Heroes: Andy Rooney Remembers [Memorial Day Video]

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Tom Braxton "Open Road" Single Hits Radio May 31st

"Open Road" is the perfect summer release for your vacation road trip or family get-a-way. And while you're listening you may even catch a concert as Tom Braxton hits the “open road" to perform at various venues around the country.

“Open Road" is one of the tracks from his latest release “Endless Highway" on the Pacific Coast Jazz label. Joined by an outstanding array of musicians, this recording is a toe-tapping, colorful, groove-oriented excursion with a sophisticated urban flavor that will make you feel like dancing and singing all day long.

Braxton has shared the stage with renowned artists including Dave Koz, Rick Braun, George Duke, Kirk Whalum, Jonathan Butler, Jeff Golub, Marcus Miller, Wayman Tisdale, Luther Vandross and Phillip Bailey. He has opened concerts for Norman Brown, Boney James, Najee, Dave Brubeck, Cab Calloway, Spyro Gyra, The Rippingtons, David Benoit, Pieces of a Dream, Michael Franks and The Crusaders. Braxton has been featured in media and publications such as JAZZIZ, Smooth Jazz News, CBS's The Saturday Early Show, BET's Jazz Central, TBS, TNT, ESPN, CNN, NBC's Inside Stuff and others. He recently made his first European tour in the Netherlands as an “Ambassador of Jazz" sponsored by Smooth Jazz Europe.

“The album draws attention to Braxton's mellifluous tonality and easy flowing narrations as he displays multiple tiers to his talent as a composer, producer and arranger . . . When Braxton puts himself into his music he does so with everything he has. His jovial mood in the tracks pumps positive vibes into the listener's ears and puts one in a very bright state of being . . . Endless Highway radiates happiness in every track." - JazzTimes

CURRENT PERFORMANCE DATES:

June 6 - Capital Jazz Festival - Columbia, MD
June 20 - Catalina Bar & Grill (with Keiko Matsui) - Hollywood, CA
June 22 -Wilson Creek Winery - Temecula, CA
July 7 - KJZS 92.1 FM Live Jazz Night - Orozko Lounge - Reno, NV
July 8 - Harlow's - Sacramento, CA
July 15 - Close Up 2 - Chicago, IL
Aug 21 - Spaghettini's - Seal Beach, CA
Aug 28 - Smooth Jazz at South Shore - Michigan City, IN
Sept. 25 - Smooth Contemporary Jazz Festival - Hengelo, The Netherlands
Oct. 29 - American Smooth Jazz Awards, Michigan City, IN
Jan 16-30 - The Smooth Jazz Cruise (2 weeks) - Caribbean

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Guitarist Marc Antoine, With New CD On The Way, Celebrating A Birthday

Today (May 28), smooth jazz guitarist Marc Antoine is 47. He was born Marc-Antoine Vouilloux in Paris and would go on to live in London, where the classical guitarist started his professional music career performing in the backing band for Basia. Later, he moved to Los Angeles, where he lived for 15 years. Today, Antoine lives with his wife Rebeca and young son near Madrid. 

In 1994, Antoine – who is performing Saturday (May 29) in Denver – debuted with the smash hit “Unity” from his Classical Soul CD. Among his many smooth jazz singles since then are “Latin Quarter,” “Sunland,” “Cruisin’,” “On the Strip,” “Mas Que Nada,” “Palm Strings,” “Mediterraneo” and “Bella Via.”

Antoine’s most recent project is Foreign Exchange, a duet CD with fellow guitarist Paul Brown that features the current Smooth Jazz Top 20 hit “Brother Earl.”

Antoine’s newest solo CD, My Classical Way, will be released June 15.

“I think the first jazz musician that really impressed me was probably Miles Davis,” Antoine says. “They used to play, Miles Davis music at my home when I was a kid. After that, when I got into the guitar, it was people like Joe Pass. I had my period listening to Al DiMeola and Larry Carlton, all these guys as well. I also loved a lot of classical musicians like John Williams and Segovia.”

Marc Antoine tour schedule
May 29: Denver, CO, Soiled Dove (With Brian Simpson/Shilts)
June 23-26: London, ENG, Pizza Express Jazz Club
Sept. 24: Newport Beach, CA Hyatt Regency Amphitheatre (With Paul Brown)
Sept. 25: Oceanside, CA Oceanside Pier Amphitheatre (With Paul Brown)
Nov. 5: Port Canaveral, FL, Groove Smooth Jazz Cruise

This article was originally posted today by Brian Soergel at smoothjazznetwork.com

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Upcoming New Jazz Releases - June 1, 2010

Charlie Parker - When Be-Bop Was King (Phantom )
Clifford Brown - When Be-Bop King (Phantom )
Clifford Brown - When Be-Bop Was King (Phantom )
Dimitri From Paris - Get Down With The Philly Sound (Bbe )
Dizzy Gillespie - When Be-Bop Was King (Phantom )
Guido Pistocchi - Springtime (Phantom )
Han Bennink - Lets Go (Terp )
Han Bennink / Terrie Ex / Brodie West - Lets Go (Terp )
Henry Mancini - Birth Of Hollywood Cool (Goldies Uk/Zoom )
Jeff Lorber - Now Is The Time (Telarc Jazz )
Jimmy Smith - Flamingo (Phantom )
Land of Kush's Egyptian Light O - Monogamy (Constellation )
Land Of Kush's Egyptian Light Orchestra - Monogamy ( )
Lee Dorsey - New Lee Dorsey (Phantom )
Legnini Trio, Eric - New Ballad (Video Arts Japan/Zoom )
Louis Prima - At The Movies ( )
Miles Davis - When Be-Bop Was King (Phantom )
Nicola Conte - Spiritual Swingers (Phantom )
Papik - Rhythm Of Life (Phantom )
Paul Hardcastle - Time Machine: Early Recordings 1981-1983 (Cherry Pop )
Quartetto Trevi - Night Walk (Phantom )
Roy Ayers - Lots Of Love (Phantom )
Sergio Mendes - Bom Tempo (Concord )
Sergio Mendes - Bom Tempo Brasil: Remixes (Concord )
Steve Howe - Travelling (Phantom )
Thelonious Monk - When Be-Bop Was King (Phantom )
Vernons Girls - We Love The Vernons Girls 1962-1964 ( )
WDR Big Band Koln - Caribbean Night (BHM Productions )
Wes Montgomery - Jazz Biography (AAO Music )
Wes Montgomery - Jingles (Phantom )
Wynton Marsalis - Live In Marciac ( )

Reissues
Miles Davis - Bitches Brew (Sony ) - SACD

Our thanks to:

New release information provided by allaboutjazz.com
The Upcoming Release Center at allaboutjazz.com is the most comprehensive new release listing for jazz music on the internet.
The information is updated biweekly by John Kelman

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With iTunes, Apple has thrown weight around

Investigators for the Department of Justice began asking questions about Apple's business practices involving digital music at least three weeks ago, multiple music industry sources told CNET.

DOJ investigators have interviewed numerous executives at record companies and digital music stores and according to those with knowledge of the discussions, it is clear that investigators are interested in learning whether Apple has employed anticompetitive tactics.

The sources said that the department's inquiry is just in a fact-finding stage and that there is nothing to indicate investigators have found any wrongdoing or would file a complaint against Apple.

Representatives from Apple and the Justice Department did not respond to interview requests.

This is what we know about the investigation so far.

• DOJ investigators have interviewed executives from the four major music labels and several digital music retailers about how Apple wields its iTunes influence.

• Part of what investigators are interested in is whether Apple used its market dominance to discourage two of the top record companies from participating in a special Amazon music promotion called the "MP3 Daily Deal."

• Apple has a history of throwing its weight around the music sector. Apple's iTunes accounts for 70 percent of all digital song sales and wields huge power. Apple has often used that clout to dictate terms to suppliers -- that is, the major labels.

Here are just a few examples: The major labels wanted variable pricing on songs and albums and for years Apple resisted. In 2005, Apple CEO Steve Jobs said the top recording companies were "getting greedy"after music execs considered a music price hike. Last year, Apple finally gave the labels some additional control over song pricing.

The big record companies wanted the ability to sell albums that were unbundled, meaning they wanted Apple to sell hot LPs as a full package and refrain from selling individual songs from these works. Again, on this issue Apple hasn't given much ground.

To iTunes' fans, Apple was a freedom fighter. The perception was that Apple was standing up for consumers.

Apple's refusal to force customers to buy full albums saved them from having to shell out money for songs they didn't want. To them, Apple's reluctance to raise the 99 cent song price was another way the company kept music costs down. And the government never made a peep about these practices.

Deal or no deal?

But what may not seem as consumer-friendly is the accusation that Apple tried to squash a competitor's effort to offer discounted music.

Amazon's "MP3 Daily Deal," is a promotion that involves slashing prices on specific music titles and pushing them heavily on the day of their release. Amazon sometimes negotiated to get exclusive access to the music for a period of time, and the labels and their artists would often support the Daily Deal by promoting it on their Web sites.

Apple managers informed the labels that any music included in Amazon's promotion would receive no promotion at iTunes, music industry sources told CNET in April. In one case, Apple complained to Sony Music Entertainment after seeing material from Alicia Keys touted as part of the Daily Deal.

In March, Ed Christman, from Billboard magazine, broke the news about Apple's attempts to make the labels "rethink" their support for the Daily Deal.

He wrote that Apple contacted EMI executives with similar gripes about such albums as Corinne Bailey Rae's "The Sea," Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now," and Ke$ha's "Animal."

When it comes to tracing iTunes' potential DOJ troubles, one has to start with Apple's success. During the last decade, with its iPod digital music players and iTunes music store, the company completely remade the way people across the globe listen to, store, and buy music.

Apple's iTunes store accounted for 28 percent of all music purchased by U.S. consumers in the first quarter of this year, research firm NPD Group said Wednesday.

Two years ago during the same period, iTunes' market share was 19 percent.

Companies that dominate a market as much as Apple rules digital music often are accused of anti-trust violations. When companies are up against similar-sized competitors, then aggressive tactics are seen as just good business. But the same practices from players holding hefty market share can raise eyebrows in a hurry.

One other thing. During the same period that Apple saw double-digit growth, Amazon also was grabbing greater market share in digital music. Amazon's share grew from 6.8 percent in the first half of 2008 to 11.8 percent in the first quarter of 2010.

What DOJ investigators must be asking now is how much did the "Daily Deal" help propel that growth and did any of Apple's actions slow it down?

Via CNN
By Greg Sandoval, CNET

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Monica Mancini - "I've Loved These Days" - Concord Records - June 15, 2010

Concord Records is proud to announce the release of I’ve Loved These Days, the newest album from vocalist and double-Grammy nominee, Monica Mancini. I’ve Loved These Days is an 11-track collection of classic 60s songs and an opportunity for Monica to collaborate with her musical heroes, many of whom are featured on the album. The recording is available on June 15th, 2010.

I’ve Loved These Days was produced by the inimitably brilliant Phil Ramone and his producing partner Gregg Field. Ramone, who produced a number of the original recordings, hand picked world-class musicians to surround Monica and her guests that he knew could bring a contemporary perspective to these classic songs. On I’ve Loved These Days, Mancini is also joined by an orchestra arranged and conducted by multi-Grammy winner Jorge Calandrelli, who also collaborated with Monica on a previous album, Cinema Paradiso.

The gorgeously crafted collection of songs is by artists who had a profound impact on Monica’s formative musical years, including Lennon & McCartney, Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Jackson Browne, Harry Nilsson, Brian Wilson, Billy Joel and Janis Ian. Joining Monica on "I've Loved These Days" are original composers Jackson Browne, offering guitar and vocal accompaniment on “These Days”, Brian Wilson and the multi- Grammy winning vocal group Take 6 contributing vocals and arranging on “God Only Knows,” Stevie Wonder harmonically duets on “Blame It On the Sun,” and the Young Rascals', Felix Cavaliere provides B-3 organ accompaniment on his classic “How Can I Be Sure.”

“I’m beyond thrilled to have made this album and work with these artists and producers! For me, it’s always about the songwriters and their songs” said Mancini. “As an artist, it has been an important project for very personal reasons and what I needed to do. I hope people will discover new meaning in the music as I have. This is my way of exploring my musical heroes and discovering what their songs continue to reveal.”

Track Listing:

1.) These Days – featuring Jackson Browne
2.) God Only Knows – featuring Brian Wilson and Take 6
3.) American Tune
4.) Blame It On the Sun – featuring Stevie Wonder
5.) Without Him
6.) How Can I Be Sure – featuring Felix Cavaliere
7.) I’ll Follow The Sun
8.) Ballad Of the Sad Young Men
9.) Something So Right
10.) I’ve Loved These Days
11.) Joy

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Kenny G Returns To His R&B Roots With “Heart And Soul”

Grammy Award-winning smooth jazz saxophonist Kenny G will release his 13th studio album, Heart and Soul, on June 29, 2010. It’s his second for Concord Records, following 2008’s Rhythm and Romance.

Kenny and renown studio master Walter Afanasieff produced and arranged the CD, which Concord says is a return to his R&B roots.

One song, “Fall Again,” featuring vocalist Robin Thicke, is this weekend’s Feedback track on the Smooth Jazz Top 20. “His voice is so emotional and soulful,” says Kenny, who has known Thicke since the singer was a teenager. “The combination of his voice and my saxophone really hits the perfect tones for my new album.”

Another song, the instrumental “Heart and Soul,” will be featured as the Feedback track on the Smooth Jazz Top 20 the weekend of June 5.

Kenny also collaborated with Grammy Award-winning producer and singer Babyface on the song “No Place Like Home.” Among the CD’s other tracks are “Déjà vu,” “Letters From Home,” “G-Walkin’,” “Sunrise” and “One Breath.”

Heart and Soul track listing
1. Heart And Soul
2. Déjà Vu
3. Fall Again (featuring Robin Thicke)
4. Letters From Home
5. The Promise
6. No Place Like Home (featuring Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds)
7. My Devotion
8. G-Walkin’
9. Sunrise
10. One Breath
11. Encore
12. After Hours

Bonus Tracks
13. Slow Motion
14. Renaissance

This article was originally posted today by Brian Soergel at smoothjazznetwork.com

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George Duke - "Déjà Vu" - Heads Up Release On August 10, 2010

George Duke Revisits The Sounds Of The Golden Age Of Funk And Soul On Déjà Vu. Features guest performances by trumpeter Nicholas Payton,flutist Hubert Laws and saxophonist Bob Sheppard

When keyboardist-composer-producer George Duke made a return trip to the heyday of funk on his 2008 recording, Dukey Treats, he reminded his fans and the music press of exactly what made the good old stuff so good. DownBeat called it “a wild and crazy album, especially if you’re nostalgic about the guitar-scratching, double-clutching rhythms of James Brown and George Clinton and the bedroom ballads of Stevie Wonder and Aaron Neville.” The Philadephia Enquirer called it simply “a valentine to funk.”

Duke returns to that same wellspring for Déjà Vu. The album revisits the synthesizer sound that characterized some of his most memorable recordings from the golden age of funk and soul.

“The whole idea behind Déjà Vu was to take a look back at some of the stuff I used to do that was a little more musically challenging,” says Duke. “In some way or another, whatever happened before always comes around again. It may be a little different, but it will resurface. That’s kind of what this album is – a resurfacing of some ideas I had back in the ‘70s when I recorded albums with a lot of synthesizers, like Feel and The Aura Will Prevail.

Still, Déjà Vu does feature a few more shades of straightahead and contemporary jazz than its predecessor – as evidenced by fine guest performances throughout the record by trumpeter Nicholas Payton, flutist Hubert Laws and saxophonist Bob Sheppard. “These are three very strong instrumentalists,” says Duke. “We do it here just like we did in the old days. Everybody gets a shot at playing. It’s not just me playing a solo and then we take it out. I try to keep it a little more democratic. It’s the typical jazz scenario of the old days, where everybody gets to play.”

Déjà Vu is a glance back, but with a very contemporary sensibility – a piece of work that comes together very much in the present, but also conjures up a persistent feeling of something great that came before. “I’ve always considered myself a multi-stylistic artist,” says Duke. “I try to take people on a musical journey, whether it’s on an album or in a show. I think the style of music that you choose to play is really irrelevant, as long as you’re honest about what you’re trying to present.”

1. A Melody 4:30
2. You Touch My Brain 6:23
3. What Goes Around Comes Around 5:35
4. Bring Me Joy 4:48
5. Ripple In Time 6:33
6. Oh Really? 5:53
7. 6 O'Clock Revisited 4:27
8. Come To Me Now 5:50
9. Stupid Is As Stupid Does 6:42
10. Déjà Vu 5:06

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Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 20 - May 24, 2010

LW - TW - Artist - Album - (Label)
1 - 1 - Peter White - "Good Day" - (Peak/Concord)
3 - 2 - Brian Bromberg - "It Is What It Is" - (Artistry/Mack Avenue)
2 - 3 - Sade - "Soldier Of Love" - (Epic)
4 - 4 - Steve Oliver - "Global Kiss" - (SOM)
5 - 5 - Chris Standring - "Blue Bolero" - (Ultimate Vibe)
9 - 6 - Rick Braun - "All It Takes" - (Artistry)
7 - 7 - Jackiem Joyner - "Lil' Man Soul - (Artistry/Mack Avenue)
13 - 8 - Paul Brown & Marc Antoine - "Foreign Exchange" - (Peak)
11 - 9 - Jessy J - "True Love" - (Peak)
6 - 10 - George Benson - "Songs And Stories" - (Concord)
10 - 11 - Kim Waters - "Love Stories" - (Shanachie)
16 - 12 - Darren Rahn - "Talk Of The Town" - (NuGroove)
12 - 13 - Maysa - "A Woman In Love" - (Shanachie)
15 - 14 - Kirk Whalum - "The Gospel According To Jazz Chapter III" - (Rendezvous/Mack Avenue")
8 - 15 - Richard Elliot - "Rock Steady" - (Artistry/Mack Avenue)
14 - 16 - Lawson Rollins - "Espirito" - (Infinita/Baja/TSR)
18 - 17 - Euge Groove - "Sunday Morning" - (Shanachie)
17 - 18 - Jonathan Butler - "So Strong" - (Rendezvous/Mack Avenue")
19 - 19 - David Sanborn - "Only Everything" - (Decca/Universal)
20 - 20 - Jaared - "Manhattan Nights" - (Trippin 'n' Rhythm")

Our thanks to smoothjazz.com

Visit smoothjazz.com to view the latest complete top 50 chart.
Visit smoothjazz.com to view the latest weekly chart recap.

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Esperanza Spalding "Chamber Music Society" Release August 17th, 2010 [Video]

Bassist, vocalist and composer Esperanza Spalding opened her 2008 Heads Up debut, Esperanza, with a Milton Nascimento cover (“Ponta de Areia”) and she hasn’t looked back.

Soon after its release, Esperanza went straight to the top of Billboard's Contemporary Jazz chart where it remained for over 70 weeks. Spalding was booked on the Late Show with David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel Live, the CBS Saturday Early Show, the Tavis Smiley Show, Austin City Limits, National Public Radio and more. Other highlights included two appearances at the White House, a Banana Republic ad campaign and many high profile tour dates. 2009 was capped by invitations from President Obama to perform at the Nobel Prize Ceremony in Oslo, Norway.

On August 17, Spalding returns with Chamber Music Society. Backed by drummer Terri Lyne Carrington and pianist Leo Genovese – and inspired by the classical training of her younger years – she creates a modern chamber music group that combines the spontaneity and intrigue of improvisation with sweet and angular string trio arrangements. Spalding’s voice soars and provides an angelic counterbalance to her deep bass work. The great Milton Nascimento also makes a guest appearance.

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Upcoming New Jazz Releases - May 25th 2010

Anita O'Day - Songs By Alan O`day (Vivid Japan/Zoom )
Antonio Carlos Jobim - Composer Of Desafinado Plays (Universal )
Bill Camplin - January (Vivid Japan/Zoom )
Dan Nimmer Trio - Blues (Pony Japan/Zoom )
Dave Holland - Pathways ( )
Dimitri From Paris - Get Down With The Philly Sound, PT. 1 (Bbe )
Ella Fitzgerald - Performance (Varese Sarabande )
Espen Eriksen Trio - You Had Me At Goodbye (Rune Grammofon )
Frank Morgan - Twogether (High Note )
Joao Gilberto - Joao Voz E Violao (Universal )
John Scofield - 54 (Universal Japan/Zoom )
Kenny Dorham - Jazz Contemporary (Pid )
King's Singers - Swimming Over London (Signum UK )
Les Paul - After You've Gone 1944-1945 (Audiophile )
Lonnie L. Smith - Spiral (Palmetto )
Mahavishnu Orchestra - Birds Of Fire (Friday Music )
Marco Benevento - Between The Needles & Nightfall (Royal Potato Family )
Red Garland - Misty Red (Phantom )
Roy Brooks - Ethnic Expressions (Jazzman )
Sibongile Khumalo - Live (Phantom )
Skerik - Live At The Triple Door (Royal Potato Family )
South African Jazz - South African Jazz ( )
Stephane Carreau - In From The Cold (Phantom )
Steve Cardenas - West Of Middle (Sunny Side )
Toshiko Akiyoshi - Kogun (Phantom )

Reissues
Antonio Carlos Jobim - Tide (Universal)
Joao Gilberto - Joao Gilberto (Universal)
Loren Connors & Jim O'Rourke - Are You Goining To Stop...In Bern? (Hatology by Hat Hut Records)
Marc Copland Trio - Haunted Heart (Hatology by Hat Hut Records)
Marcos Valle - Samba 68 (Universal)
Ornette Coleman - Shape of Jazz to Come (Atlantic)
Stan Getz - Getz/Gilberto (Pid )

Our thanks to:

New release information provided by allaboutjazz.com
The Upcoming Release Center at allaboutjazz.com is the most comprehensive new release listing for jazz music on the internet.
The information is updated biweekly by John Kelman

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Legendary GRAMMY® Winning Guitarist Lee Ritenour's 6 String Theory CD Scheduled for Release on Concord Records/Monster Music June 29, 2010

George Benson, BB King , Steve Lukather, Slash, John Scofield, Vince Gill, Keb'Mo, Robert Cray and Joe Bonamassa Among 20 World Class Guest Guitarists From All Music Genres Joining Ritenour

In Celebration of the World's Most Popular Instrument-THE GUITAR!
Pre-order from amazon.com Six String Theory

It's hard to believe that 2010 marks 50 years since Lee Ritenour starting playing the guitar, setting in motion a career that legends are made of. A career that has earned him 19 GRAMMY® nominations, a GRAMMY Award, numerous #1 spots on guitar polls, A Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian SJ Awards, and the prestigious "Alumnus of the Year" award from USC. During his illustrious career, he has recorded over 40 albums, with 35 chart songs and was a founding member of the group Fourplay, considered the most successful group in contemporary jazz. As a young guitarist his diverse musical style became the foundation of over 3,000 sessions, covering a broad spectrum of artists ranging from his first session at 16 with the Mamas and Papas, to Pink Floyd, Steely Dan, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Simon & Garfunkel and Frank Sinatra. On his latest endeavor, 6 String Theory, Ritenour celebrates the instrument that has allowed him this blessing, the guitar; -by producing and assembling a star-studded tribute with the greatest and soon- to- be greatest guitarists of our time.



Set for release on Concord Records /Monster Music on June 29, 2010, for 6 String Theory, Ritenour is also among the twenty legendary world class guitarists starring on the recording, which he produced along with John Burk of the Concord Music Group. Joining him in this tribute to the guitar, the all-star line-up includes: George Benson, BB King, Slash, Steve Lukather, John Scofield, Robert Cray and Vince Gill among many other superstars. Blending rock, blues, jazz, acoustic, country and classical, they come together for a seamless project that promises to take the listener on a musical journey and exploration of the guitar. Also featured on vocals are BB King, Robert Cray, Vince Gill, Keb' Mo', Taj Majal, Joe Bonamassa and Jonny Lang.

Ritenour also had a musical mission to help launch a new star of the guitar. To do so, he partnered with Yamaha Corp., Berklee College of Music, Monster Music, D'Addario Strings, and Concord Records to hold the international talent search, The Yamaha 6 String Theory Guitar Competition. Hundreds of contestants from over 45 countries posted YouTube videos to enter the competition with six finalists from around the world (one in each musical catagory) selected at a finals competition in Los Angeles in March 2010. Winning top honors was 16-year-old classical guitarist, Shon Boublil, from Montréal, Canada, who as the winner made his debut recording performance on 6 String Theory and received a four-year full scholarship to the Berklee College of Music.

Ranging from 16 year old Shon, 18 year old, Joe Robinson (winner of Australia's Got Talent) and BB King in his young 80s, 6 String Theory covers it all, from amazingly talented upcoming guitarists to the greatest guitarists of our time. It also shows the high esteem for which Ritenour is held by his peers enabling him to assemble such an awe inspiring cast of musicians to celebrate their mutual love of the guitar. Blending together styles, ages and musical colors, Lee Ritenour's 6 String Theory promises to be one of the greatest guitar recordings ever made!

Lee Ritenour's
6 STRING THEORY

1 Lee Ritenour
2 BB King
3 George Benson
4 John Scofield.
5 Steve Lukather.
6 Vince Gill
7 Slash
8 Pat Martino
9 Mike Stern
10 Neal Schon
11 Robert Cray
12 Keb Mo
13 Taj Majal
14 Jonny Lang
15 Joe Bonamasa
16 Andy Mckee (acoustic virtuoso 30 million Youtube hits)
17 Guthrie Govan (Guitar Player Magazine New Talent of the Year 2009)
18 Joe Robinson (18 years old won Australia's Got Talent)
19 Hotei (Japan's rock guitar superstar)
20 Shon Boublil (16 year old winner of Yamaha 6 String Theory Competition)


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Saxophonist Boney James Hit By Drunk Driver on 405 Freeway

Grammy-nominated smooth jazz saxophonist Boney James was hit by a drunk driver last Saturday after driving home from his performance at the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach Jazz Festival, his publicist reported.

James was stopped in traffic on the 405 freeway when a drunk driver rear-ended him at 70 miles per hour, "causing a gash in his chin that resulted in 14 stitches, a fractured jaw and two broken teeth."

At the time, James was on speaker phone his wife Lily Mariye, who played Nurse Jarvik on NBC's ER.

James was pulled from his car by passersby and soonafter was taken away by Long Beach Fire & Rescue. In a press release, Boney said, "I'm euphoric ... I'm lucky I wasn't killed. I just had a near death experience and am relatively unscathed." There is more good news: his car was totaled, but his saxophones, which were in his trunk, are apparently fine.

James was discharged from the hospital at 1 a.m. Sunday, and had his teeth repaired by his dentist. A May 21 show in Columbia, South Carolina has been cancelled, but the status of other shows are pending further medical evaluation of James' condition.

By Lilledeshan Bose, Monday, May. 17 2010 ocweekly.com

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