-format possibilities it offers as well; even as the title track was rising on the smooth jazz airplay charts, Peak released “How Did You Know” to Urban AC radio outlets.
“Obviously, this is the best reception I’ve gotten for one of my albums, but I don’t think it’s because I did anything different than what I always do,” he says. “Each time out, I just want to make the best music I can, working with great producers like Barry and Rex Rideout. I think I have a gift of making good melodies and I’m happy I can do that. I dreamed of having a #1 album when I was a kid, and now to be there after so many close calls is the coolest thing and very fulfilling. I guess I just made all the right choices.”
With the release of his Peak Records debut White Sand earlier this year, Paul Brown still only has three solo discs to his credit — but no single person has had a greater impact on the smooth jazz airplay charts over the past 15 years. Google him sometime and you’ll find close to 50 #1 Radio & Records airplay hits for everyone: Boney James, Larry Carlton, Kirk Whalum, Al Jarreau, George Benson and Patti Austin, to name a few. In 2006, he started competing with himself; his version of “Winelight” was ranked by Mediabase as the most spun track of the year, and he also had chart-toppers with Norman Brown, Euge Groove and Peter White. He’s doing it again in 2007, starting the summer with three songs on R&R’s Top Ten: “Rhythm Method,” the first single from White Sand; Norman Brown’s “Let’s Take A Ride” and Peter White’s “Mister Magic” (Brown digs Grover!).
Not surprisingly considering his resume of brilliant pals, Brown makes it a party on White Sand, keeping his guitars up front while celebrating a mix of old school and contemporary soul textures. Billing the artist credit as Paul Brown & Friends, he’s got everyone contributing: Boney James, Al Jarreau, Euge Groove, David Benoit, Rick Braun and Bobby Caldwell (a killer vocal of “Mercy Mercy Mercy”). He also spotlights his current touring sax player, Jessy J, who will soon be giving Candy Dulfer and Mindi Abair a run for their money, and another newcomer, the torchy vocalist Lina.
Personal Taste
1) Keith England, Standards, New & Used (SwingSet Music) – An homage to the idea of “it’s never too late,” the former rock backup singer joins forces with brilliant pianist, arranger and producer Mike Melvoin on a stylish mix of standards (Gershwin, Ellington, et al) and snappy Melvoin originals that fit beautifully alongside the greats.
2) Acoustic Alchemy, This Way (Blue Note)
3) Maria Guida, Soul Eyes (Larknote)
4) Dee Brown, No Time To Waste (DeLaf Records)
5) Wensday, Torch Rock (Desert Dreams Records)
Rather than make a big to-do with some sort of major retrospective or another greatest hits package, Spyro Gyra celebrated its 30th anniversary as recording artists last year the only way the band knows how: adding 60-some live shows to over 5,000 others and recording yet another high energy disc, Wrapped In A Dream, which earned the band its ninth Grammy nomination this year.
The category: Best Pop Instrumental Album, a designation that barely captures the dazzling stylistic rollercoastering Spyro brings naturally to all its projects. The slot was created several years ago to recognize in the pocket smooth jazz artists like Norman Brown, Boney James and Dave Koz. Then again, the Recording Academy had to put Jay Beckenstein and the giddy, ageless wonders in his band somewhere.
“That’s been the blessing and curse of our whole career,” says the group’s founder and saxophonist, “that we don’t fall into anyone’s categories. Are we jazz, smooth jazz, fusion, Latin, all of the above or none of the above? From a marketing standpoint, our curse is that we’ve defied categorization, but creatively, that’s a blessing. On stage and in the studio, we live in this world of combining all of these things, including the R&B that’s so much a part of smooth jazz. But that’s just one of the many things we do.”
If the high-spirited, almost constantly pulsating Good To Go-Go, Spyro’s fifth release on Heads Up, gets the Academy’s attention, they may have to shift the band into the world music realm. The vibrant calypso, playful reggae and overall Caribbean slant of tracks like “Jam Up” and “Island Time” (both featuring the glorious steel pans of labelmate Andy Narell) provide the foundational vibe of the disc; Beckenstein was also thinking a different kind of global when he wrote the bubbly, sensual funk jam “The Left Bank” based on an imaginary travelogue of Paris running through his head. The song titles say it all about the celebrating going on, from Beckenstein’s playful “Simple Pleasures” to guitarist Julio Fernandez’s blistering “Funkyard Dog” and keyboardist Tom Schuman’s intensely soulful and catchy, ultra-melodic “Get Busy” and “Wassup!”
The source of the happy island bopping? Spyro’s hot new drummer/percussionist Bonny B (short for Bonaparte), a dreadlocked. Trinidad-born groove master who began playing live with the band in late 2006; Beckenstein first saw him play at a Latin extravaganza in Las Vegas, where B is a first call drummer. In addition to his rhythmic skills, he’s also a great songwriter and vocalist who provides colorful indigenous rap and cool voicings on his tune “Jam Up!” Beckenstein is pleased to note that his band’s newest member is also a powerhouse singer in the Stevie Wonder/Marvin Gaye tradition. These days, that is the ultimate ingredient for a smooth jazz airplay hit. Not that Spyro will necessarily be exploiting his voice like that anytime soon.
“Bonny has an astounding voice, and the opportunity to do more vocal things is there,” Beckenstein says, “but we’ll worry about specifics when we get to the next project. The cool thing is that making Good To Go-Go was such a fun, effortless process that we all can’t wait till we get to make another. Everything just flowed so naturally. Bonny has been a big difference and has really triggered a renaissance for us. We’re really excited about making music with this guy, who is not only a great drummer but also a great spirit. The guys have always gotten along well personally, and our friendships have deepened over the years. Bonny’s talent adds the kind of creative spark that reminds us why we’re still excited about making music. That positive energy couldn’t help but translate into a more upbeat and buoyant record.”
In addition to going in a more tropical direction musically, the band was after a more unified, live sounding, less produced feeling — which translates especially well to the SACD version of the disc being released in 5.1 Surroundsound. With the Bonny B infusion, the band had been sounding super-hot on the road in recent months, and Beckenstein wanted to capture that fire in the studio as much as possible.
“There’s a more unified sound than on most of our recent albums,” he says. “In the past, we always sort of produced from tune to tune. If one needed more reverb, we gave it some. If one called for big production, it got it. If another required a sparse arrangement, the same. In the past, there might be more reverb on a ballad, where the funk tune would be dry. This time, we made an effort to put every single track in the same sort of sonic space, so it sounds natural and organic. The drums sound the same on every tune, the reverb on my sax is the same, and everything feels more live. We’re so into these songs, in fact that when we tour this summer, we plan to perform every one of them — with maybe a medley of our old hits to satisfy the fans who go way back with us.”
No matter how critically acclaimed or Grammy nominated Spyro Gyra has been, at the end of the day — on the rare occasions when the band reflects back on its incredible success - Beckenstein says the buck stops with those fans. “If you had asked the 28 year old Jay how long this ride would last, I’d have said, of course it would go on at least another 15 years,” he laughs. “Somewhere in the middle of our run, I might have said, we’d all be surprised if it goes another 15. At this point, I’d be surprised if it doesn’t last another 15. That’s how excited we are right now. There are a lot of reasons for that. It’s about a band whose members are diligent, kind, considerate and talented. But it’s really our fan base that is responsible. They keep coming to the shows and buying the CDs and inspire us to make music that delights us and in turn, brings them joy. We love what we do, but we understand that we get to keep doing it because they stay so interested.”
Currently gearing up to release their first dual album together, smooth jazz superstars Rick Braun and Richard Elliot are making good on their promise to make ARTizen Records — the label they co-own with their manager Steve Chapman and Al Evers — accessible to new artists. While HeadBoppin’, the brilliantly funky label debut from Down To The Bone’s irrepressible saxman Shilts, didn’t catch on with radio and audiences as they hoped, they’re excited about the strictly urban vibe of their latest sax signee, Jackiem Joyner. Only 26, Joyner brings a solid sideman pedigree to his debut Babysoul, including numerous gigs with Marcus Johnson, Bobby Lyle and Jaared; co-headlining a tour with Ronnie Laws, Angela Bofill and Jean Carne; and opening for India.Arie, Boney James, Spyro Gyra and George Benson.
It’s always hard to predict what will fly with smooth jazz fans that can’t get enough of their favorite star veterans and only selectively let young guns into the big leagues. But some of Joyner’s song titles show a sense of optimism that is as bright as many of his performances on the disc — “Elevation,” “Say Yes,” “Just Groove,” and perhaps as an ode to his age, closing with a sensuous declaration of “Innocence.” The soulful first single doesn’t have the most original title — “Stay With Me Tonight,” no relation to Jeffrey Osborne — but the combination of Joyner’s melodic style and Peter White’s sweet acoustic guitar is hard to resist.
Elliot and Braun also planned to showcase Joyner on select dates of their big Jazz Attack tour this summer.
Personal Taste
1) Ryan Shaw, This Is Ryan Shaw (Columbia/One Haven/Red Ink) – James Brown may be gone, but his soul train keeps chuggin’ thanks to this fiery new vocal powerhouse. A sizzling mix of covers and originals, some toe-tappin’, some romantic, this is retro-soul on steroids, taking us back to the days of Booker T., Wilson Pickett and Otis Redding.
2) Donny Osmond, Love Songs of the 70s (Decca)
3) Jeff Golub, Grand Central (Narada Jazz)
4) Michael Buble, Call Me Irresponsible (143/Reprise)
5) Julie Dexter/Khari Simmons, Moon Bossa (Brash Music)
In 1994, when Peter White told people he was recording an album of his favorite pop classics from the 60’s and 70’s, he remembers the powers that be at smooth jazz radio telling him he was nuts — an album of reinterpretations, no matter how sincere, just won’t sell. Turns out he was just ahead of his time. Fast-forward 12 years, and “The Closer I Get To You” is still in classic rotation, played more today than it was in its original release.
Only now, it’s competing for airplay with his version of “What Does It Take (To Win Your Love),” which broke an all-time record recently by spending 16 weeks at #1 on the Radio & Records airplay chart. “At least no one can accuse me of jumping on the bandwagon this time, because this is a sequel I’ve always wanted to make” he says of his latest album, Playing Favorites, one of the many all-cover albums by genre artists that has hit pay dirt over the past year. “If artists are redoing great songs in a fresh and new way, I think there’s always room for that.”
To the delight of some fans that can’t get enough of the old school and the dismay of others who think their favorite artists should be creating standards of their own, that room is getting increasingly crowded. Whether it’s just a passing trend — i.e. musical comfort food during a disquieting post 9/11 period - or a phenomenon that will define smooth jazz for years to come, the cover album craze, for better or worse, was the defining story for the genre in 2006.
Aside from White, artists who have taken a breather from albums of original material over the past year and a half include Eric Marienthal (Got You Covered!), Kirk Whalum (The Babyface Songbook), Rick Braun (Yours Truly), Jason Miles (What’s Going On? The Songs of Marvin Gaye), Philippe Saisse Trio (The Body And Soul Sessions) and Michael Lington (A Song For You). Even core artists like Richard Elliot (“People Make The World Go Round”), Doc Powell (“It’s Too Late”) and Wayman Tisdale (“Get Down On It”) are scoring big radio hits with cover songs on albums of otherwise original material.
So what gives? All indications are that actual disc sales are down these past years despite the overall success of the format and annual all-star tours. Are artists simply taking dictation from their labels that want to score sure-fire commercial hits in mercurial times? Allen Kepler, the President of Broadcast Architecture, the world’s leading researching and consulting firm for the format (having worked with over 60 stations over the last 20 years), certainly hopes not. His firm has helped the format achieve its success by conducting tireless research on what listeners want and sharing its findings with its client stations. But he doesn’t want statistics to supersede passion.
“Frankly, I don’t know what facilitates an artist to want to do cover tunes, but I hope 100% it would have nothing to do with us,” he says. “An artist should create music they have a true love for, like Ramsey Lewis doing his With One Voice gospel album. He did that purely because his soul is in gospel and those are his roots. When an artist records an old song from the heart rather than strictly for commerce’s sake, that translates to an enthusiastic performance listeners will respond to.”
Saxman Michael Lington, who bills his beautifully rendered, orchestra-sweetened A Song For You as “songs from the New Great American Songbook,” says his decision to record his batch of 70s classics was less commercially than artistically motivated. “I’m not just doing cover songs for their own sake, because that would be unimaginative,” he says. “These are songs of inspiration and emotion, and I put a lot of thought into making my performances very compelling and believable. There’s nothing safe about the approach I took, with a live band, strings and newly composed intros. If anything, these elements make it a more challenging album to promote to a smooth jazz audience. My motive was to create a timeless recording and I took that task very seriously.”
Bud Harner, former VP of A&R for Verve who is now A&R consultant for Rendezvous Entertainment, has heard from some radio programmers that they’re starting to tire of the cover craze, even if the familiarity of those songs rings well with listeners. But he’s still a fan of what he calls the “unexpected” covers, like Gerald Albright doing John Mayer’s “Why Georgia” or Jeff Golub and David Benoit recording Smash Mouth tunes on albums released when he was with GRP/Verve. “Before everyone started doing these albums,” he says, “I was always trying to get my artists to consider doing a cover here and there that might raise eyebrows. If it’s unique, there’s a better chance listeners won’t get tired of it.”
One of Harner’s last projects before leaving Verve was Mindi Abair’s Life Less Ordinary, whose infectious hit radio single “True Blue” has the potential to become a genre classic in the tradition of her breakthrough hit “Lucy’s.” Abair includes a vocal of Rickie Lee Jones’ “It Must Be Love” (“because the song speaks to me, not because I was aiming for a radio hit”) but adamantly resisted the label’s strong suggestion (multiple times, she says) that she put some instrumental covers on the collection.
“Maybe this whole cover thing is just smooth jazz’s growing pains, but I think radio stations and record labels are really underestimating their audience,” she says. “It’s clear to me that people want new music, and I think we’re missing the boat and hurting the format by overdoing the covers. I’m afraid we’ve been led astray by all the testing that goes on in terms of figuring out what people want to listen to. If it doesn’t stop, I’m scared that a format built on great original melodies will just become an oldies or muzak format.
“I had to tell Verve that this is not the artist I am, that I’m someone who expresses herself through writing a song as much as playing it,” Abair adds. “I came up through the ranks of musicians who made their living playing covers at clubs and weddings, but when I became an artist, I believed I had the opportunity to rise to a different level of expression. Now I intend to stay there.”
Being both a bestselling artist and a co-owner of Rendezvous (whose roster includes Whalum, Saisse, Lington and Tisdale), Dave Koz has a unique perspective on the issue. The saxophonist, who this month is releasing At The Movies, a collection of beloved film themes produced by Phil Ramone, is not shy about addressing the economic component: “We’re living in a time in this business where even established artists have to do something unique to keep their sales figures strong. In this type of climate, it’s somewhat imperative that we give listeners event records, theme records, projects that our fans feel they must have. Creating that event mentality gives us all a better chance for success.
“Finding ways to interpret beloved songs is an opportunity to be creative in a whole new way, finding liberation in being able to focus solely on the task of playing the tune well,” he adds. “I always say that if you remain true to the songs, they will never let you down. But if you somehow get it wrong, people will criticize that so you have to bring everything you have to that performance. The genre is doing well with covers for the same reason that we love hearing Christmas songs year after year. It’s like putting on an old sweater, or a warm comfortable blanket. A classic song reminds us of another time, stirring memories of the last time or maybe the first time you ever heard it. The feelings you associate with the song have everything to do with how you respond to it.”
Personal Tastes
1) Forever, For Always, For Luther, Vol. II – Legendary soul singer Luther Vandross’ passing in 2005 makes this compelling second volume of heartfelt and funky smooth jazz interpretations of his songs by an eclectic group of inspired genre all-stars even more poignant than the first.
2) Diana Krall, From This Moment On (Verve)
3) Miki Howard, Pillow Talk: Miki Sings The Classics (Shanachie)
4) Elton John, The Captain and The Kid (Interscope Records)
5) John Legend, Once Again (Sony)
New and Noteworthy
1) Jim Brickman, Escape (SLG)
2) George Benson & Al Jarreau, Givin’ It Up (Concord)
3) Alan Hewitt, Metropolis (215 Records)
4) Michael Manson, Just Feelin’ It (215 Records)
5) Steve Cole, True (Narada Jazz)
Back in 1994, as Jazziz celebrated its 10th anniversary, this column was asked to make subjective choices as to the most significant recording in the growing smooth jazz genre up till that time. No other option came close to Moonlighting, the 1986 debut recording by Russ Freeman and The Rippingtons, which, in addition to its still-appealing melodies and easy rhythmic energies, featured numerous performers who would go on to become staples in the genre well into the new millennium — Kenny G, Gregg Karukas, David Benoit and Dave Koz (credited then as David Koz, and playing EWI!).
True to Freeman’s initial vision of creating a group that would grow and thrive with an ever-revolving personnel, The Ripps — driven by Freeman’s powerful electric and classical guitar playing and sonically eclectic production expertise - over the past two decades have brought in numerous genre superstars (in addition to creating some, like longtime saxophonist Jeff Kashiwa) to keep things hopping.
The sessions for The Rippingtons 20th Anniversary, a part retro, part forward thinking CD/DVD package dedicated to the band’s intensely loyal fans (which have kept them on the road nearly every summer since the late 80s), ran like an all-star class reunion of sorts. Rather than take the easy way out and repackage a bunch of greatest hits, Freeman gathered all Rippingtons recording and touring members past and present to alternate on performances on ten brand new compositions and “A 20th Anniversary Bonus,” a retrospective medley featuring newly recorded snippets of nine classic Ripps cuts.
Complementing Jeff Kashiwa, original percussionist Steve Reid (both of whom rejoined the band on tour this year), longtime guest saxman Eric Marienthal and current touring members Kim Stone, Bill Heller and Dave Karasony are Paul Taylor, Kirk Whalum, Patti Austin, Jeffrey Osborne and special guest Brian McKnight, who wrote, produced and sings lead on the gentle new song “Anything.” The Rippingtons 20th Anniversary also reunites most of the lineup of L.A. musicians who performed on Moonlighting. Kenny G opted out, but Gregg Karukas, David Benoit, Dave Koz, saxophonist Brandon Fields, bassist Jimmy Johnson and drummer Tony Morales — who quit playing music some years ago to go into website design — are there.
The whole thing could have worked just as a great publicity stunt, but Freeman chose vibrancy rather than a trip down memory lane, intensity over familiarity. The relaxed but focused sessions included a few spontaneous changes from the original script, most notably the switch on the upbeat, brassy “Celebrate” from an intended Koz lead to a fanciful, soprano-tenor duet by Taylor and Whalum. Freeman wrote the song for Koz, but the saxman told him that his compadres wanted to do a duet, and thought that would be the perfect choice. Koz’s soprano works its magic instead on the romantic “A Kiss Under The Moonlight,” which features Freeman’s lyrical acoustic guitar and Karukas’ elegant piano harmonies.
“The sessions were a breeze, and I was thrilled to see that the rapport I’ve always had with these guys was still there,” he says. “But even beyond that, I saw this as an incredible opportunity as a songwriter writing parts for players I know are great but who I haven’t been challenged by in a long time. The experience was a lot like when new players joined the touring band and I was forced to take new and exciting creative paths to work with the new blood. From the start, they reminded me of why I wanted to work with them in the first place.”
With the prospect of their two-decade anniversary coming up, Freeman’s greatest challenge was trying to figure out what, if any, old material should be reworked as a reminder of the band’s contribution to the genre. “I thought the best of both worlds would be to bring back performers from across the years to play all new material. That way, we’re not dwelling on nostalgia and we’re showing that The Ripps is still a vibrant and creative group. I had a great time putting together the medley, which I thought would be the perfect way, in six minutes, to pay homage to what we had accomplished in the past.
“Each of these musicians contributed something unique to the overall sound of what the Rippingtons became, and brought their own unique perspective to the music,” Freeman adds “I wanted to get back to that embryonic stage, the enigmatic energy we had way back when. The most important thing I realized was how much more experience I have now in dealing with musicians and bringing out strong performances.
“Over the years, as my interests have expanded to include more exotic elements like flamenco guitar and salsa, I also have developed a more diverse palette of musical colors. This happened naturally, but it’s completely confirmed what my heart was telling me after we did Moonlighting, when I had the choice to continue as a band or develop a solo career. I knew a band would give me an opportunity to explore so many more facets of music, and every album has been full of exciting surprises.”
Aside from being one of Boney James’ most soulful, dynamic and consistently satisfying disc in years, the saxman’s latest project Shine — which continues his recent tradition of one word says it all titles like Ride and Pure — is a significant reminder of where the best smooth jazz is coming from these days: well-funded indie labels. His signing with Concord Records typifies the modern genre economy, where artists who once had the security and promotional machinery of major labels are now finding smaller but more dedicated organizations to keep their careers going. James, one of the few genre artists who can boast four gold records, two Grammy nominations and five Billboard #1s, stayed on at Warner Bros. even after the label dropped its jazz division, but he was generally unhappy with the commercial results of Pure, his last collection for the label (and first self-produced disc after years of hitmaking with genre superproducer Paul Brown.)
The cool news for listeners enamored of James’ spirit of collaboration and using special guest artists is that Shine boasts unique jaunts with two labelmates — the also recently signed to Concord George Benson on the bouncy sizzler “Hypnotic” and Christian Scott, a hot young straight ahead trumpeter on the label’s roster (on the brisk and breezy “The Way She Walks,” which may remind some listeners of James’ brilliant duets with Rick Braun).
While everyone else is catering to the cover happy radio format by picking very obvious, largely overplayed songs, James makes some inspired choices — going gently Rio on Jobim’s “Aquas De Marco (Waters of March),” mining the moody soul 70s with The Dramatics’ “In The Rain” (sung by newcomer Dwele) and closing the disc with an lush reading of an obscure Chuck Mangione song, “Soft,” with dreamy vocals by Sounds of Blackness singer Ann Nesby. Also appearing is contemporary R&B star Faith Evans on the rock-edged “Gonna Get It.”
“What’s interesting about my creative process,” James says, “is that I never come in the studio with the whole record in my head. Everything starts with one idea here, another there, and as I get father into it, it builds steam. Then the dust settles, the record is done, and I can reflect back on what it is. On Shine, the title says it all. There’s energy, there’s emotion in each track, each song tells an individual story reflecting different moods. When it was finished, this struck me as a very positive, upbeat album.”
Personal Tastes
1) Peter Frampton, Fingerprints (A&M/New Door) – He may have a lot less hair than in his heyday, but the pop legend still comes alive where it counts as an incredibly diverse guitarist on his first ever-instrumental album. Exploring the many musical loves of his life — American soul, rock, Latin and roots music — Frampton works with a host of all-star guests from a variety of eras, from members of The Rolling Stones to Pearl Jam
2) Five For Fighting, Two Lights (Aware/Columbia)
3) Sarah Kelly, Where The Past Meets Today (Gotee Records)
4) Cherish, Unappreciated (Capitol)
5) Jake Shimabukuro, Gently Weeps (Hitchhike Records)
New and Noteworthy
1) Hugh Peanuts Whalum (Rendezvous)
2) Lino, Miami Jam (Lino Alessio Publishing)
3) Walter Beasley, Live! (Shanachie)
4) Lara & Reyes (Fusion Acustica)
5) Ray Parker, Jr., I’m Free (Raydio Music Corp.)
Dan Siegel’s output since his late 80s-early 90s radio heyday may be a bit spotty, but every few years, the versatile keyboardist comes back with a gem that reminds us just why he was so influential in smooth jazz’s toddler years. Almost two decades ago, he helped define the melodic joys of the genre with his bestselling album Northern Nights and still-played radio hits like “Rhapsody.”
In those days, Siegel was setting trends, and now, over 25 years into his recording career, he’s happily defying them with his second Native Language disc that truly lives up to its moniker as a Departure from his tried and true approach. An all acoustic, live in the studio date featuring three performers who are as adept at straight ahead as smooth jazz - bassist Brian Bromberg, saxman Bob Sheppard and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta - the collection effortlessly mixes Siegel’s grooving pop sensibilities with his traditional jazz roots.
Like his fellow contemporary jazz fellow statesmen Tom Scott and Lee Ritenour, Siegel has always had an equal love for bebop even while cranking out the pop and funk. Departure doesn’t quite jaunt into that sacred territory, but the organic setup allows for a lot of jazzy spontaneity within his usual accessible framework. He’s come full circle with Colaiuta, who played the skins way back when on Northern Nights.
“I don’t want to scare anyone away, but this is a concept I’ve been wanting to do for a long time,” he says. “I always wanted to play in the context of traditional jazz with a drummer playing brushes, and the ambience created by all unplugged instruments. We cut all the tracks live, and people don’t just make records like this anymore, particularly in smooth jazz where commerce unfortunately takes precedence sometimes over art. Going into these sessions, I wanted to see what would happen if you put four guys together with some basic song structures, and just let all of us do what comes naturally to us.”
Siegel has high praise for his cohorts, particularly Bromberg, who wound up co-producing Departure. “I’ve worked with Vinnie many times, and he played on my big hits,” he says. “A lot of the tunes here took different turns because of the way he turned the groove upside down. To me, Bob Sheppard is the ultimate sax player and I felt at ease giving him more complex harmonies. I had never recorded with Brian before, but he was immediately interested once Vinnie hooked us up. He’s a great big picture kind of guy, willing to forgo the little details to make sure I was always on track. These guys helped me reconnect with my lifelong love for Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock and Keith Jarrett. Their playing inspired me years ago and still affects me.”
The first two tracks, the soaring, wordless vocal enhanced “Across The Sea” and the easy strutting funk tune “Street Talk” (featuring Norman Brown), show that Siegel can still be radio friendly, no matter the instrumentation. Although being on a smooth jazz oriented label like Native Language means there has to be a “hit single,” the keyboardist stuck to the integrity of the overall project by giving it what he calls an “old school CTI early 70s George Benson flavor.”
Siegel starts digging deep on “Mosaic,” whose dark and shadowy piano and sax textures rise coolly over the gentle rumble of bass and drums. The title track opens in a moody tone, then goes sunny with a spirited piano romp over aggressive high hat percussion and a bubbly bassline. Siegel contrasts this vibe with a breezy Vince Guaraldi sensibility on “Shades of Gray” (which features Grant Geissman on guitar). He can try all he wants to be gloomy, but at heart, Siegel is an optimistic romantic who has always had a great facility to write heart-tugging ballads. The emotional core of Departure is three songs in this vein: “From Here On Out,” “A World Away” and the elegant closer “Alone,” which includes Colaiuta’s restrained brushes and Sheppard’s soaring, lyrical sax.
For Siegel, introducing his built in smooth jazz audience an artsier side may incur a slight commercial risk, but in this current radio hit driven climate — where “cutting edge” means doing an album without generic cover songs — it’s easily one of the most inspired outings of the year. “Anytime you hire Vinnie or Brian, there’s going to be an element of brilliance that most smooth jazz today just doesn’t have,” he says. “This was a record I made out a desire to go in and play in a more organic way. Anytime you put an acoustic bass in there, it’s going to sound more classic, less modern and funky, a little sideways or taken down a notch. I’d like to pursue this kind of subtle ensemble thing in the future.”
The only possible frustration in Brian Simpson’s incredible emergence as a genre solo artist this year — which includes a #1 smooth jazz radio single with the title track from his Rendezvous Music debut It’s All Good — is that it should have happened over a decade ago. Back in 1995, the versatile keyboardist released the equally infectious Closer Still on Michael Paulo’s then thriving label Noteworthy Records. The disc was ahead of its time in two ways — it had an unmistakable urban flavor that would soon become the genre’s dominant vibe, and included a jamming cover (almost a requirement these days) of Janet Jackson’s “Because of Love,” an ode to his time briefly touring with the superstar.
In the intervening years, Simpson built up a ton of goodwill among genre fans as Dave Koz’s keyboardist and musical director. Even while building an incredible resume as a sideman (Stanley Clarke, George Duke, Larry Carlton, Gerald Albright), Simpson has always been working on demos of his own music. When Koz and two partners launched Rendezvous a few years ago, they liked what Simpson showed them and encouraged him to the point where his label debut would be chock full of potential hits.
The good news for fans into deeper music is that Simpson’s idol as a kid growing up in Chicago was Oscar Peterson. While he always adds a spunky sense of improvisation into his pop tunes, he balances airplay friendly tunes like “It’s All Good” and the follow-up single “Saturday Cool” with the contemplative “Blues for Scott” and the raucous, happy bebop-flavored jam “Au Contraire.”
“I have a unique style of writing, and since I’m a real jazz musician, listeners are going to hear a real jazz soloist, rather than just a nice melody and fancy production,” says Simpson, whose big band at Northern Illinois University once toured with Clark Terry. “I have to put a little meaty bebop into what I play because it’s the music I loved growing up. In this format, you sort of have to sneak it in, but it’s there for those who listen closely.
“Piano is a much harder instrument to write for than sax,” he adds, “but my songs play to its strengths, doing the melody with my right hand and comping or adding edgier chords with the left. Becoming a full-fledged solo artist has taken me a long time, but a radio hits works wonders. I play the first notes of ‘It’s All Good’ and fans start cheering. At Tokyo’s Blue Note, I was billed equally with Dave Koz and Kirk Whalum. Not only is it all good, it’s kind of unbelievable!”
PERSONAL TASTES
1) Jeanne Newhall, Wild Blue (Blix Street) – Bookending her gently beautiful and haunting originals with an ethereal take on Bruce Springsteen’s “Hungry Heart” and a graceful soft jazz take on “These Foolish Things,” the versatile, classically trained pianist and singer proves masterful in finding subtle ways to touch the heart.
2) The Matt Savage Trio, Quantum Leap (Savage Records)
3) Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, The Phat Pack (Immergent)
4) Corinne Bailey Rae (Capitol)
5) Bill Cantos, Love Wins (GIC Productions)
NEW AND NOTEWORTHY
1) J Thompson, Inside World (AMH Records)
2) Patrick Yandall, Samoa Soul (Zangi Records)
3) Marilyn Scott, Innocent of Nothing (Prana Entertainment)
4) Jazzmasters V (Trippin N’ Rhythm)
5) Joyce Cooling, Revolving Door (Narada Jazz)
Wayman Tisdale’s accolade-filled 12 year career as an NBA all-star for the Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns worked wonders in preparing him for the one thing many smooth jazz stars take a while to get used to: adoring fans. The ever-jovial, always accommodating 6’9” bassist, who toured this past summer with labelmates Kirk Whalum, Jonathan Butler and Brian Simpson as part of the Rendezvous All-Stars Package, laughs when his colleagues seem tired after signing some 400 post-concert autographs.
“I can’t say that fast breaks and slam dunks have helped me make great albums or become a good live entertainer,” he says, “but when I was playing basketball, I’d be with my teammates and we would meet and sign T-shirts and basketballs for thousands of fans at a time at malls all over the place. When I sit down to write and record new music, I have no idea who’s going to be listening to it or if they’re going to be a fan. So I really cherish every person who takes the time to wait in line to meet me. Connecting with the audience never gets old for me.”
Judging from the response so far to his second Rendezvous disc Way Up!, those already sizeable crowds around the guy label co-owner Dave Koz affectionately calls “the Jolly Green Giant” are going to get even bigger. The album, which keeps Tisdale’s distinctive and plucky, high toned bass as the melodic lead throughout as he ensembles with Koz, Butler and genre stars Jeff Lorber, Bob James, Kirk Whalum, Tom Braxton and George Duke, was an instant #1 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Chart.
On the strength of the tour and the infectious first radio single, a playful cover of Kool & The Gang’s “Get Down On It” — which follows in the old school pop-funk spirit of his 2004 #1 airplay hit “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now” — Way Up! scanned upwards of 8,000 CDs its first week, more than pop stars Jamie Foxx and Mariah Carey — truly amazing figures for smooth jazz these days.
“I think everyone is just responding to the overall vibe of the album, which is not just a nice feeling, but more like a state of being for me,” says Tisdale. “Wherever people are when they’re listening to it, I want them to feel good, way up and upbeat about life and think better about things afterwards. It’s been over ten years and six albums since my first project Power Forward, and I think the music reflects my feeling that I’m more comfortable with who I am now than ever before.
“I’m also excited that smooth jazz listeners are embracing the bass as a lead instrument, and I wish there were more bassists who would play it the way I do,” he adds. “I feel like I’m just following in the tradition of Marcus Miller and Stanley Clarke in making it a viable melodic axe. I approach it not just rhythmically but melodically, as if it were a sax or a human voice. A great song is about telling a story you can sing along to, and that’s what I love to do.”
In addition to featuring titles reflecting the positive, forward thinking vibe of the album title (“It’s A Good Day,” for example), each track reflects a unique individual element of Tisdale’s life. He covers “Get Down On It” and Sly Stone’s “”If You Want Me To Stay” (taking a bluesy approach with the help of Kirk Whalum) not simply for commercial reasons, but because “I’m a real fan of real music. I like to think of myself as the self-appointed ambassador of old school!”
In this vein, he funks it up big time on George Duke’s “Tell It Like It Is,” mixing his bubbly bass, throbbing modern grooves, and splashes of brass amidst Duke’s 70s keyboard flavors. With the help of Jeff Lorber and Eric Benet, respectively, he shows love for his wife Regina and four children (ages 11 to 23) on the tenderhearted romantic gems “Shape Of Your Heart” and “Sweet Dreams.” Koz adds a graceful soprano touch to “My Son (A Song For Bubba),” another lush ballad that Tisdale dedicates to 15-year-old Wayman, Jr. (whose spoken words also appear on the song). Tisdale grew up in a Tulsa church led by his father, the Rev. Louis Tisdale, and faith plays a beautiful role in the expansive, soulful and beautifully ambient closing track “Sunday’s Best,” which features Butler’s soul stirring (as always) wordless vocals.
This blend of happy grooves and candlelight comes across with a huge smile onstage during every Tisdale performance, which sparks a party from the first few notes. Rather than be intimidated by his massive presence, his fellow musicians and fans riff on the physical differences and embrace him like an oversized, shaven head teddy bear. Considering his natural rapport these days with his adoring fans, and his incredible confidence both as a live performer and recording artist, it’s hard to believe that he was once what he calls “the shyest guy in the room,” turning away from the audience a la Miles.
“When I played with the Kings (1989-94), I had friends who had bands that would play around town and ask me to sit in and solo,” he says. “No matter how successful I was on the courts, I remember that I couldn’t even face the audience the first times I played because I was so nervous they wouldn’t like me. But when everyone started responding and asking for more, it got easier. I learned a lot from those Sacramento musicians, and the confidence grew with more experience and time onstage. About five years ago, I really started focusing on what it takes to become a good entertainer. Once I got more comfortable with my axe, that became a given, secondary to the showmanship. The bottom line in smooth jazz is that you can play a million notes on an instrument but if the audience is not entertained, you haven’t done your job. It’s about getting up there and keeping everyone’s spirits way up!”
This past year, “covermania” has taken over the smooth jazz airwaves, with many top artists devoting whole projects exclusively to new approaches to pop hits — Kirk Whalum, Rick Braun, Eric Marienthal and Philippe Saisse, to name a few. Fans getting a bit fed up with the trend might view Peter White’s instantly likeable Playing Favorites (Sony Legacy) as just another jump on the bandwagon, but he was actually on the case 12 years ago — long before the craze started. Two of the incredible 13 #1 Radio & Records airplay hits he’s enjoyed over the years, “The Closer I Get To You” and “Walk On By” (from 1994’s Reflections), have become enduring staples of the format. The acoustic guitarist’s recent rediscovery of the original demos from that hit project sparked his interest in creating a whole new project in this vein. As he did with his 2001 hit “Who’s That Lady?”, he sets out to mine the deeper romance and soul of songs from the past four decades that we all know from their first notes. “What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)” is the first radio hit, but White seems most inspired on colorful arrangements of “Sunny,” “Hit The Road Jack” (which features voices and cool fingersnaps) and the best track, a brassy, flute spiced take on “Mister Magic,” which was arranged by Paul Brown.
Personal Tastes
1) Tiba, Jukebox Baby (Fynsworth Alley) – This stylish and sexy young singer, who grew up listening to hits of the 40s and 50s on her parents’ Wurlitzer 1015 jukebox, shows a natural gift for mining the great joy, humor, romance and cabaret potential in spirited arrangements of standards and early pop hits, most effectively on the sizzling, Latin-spiced “Sway” and the big band flavored “Tuxedo Junction.”
2) Nancy Wilson, Turned To Blue (MCG)
3) Mike Stern, Who Let The Cats Out? (Heads Up)
4) Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, The Phat Pack (Immergent)
5) Regina Carter, I’ll Be Seeing You: A Sentimental Journey (Verve)
New and Noteworthy
1) Glenn Jones, Forever: Timeless R&B Classics (Shanachie)
2) Fourplay, Ten (RCA Victor)
3) Doc Powell, Doc Powell (Heads Up)
4) Lee Ritenour, Smoke ‘N Mirrors (Peak)
5) Soul Providers, Smooth Urban Grooves (Fast Life)
True to the title concept of his debut album on Shanachie, saxophonist Everette Harp has passionately dedicated himself to blowing heavily In The Moment since his first self-titled, George Duke-produced disc came out on Blue Note in 1992. His robust, urgent voice is still a solid part of the smooth jazz landscape, but like so many of his peers, he’s no longer creating those magic moments with the marketing power of a major label behind him.
Back in the early days of the genre, before the New Adult Contemporary format was officially dubbed “smooth jazz,” majors — inspired partly by the enormous success of gold and platinum selling artists like Kenny G and Najee — would cultivate new saxmen for their unique sound and give them a hefty budget and full autonomy over their tracks. The more successful the format became over the years, however, the more it began stressing the importance of airplay singles — and, according to Harp, the artist’s identity became secondary to the need for instant hits. Record companies who were once the groundbreakers and tastemakers were suddenly taking dictation from radio stations, and musical creativity became secondary to scoring that next #1 single.
As a result of the shifting landscape, majors these days are largely out of the smooth jazz game, and veterans like Everette Harp, Gerald Albright, Kirk Whalum, Najee and Richard Elliot have all found healthy homes on independent labels. Before landing at Shanachie — which helped make In The Moment Harp’s very first disc to debut at the top of Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Chart — the saxman had to endure the struggle of watching his previous effort, the solid All For You, get lost in the tumble of the once thriving A440 Music.
“The biggest change that has occurred with the rise of indie labels is that there are so many more artists out there vying for airplay and chart space,” says Harp. “It seems like everyone can put out a record now, and the most important thing is that they play a nice melody. In the early days of smooth jazz, and even in the heyday of jazz fusion, everyone who put out an album was a solid artist with the potential to endure. Companies would only sign viable players with a distinct vibe. That fit me perfectly because in the mix with the pop songs I write I always like to stay away from the norm and play hard. Now, labels will sometimes put out artists who simply emulate the sound that radio wants. So things get a bit diluted.”
Harp seems to have found the best of both worlds at Shanachie, which actually had its eye on him as a potential artist for their roster even as A440 was folding. “They’re really a well-oiled machine, and they knew from the start what they wanted to do with me,” he says. “They approached me and told me they didn’t just want one hit record and out, but were committed to me for the long haul. The fact that I debuted at #1 speaks volumes. They put their money where their promises were.”
Still mindful of what today’s marketplace demands, Harp chose Rex Rideout to help him keep his sometimes overly artsy tendencies in check. Rideout, a proven genre hitmaker with credits that include Gerald Albright, Najee, Richard Elliot and Boney James, produced one cut on All For You. This time, Harp used him as a sounding board throughout and he co-produced six cuts, including the gospel blues explosion “Holla” (with Paul Jackson, Jr. on guitar), the sweet seduction “Just As You Are,” and the sizzling and brassy, throbbing retro blues track “No Bout A Doubt It.” Harp trusted his own instincts and produced the track that became In the Moment’s first single, “Monday Speaks,” which was written by labelmate Chuck Loeb and features Norman Brown.
“Rex is musical enough so that he doesn’t handcuff me, but if I got self-indulgent on a solo at any point, he’d kindly sway me back to reality,” Harp says. “Because this album marks another new beginning for me, I wanted to make some changes in my writing and production approach, and Rex was the first person I thought of to help me get to the next level. On the personal side, I just love his vibe, and he’s a great guy and an extraordinary musician. I knew we were onto something when we wrote four songs in the first four days we hung out together!”
Harp has an easy answer for the logical question of why he stays in the game when such a corporate, cookie cutter mentality has largely taken over for the true fostering of creativity that existed when he began his solo career 14 years ago. “The romantic answer for me and my fellow artists is, that’s what we do,” he says. “We each have an audience who loves what we do and supports us. It becomes like a drug you want more of. For me, it’s just so incredible to get out there and play for the fans, knowing some of the personal stories about how my music has impacted their lives. Playing the sax is a God given ability, and nothing can really interfere with the joy of just doing everything I can to express gratitude for the gift.”
British born neo-soul influenced guitarist Chris Standring is another smooth jazz artist newly signed to an indie label (Trippin’ N Rhythm) who perfectly balances radio friendliness and a more trad jazz expressiveness on the eminently listenable Soul Express. While he produced ten of the slightly chill oriented light funk tracks with his longtime partner, old school groove keyboardist Rodney Lee, Standring turned to the genre’s premiere hitmaking producer, Paul Brown, for assistance on the sensual, catchy and sweetly atmospheric mid-tempo tune which became the obvious first single, “I Can’t Help Myself.”
“Artists can get self-indulgent and guys like Paul know where we have to stop,” says the guitarist. “I brought him the song and he told me to keep the track but rewrite the melody, especially the chorus, and it worked. Aside from pushing me to write a catchier tune, he’s brilliant in the mixing room. He’s good at understanding simplicity and what a song needs. He’s a bridge between the artist and the listener.”
While Soul Express — also the name of his packaged touring group with Jeff Lorber and singer Jody Watley - is chock full of shimmering tracks in this vein, Standring goes slightly bop with his crisp improvisational playing on the final two tracks, the Booker T flavored “Shooting Stars” and especially “Giant Steps,” a Coltrane standard which keeps the familiar solo section but includes reharmonized verses. Standring always loved Pat Metheny’s bossa version, and here achieves the definitive electronica take.
“With smooth jazz radio being so conservative these days, it’s not always an easy climate to make a fresh recording in,” he says. “It’s interesting that chill is now so popular because my first album Velvet in 1998 had that very European vibe to it. The key for me has always been to make music I enjoy playing and making the best record I can in a way that’s true to myself.”
Personal Tastes
1) Angelyna Martinez, Labor of Love (Mexiscott Music) – This San Antonio native has been dubbed the “Gwen Stefani of Jazz” for her unique, sexy and breathy vocal stylings, which weave a sensuous magic on sparse trio arrangements of Billie Holliday chestnuts and add explosive new energy to “Route 66” and a scorching big band arrangement (with scat galore) of “It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing).”
2) Merle Jagger, Rancho Los Angeles (LPJ Records)
3) John Pizzarelli/The Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Dear Mr. Sinatra (Telarc)
4) Jim Self, Innerplay (Basset Hound Records)
5) Jon Faddis, Teranga (Koch Records)
New and Noteworthy
1) Greg Vail, The Gospel Truth Revisited (Greg Vail Music)
2) Jack Prybylski, Window Shopping (SuShan Music)
3) Bill Cantos, Love Wins (GIC Productions)
4) Andy Snitzer, Some Quiet Place (Native Language)
5) Tiba, Jukebox Baby (Fynsworth Alley)
Anytime someone asks Martin Taylor about the happy stylistic schizophrenia that has defined his dual careers as a sideman and solo artist, he whips out a classic anecdote given to him by legendary drummer Max Roach. Some years ago, Roach told the veteran British guitarist about a moment in Charlie Parker’s storied life when rabid fans followed the saxophonist after hours from a club where he played to a bar down the street.
They watched Bird — the standard setter of bebop for multiple generations — stroll over to the jukebox and select (are you kidding?) a Hank Williams tune. “Max said that Bird turned around and told his admirers that he really loved country music, and wasn’t going to apologize for it,” says Taylor. “It inspired me to realize that even the masters like him never limited their tastes in any way. “I’m always astonished by people of narrow minds who look down on other forms of music they think of as unsophisticated. What the so-called ‘purists’ don’t understand is that jazz came about through a mixture of people and cultures and music. It’s a mélange of different things. Narrow minds could not have created the art form as we know it.”
That may be one way to explain how Taylor, over the past three decades, could tour the world and play on some twenty albums by violin master Stephane Grapelli — whose band the guitarist joined at 20 - then turn around and record spirited but much lighter weight covers of 70s pop hits like “Midnight At The Oasis” and “That’s The Way Of The World.” The kid inspired by Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster and Fats Waller has made peppy, virtuoso recordings in the image of his first hero, Django Reinhart, while also finding the trio jazz heart of the theme from “The Odd Couple.”
Taylor also toured for years on and off with Rolling Stone Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings, then created a graceful solo rendition of “Tennessee Waltz” as a tribute to another influence, Chet Atkins. That was on his gentle hearted 2002 disc Solo, an interesting follow-up choice considering all the attention he got from the smooth jazz community after two major label releases on Columbia, Kiss And Tell (1999) and Nite Life (2001), both of which featured Kirk Whalum on sax.
The Best Of Martin Taylor, a dual CD package from The Guitar Label featuring 26 favorites handpicked by the artist himself, is a great place for the uninitiated guitar fan to experience his joyful, impossible to pigeonhole magic. It draws from a decade of popular international recordings on the UK based Linn Records, those two Columbia crossover discs, and his work over the past few years, which includes 2004’s The Valley. Since the late 70s, he’s played in many groups, used strings, and done a great deal of solo work in addition to numerous duets; a taste of each vibe is included.
Perhaps to draw newcomers (and smooth jazz fans) in quickly, Disc One begins with his soulful, ambient rendition of the Earth, Wind & Fire classic — a tune he believes sums up his playing to a tee. The next five tracks — several of which feature Whalum’s always emotional sax — are smooth sailing from his Columbia discs as well, but it’s fun to go even deeper and hear what he can do with his just guitar; the elegant “True” and hypnotic meditation “The Valley” are unadorned melodic masterpieces. Disc Two ushers in his more traditional jazz side, highlighted by a speedy rendition of Duke Ellington’s “Cottontail,” his slow, string enhanced trio burn on “The Odd Couple,” the Django infused “Undecided” (featuring vocalist Claire Martin and Stephane Grappelli) and the samba-lite “Nuages.”
If you’re a U.S. based jazz fan and have never heard of him, trust the judgment of your peers throughout Europe (he lives in Scotland and France), Australia and Japan, who have been seeing him perform for years as he embarks on up to 100 live dates each year. In the U.S. and Canada, he has done a few jazz festivals, but he is most renowned by true guitar aficionados at acoustic music festivals that incorporate all kinds of music.
“The reason I’m more well known in some places on the guitar circuit than in jazz circles is that, for all the wonderful collaborators I have had, my bread and butter is playing solo guitar,” Taylor says. “I only have one way of playing, one sound, one voice, but I like to put that voice in different settings. Sony saw the work I did on the two albums I did for them as smooth jazz, but I don’t consider myself a smooth jazz artist, even if my focus on melody makes this a natural fit. Breaking in with and learning from Stephane, then overcoming my fear to do my first ever solo gig in 1985, I really focused on listening to the way others play, then developing my own style. But that doesn’t just come from nowhere. It comes from growing up with Art Tatum, Bud Powell and Joe Pass.
“As for ‘Midnight At The Oasis’ and the Earth, Wind & Fire cover, look, I was born in 1956, not 1926 and I remember the first time I heard that song and considered its melodic possibilities,” he says. “I grew up listening to pop music as well, and couldn’t just ignore it. I enjoy edgy jazz and classical guitar, too. I just don’t believe in limiting myself. But because of the diversity, I think if I’ve contributed anything to the musical realm over the course of my career, it’s my solo guitar playing. That’s’ really the core of what I do.”
In an age when so many artists are tailoring every composition to accommodate the narrowminded gods of airplay, percussionist Gumbi Ortiz — a 19 year vet of fusion master Al Di Meola’s band — perfectly defines the playfully genre-busting spirit of indie musicmaking on his festive, action-packed debut Miami (fashioned as a tribute to the New York native’s adopted home state). Sure, there are moments of picture perfect smooth jazz cool, typified by the Jeff Lorber composed “T-Back,” featuring Eric Marienthal, and the moody, seductive Spyro Gyra flavored “In The Groove” with Jay Beckenstein. But along the way are much more colorful free form jazz jams (look at Ortiz and Dave Weckl go at it on the frenetic interlude “Rush Hour Jam” and the easy Latin swing of “Amnesia”), some tasty samba excursions, a touch of retro-soul and even a touch of gospel. You’ve just got to admire a solo debut audacious enough to mix Lorber-controlled slickness with the wild, mindbending insanity of “Calle 8cho.” Other key contributors include Brandon Fields (on both sax and flute), flugelhornist Walt Fowler, keyboardist Rachel Z and the other Spyro Gyra guys (Scott Ambush, Joel Rosenblatt). By the time you’re done “Cruisin’ Collins” (the sensual closing track), you’ll know you’ve been on the year’s most ambitious musical excursion. If only more artists would take risks like this!
What I’m Listening To:
1) Phillippe Saisse Trio, The Body And Soul Sessions (Rendezvous) — Smooth Jazz’s pop cover craze finally elevates to a higher artistic plane on this irresistible date by one of the genre’s most inventive keyboardists. Jamming on a mix of some very familiar and gleefully obscure tunes with acoustic bassist David Finck and drummer Scooter Warner, Saisse sways away from his usual circus of sonic textures and jams to his (and our) heart’s delight on acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes.
2) Michael Franks, Rendezvous in Rio (Koch Records)
3) Regina Carter, I’ll Be Seeing You: A Sentimental Journey (Verve)
4) Lisa B, What’s New, Pussycat? (Piece of Pie Records)
5) The Royal Dan: A Tribute (Tone Center)
New and Noteworthy
1) Chris Standring, Soul Express (Trippin’ N Rhythm)
2) Dan Siegel, Departure (Native Language)
3) David Benoit, Full Circle (Peak Records)
4) Sahnas, Romanza (Moondo/Native Language)
5) The Very Best of Tom Scott (GRP)
Over the past year, a handful of veteran smooth jazz stars turned the concept of old school and contemporary soul cover songs into a small but hard to miss cottage industry. Leading the pack were Richard Elliot and Rick Braun, who launched their own ARTizen Music label with the monster radio hits “People Make The World Go Round” (Elliot) and “Shining Star” (Braun). Kirk Whalum paid homage to a more recent soul legend on his Rendezvous Music debut, Performs The Babyface Songbook, while Kim Waters (on All For Love) took a dreamy, ambient approach to Aretha Franklin’s “Daydreaming” with a great assist from the rich and smoky vocals of Maysa.
Inspired by this session, Maysa — a self-described “Underground Diva” best known to genre audiences for her decade of contributions to British neo soul/acid jazz ensemble Incognito - asked herself why these sensuous dips into retro-romance were always done by the boys. Given the green light by Waters’ label Shanachie to offer the feminine perspective, she began plowing through hundreds of songs that inspired her growing up. Her all-time fantasy top ten list translates effortlessly to her label debut, the mostly easy grooving, but sometimes surprisingly swinging and jazzy, Sweet Classic Soul.
Maysa’s mix of very familiar and obscure songs were popularized by artists who need only one name to inspire warm flashbacks — Stevie, Chaka, Teddy (“Come Go With Me”) and Barry (“Playing Your Game, Baby”), in addition to tracks originated by The Stylistics (“Betcha By Golly Wow,” “Love Comes Easy”), Major Harris (“Love Won’t Let Me Wait”) and Rose Royce (whose “Wishing On A Star” Maysa chooses to launch the listener friendly set). But the singer didn’t set out to just do a nice mix of favorite tunes. Feminists, listen up. Underneath that cool vibe, Maysa — whose four previous solo albums have all touched on issues of raising self-esteem — had a role-reversing agenda.
“I wanted this to be a lady’s mackin’ record, pure and simple,” she says unabashedly. “It’s time we stopped waiting around for the guys to ask us out and took the romantic initiative, which includes setting the mood with our favorite R&B songs. I want women everywhere to be inspired here, but I also admit I did it for myself because I’m out there looking for a husband, too. What’s wrong with girls seducing guys? The fun part was, even though I close the set with songs by Chaka Khan and Roberta Flack, two of the greatest female singers ever, overall I wanted to do men’s songs that nobody would expect a woman to even try.”
Khan and Rufus’ “Any Love” and Flack’s “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” are by design buried beneath the boy-oriented stuff, but it’s telling that they are Maysa’s greatest artistic triumphs here. Growing up in Baltimore, she learned how to scat not from Ella Fitzgerald (the standard female response) but by listening to and analyzing instrumental solos by John Coltrane and Miles Davis. After wailing powerfully through the discofied thump of “Any Love” for a few minutes, Maysa engages in an inventive scat improvisation — a moment unlike any other on the disc that simply doesn’t last long enough.
She pays haunting homage to Flack on a version that begins with simple piano harmonies and orchestral flavoring. Boding well for Maysa’s potential to do more serious straight ahead jazz projects, the track evolves into a tender trio arrangement, with all instruments performed by project producer Chris “Big Dog” Davis. It’s no surprise that this is Maysa’s self-admitted favorite track on the album; she’s long credited Flack for helping her develop her own sense of phrasing and tone. She also has a personal connection to Stevie Wonder that inspired the funky justice she does to his rollicking “All I Do.” Maysa met him when she was a senior at Morgan State University; upon graduating, she moved out to Los Angeles to be part of the legendary artist’s background vocal group Wonderlove throughout 1991 and 1992.
“I really wanted ‘All I Do’ to mean something, but also to get people on the dance floor,” she says. “He was so strong politically, and his lyrics had the power to induce change. Even though I don’t have the professional connection to the other artists, there are stories behind the reasons I chose them. I first heard The Isley Brothers (“Don’t Say Goodnight”) when I was teaching myself to sing, and they inspired me to want to sound sexy. I’m just trying to be honest here, paying full respect to the artists and writers by doing their songs in my own unique way, but without writing my own stuff on top of it or going on tangents just to be clever.”
Although Maysa has been touring extensively this year with Incognito, there’s no doubt that Sweet Classic Soul goes a long way to helping her further establish an identity apart from the vision of Incognito frontman Bluey Maunick. She’s also currently seeking grants for a proposed educational concert tour she calls “Revenge Of The Underground Divas,” which is designe