Chart Notes

Let's do the numbers
By Gordon Murray
Tim Bowman rides this week's Most Increased Plays into the No. 1 spot with "Sweet Sundays" (Trippin 'N' Rhythm) (3-1, up 21). This marks the first No. 1 for Bowman and the first for label Trippin 'N' Rhythm since Paul Hardcastle's "Lucky Star" spent six weeks at the top back in March. Eric Darius holds at No. 2 once again with "Goin’ All Out" (Blue Note/Capitol) while Dave Koz tumbles down to No. 3 after seven weeks at the pinnacle with "Life In The Fast Lane" (Capitol).

Norman Brown's mammoth 42-week chart run ends this week, as "Pop's Cool Groove" (Peak/CMG) finally heads to the recurrent chart. This event cements Brown in second place for Most Chart Weeks on the Nielsen BDS chart: only Chuck Loeb's "Window Of The Soul" (Heads Up) spent more weeks on the chart (44).

The Most Added song this week is Beyonce's "At Last" (Music World/Columbia). The superstar registers adds at KYOT/Phoenix and WSJW/Harrisburg, and is up 17-16 in its fourth week on the chart (+14). "At Last," one of four new Beyonce songs currently charting in R&R and Billboard, also finds itself at No. 23 on the Urban AC chart.

Kyle Wolverton's debut single, "Miss Peaches" (Smooth Ride) hits the chart this week at No. 28. Released back in August, the song has received strong support for months at KWJZ/Seattle and KIFM/San Diego, and more recently at WNWV/Cleveland. The other new entry on this week's chart follows Wolverton, at No. 29: Novello's "B3 Soul" (Nogo).

Recommended Listening: I've been waiting for the right moment to recommend this album, and with the chart action noted above I think that now is as good a time as any to recommend Kyle Wolverton's splendid "Soul Groove" (Smooth Ride). Trust me when I say the guy can play. Arrangements are tight, grooves are hip, vocals (used appropriately and sparingly, never too in-your-face) are soulful, and, overall, this album is a shining example of modern smooth jazz music executed flawlessly. Wolverton treats us to his superb alto, tenor and soprano saxophone playing, and his band is stellar too (on one song, "On The Brink," one bandmember is credited with playing "Wine Glass!"). Kyle co-wrote eight of the set's 10 tracks; a notable exception is the album's closer, his interesting cover of the Bee Gees' "How Deep Is Your Love," which features some vocals by Lance Jones. If you love smooth jazz like I do and you want to add a solid album by an involved, young, new artist to your collection, add this Seattle native's cool debut -- you'll be happy you did.

radioandrecords.com

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