A very Happy New Year year to all the visitors of the JazzHQ blog, Facebook and Twitter. We're pleased that you found your way here and grateful if you've done it more than once.
Best wishes to you all. Good health and peace in the new year.
The Late Show's very own Jon Batiste & Stay Human fittingly wrap up 2019 with a performance of 'Auld Lang Syne.'
Thursday, December 31, 2020
Wednesday, December 23, 2020
Merry Christmas from JazzHQ #jazz
Our very best wishes to all of you who took the time to visit JazzHQ during the year, whether at jazzhq/blogspot.com, twitter.com/jazzhq, or facebook.com/jazzhq.
White Christmas - The Drifters (Video/cartoon)
Sung by The Drifters. Cartoon by Joshua Held.
Featuring Bill Pinkney on lead bass and Clyde McPhatter on tenor.
Sing along:
Ooh
Doop doop, doop doo doop
Ooh
Doop doop, doop doo doop
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,
Just like the ones I used to know,
Where those treetops glisten, and children listen,
To hear sleigh bells in the snow, the snow.
Then, I-I-I am dreaming of a white Christmas,
With every Christmas card I write,
May your days, may your days, may your days be merry and bright,
And may all your Christmases be white.
I-I-I am dreaming of a white Christmas,
Just like the ones I used to know,
Where the treetops glisten, and children listen,
To hear sleigh bells in the snow.
I-I-I am dreaming of a white Christmas,
With every Christmas card I write,
May your days, may your days, may your days be merry and bright,
And may all your Christmases be white.
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle bells all the way.
Ooooh.
Monday, December 21, 2020
Theatrical Spark and Musical Chemistry Grace Jana Herzen's Concert Album "LIVE", produced by Charnett Moffett - Out March 12 on Motéma / Vinyl to Follow on June 11 #jazz
Theatrical Spark and Musical Chemistry Grace Jana Herzen's Concert Album "LIVE", produced by Charnett Moffett
Herzen's Warm Vocals and Strong Guitar Work Interplay with an Ace Jazz Band on Audiophile Recording
Out March 12 on Motéma / Vinyl to Follow on June 11
First Video & Single - "Like A River" - Premiered 12/18 on JAZZIZ: New Release Cheat Sheet
There's something special anytime that Jana Herzen and Charnett Moffett make music together. It's pure, soulful, and especially beautiful to hear now, maybe more than ever. - AMERICAN SONGWRITER
Herzen's Warm Vocals and Strong Guitar Work Interplay with an Ace Jazz Band on Audiophile Recording
Out March 12 on Motéma / Vinyl to Follow on June 11
First Video & Single - "Like A River" - Premiered 12/18 on JAZZIZ: New Release Cheat Sheet
There's something special anytime that Jana Herzen and Charnett Moffett make music together. It's pure, soulful, and especially beautiful to hear now, maybe more than ever. - AMERICAN SONGWRITER
Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 100 - December 21, 2020 #jazz
Smooth Jazz Chart
This chart from smoothjazz.com generally updates every Monday.
When it updates, this post will be repeated with the most recent chart.
Tuesday, December 15, 2020
Keyboardist Patrick Bradley is set to start the New Year with a hope-filled exhalation #jazz
“Exhale,” his fifth contemporary jazz album produced by hitmaker Darren Rahn and GRAMMY winner Jeff Lorber, drops January 15
Like most things in 2020, the concept of contemporary jazz keyboardist Patrick Bradley’s fifth album slated for release on January 15 took a dramatic turn when the pandemic hit and racial strife erupted. Although ideas for the eleven-song set were already sketched out, when he and producer Darren Rahn wrote the uplifting title track, “Exhale,” which drops as a single on January 4 on the Patrick’s Song Factory label, the composition seemed to encapsulate exactly what Bradley was feeling and believes that we are all in need of: expel the fear, worry and division gripping the nation and inhale unifying hope and peace.
“It’s kind of a musical release from all the tension and difficulty of 2020. I thought the album title was going to be ‘Providence’ until we wrote ‘Exhale.’ That became the clear title track of the album. It also played into where I was at mentally with 2020, which has been a pretty rough year for everybody. Knowing I was going to release (the album) in January, it seemed perfect to call it ‘Exhale.’ That’s the motif of the album and all the songs are kind of in that vein. I want to inspire, help and bring hope,” said Bradley, whose last album, “Intangible,” scored two Billboard top 10 singles – “Tailwind” (No. 5) and “Dear Friend” (No. 8) - and the title track was a top 20 single.
Bradley recorded “Exhale” during quarantine without ever being in the studio with Rahn, who produced nine tracks for the project, or GRAMMY winner Jeff Lorber, who produced a pair of tunes. After recording three albums produced entirely by Lorber, Bradley felt the need for change as he enters the next phase in his recording career. Both Lorber and a friend, sax sensation Dave Koz, recommended Rahn.
“It’s always different when you enter a new situation not knowing if it’s going to work, but with Darren, things fit together perfectly both as a producer and a songwriting partner. I brought the bones and DNA of the songs into the project, but Darren’s creative input really helped get the songs to where they are now,” said Bradley.
For the faith-rooted keyboardist, the majority of songs have a spiritual connection. While the entire album is instrumental, Bradley’s messages are intentional. He wrote “Reinvention” prior to the pandemic, but the purpose of the song was galvanized by the impact of COVID-19 along with the civil protests.
“I was at a point where – pre-pandemic but came to light during the pandemic – I was blown away where the country was, where people were and how, even my friends - close friends and acquaintances - saw things around the country so completely different than one another. That, coupled with all the racial unrest, made me question what my role is in this. What do I do? How do I become a better person in this situation? How do I help lead and change what I can change? I don’t want to just sit back and do nothing. It was one of those moments like ‘Reinvention, man. Boy, could I use one.’ The world and everybody individually as well. We could all get into a different space,” said Bradley, who also serves as Regional President of the Southern Pacific Region of Whole Foods Market.
Bradley embarked on this recording project with a clear vision and an intentional mindset.
“I had a specific goal and strategy in mind. Every song is really intentional; every note is really intentional. I definitely wanted to explore a bit more, but at the same time, I wanted to make sure that I had four or five songs that were easily accessible for a larger audience. The other side of it is, I wanted the rest of it to be more exploration – more fusion and rock, where my real inspiration comes from. If you listen to the album in sequence, it actually goes that way. It starts off with a lot of accessibility and as it progresses, it gets into more of the progressive, jazz fusion-type songs. I was probably more intentional on this album than any other album as far as how it plays.”
The “Exhale” album is a contemporary jazz amalgam constructed of jazz fusion, rock, R&B, blues, funk and pop. The melodies are lush and indelible, fragrantly blossoming amidst soulful grooves. The fusion excursions stretch beyond and across borders. The production deftly melds the warm organics of live instrumentation and the modernity of synthesized sonics. The musicianship throughout is top shelf. With Bradley playing piano, organ, keyboards and synths, he was accompanied by Rahn (saxophone, keyboards, synths & programming), Lorber (keyboards, synth bass & guitar), guitarist Michael Thompson, horn player and arranger David Mann, bassist Mel Brown, percussionist Christian Teele, and drummers Tarell Martin, Gary Novak and Dave Weckl. Rahn, chart-topping trumpeter Rick Braun and guitarist Allen Hinds are featured as soloists.
Bradley hopes that listeners will discover “Exhale” and be receptive to feeling and receiving his musical messages as we put 2020 behind us and start fresh.
“I know we’re going to get through this. It might be different on the other side and I don’t know what it’s going to look like next year,” said Bradley, who debuted in 2007 with the album “Come Rain or Shine.”
“This is a special project and I’m hoping people get that when they listen to it because it’s almost like there’s some of my DNA in there. I’m hoping people really get the sense of hope and peace that’s in this thing. We all need it. We’ve all had a hard year – whether it’s COVID fatigue, political fatigue or whatever. I’m hoping people will listen to the album and it will give them some sort of release, a sense of hope, and that somehow it’s inspirational.”
“Exhale” contains the following songs:
“Completely Yours”
“Reinvention”
“Exhale”
“Song Of May” featuring Darren Rahn
“Sip‘n the Breeze”
“Cat Man Blues” featuring Rick Braun
“Meant To Be” featuring Darren Rahn
“Lighthouse” featuring Allen Hinds
“In the Heart of the Seas”
“Providence”
“Walk with Me”
For more information, please visit https://patrickbradley.com.
Monday, December 14, 2020
Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 100 - December 14, 2020 #jazz
Smooth Jazz Chart
This chart from smoothjazz.com generally updates every Monday.
When it updates, this post will be repeated with the most recent chart.
Friday, December 11, 2020
Vote for your favorite albums of the year in the 2020 AllMusic Readers' Poll
"On Monday we launched our Year in Review hub, beginning with the year's 100 best albums and continuing with a new genre-specific list each weekday. But now it's time to let us know what music clicked the most with you in 2020 via our annual readers' poll. We dug into the data and created a ballot based on the volume and scores of the user ratings for albums released this year, and you get five votes to cast for your favorites. We'll tally your votes near the end of the month and put together a list of the year's best albums, according to you, the AllMusic readers."
Allmusic.com year in review - Best of 2020
Allmusic.com Year in Review - Our look at the best music of 2020 kicks off with our 100 favorite albums of the year, plus our picks for best electronic, folk, Latin & global music, and metal
Wednesday, December 09, 2020
Soul-jazz flutist Ragan Whiteside is Billboard's top female artist for the second consecutive year #jazz
A six-song Billboard Top 10 hit streak and the new “Five Up Top” EP power her success
For the second consecutive year, soul-jazz flutist Ragan Whiteside is Billboard’s top female smooth jazz songs artist of the year. In the male-dominated genre in which only three females made it into the year-end top 10, Whiteside, powered by singles from her aptly titled new EP, “Five Up Top,” came in at No. 5 for 2020. Last year, the Atlanta-based musician-songwriter checked in at No. 3.
“I am incredibly thankful to be included. I hope it helps open doors for other female artists. I'm always grateful for any success, but this year even more so since the world was turned upside down. Everything was ten times harder, but we managed to pull through,” said Whiteside, who has a string of six consecutive Billboard top 10 singles.
On Billboard’s year-end chart, Whiteside single, “JJ’s Strut,” paraded into the No. 35 position. The joyous number inspired by her daughter’s moxie peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard singles chart and went No. 1 on the MediaBase chart. Whiteside is the only female to appear in Billboard’s year-end top 10 songs, which she did in a guest starring role on emerging trumpeter Willie Bradley’s “It’s On Now,” the No. 3 song for 2020. Bradley is featured on Whiteside’s “JJ’s Strut.”
“Willie is a cool dude and I enjoyed working with him and producer-songwriter Jeff Canady on ‘It's On Now.’ Willie has been grinding for a long time and I'm happy he has been able to breakthrough this year,” said Whiteside.
Whiteside’s consistent success is all the more impressive in that she is the lone flute player on Billboard’s Smooth Jazz Songs Artists chart and the only flutist with a single to make the top 40 on the Billboard Smooth Jazz Songs chart. The conservatory-trained Whiteside said, “There was a time when the flute wasn't heard at all in smooth jazz, so it's exciting to see a shift in the landscape that allows flautists to flourish.”
Whiteside cowrote four new songs for her fifth collection, “Five Up Top,” collaborating with her producers, influential soul-jazz keyboardist Bob Baldwin and Dennis Johnson (Celine Dion, Freddie Jackson, Melba Moore). Other singles from the EP to make the Billboard top 10 are the backyard barbecue-flavored joint “Jam It,” which went to No. 2 and reigned in the No. 1 position at MediaBase for five weeks, and a soulful contemporary jazz-R&B take on the Little River Band pop-rock hit, “Reminiscing,” which climbed to No. 8.
Although Whiteside entered the year with the goal of releasing a full-length album, the coronavirus had the final say and the flautist settled for dropping the five-song EP last month. Whiteside finds hope and is energized by the connection between the EP title, “Five Up Top,” and being Billboard’s No. 5 artist for 2020.
“I've heard that the number five signifies freedom and creativity. Hopefully, this is a sign of huge musical growth in the coming year!”
For more information, please visit http://www.raganwhiteside.com.
Monday, December 07, 2020
Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 100 - December 7, 2020 #jazz
Smooth Jazz Chart
This chart from smoothjazz.com is good for one week assuming it updates next Monday
Monday, November 30, 2020
Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 100 - November 30, 2020 #jazz
Smooth Jazz Chart
This chart from smoothjazz.com is good for one week assuming it updates next Monday
Wednesday, November 25, 2020
Happy Thanksgiving - #jazz
Tuesday, November 24, 2020
KENNY LOGGINS TO RECEIVE OUTSTANDING CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD DURING HMMA STREAMED EVENT ON 1/27/21 #jazz
EXCLUSIVE: Two time Grammy winner and Oscar nominee Kenny Loggins is receiving the Career Achievement honor at the next Hollywood Music in Media Awards (HMMA) which will be held on Jan. 27, 2021 in a hybrid awards show. The Footloose singer-songwriter will also perform during the HMMA event.
Loggins joins a distinguished list of past HMMA honorees including Smokey Robinson, Diane Warren, Earth Wind & Fire, Glen Campbell, Dave Mason and film composer John Debney.
Monday, November 23, 2020
Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 100 - November 23, 2020 #jazz
Smooth Jazz Chart
This chart from smoothjazz.com is good for one week assuming it updates next Monday
Friday, November 20, 2020
Contemporary jazz guitarist Les Sabler finds “Tranquility” in a new old guitar #jazz
Teaming with GRAMMY winner Paul Brown produced a fresh sound on the album dropping January 29
The suggestion came from two-time GRAMMY winner Paul Brown who has produced dozens of No. 1 hits. When contemporary jazz guitarist Les Sabler entered Brown’s Funky Joint studio near Los Angeles to begin tracking, Brown, also a guitarist, recommended that Sabler swap out his trusty guitar in favor of Brown’s vintage Gibson Johnny Smith model. The electric guitar that has innate acoustic qualities and balances tone and sustain gave Sabler an entirely new sound, which he used to create his eighth album, “Tranquility,” dropping January 29 on New Vista Records.
“The guitar’s sound is a sonic departure from anything I had previously recorded and this resulted in a successful single release, ‘Keep Pushin’.’ My fascination with the expressive tone of this instrument and my comfort in playing it led me to acquire my own, a vintage ‘67 beauty,” said the Nashville-based Sabler.
The guitar recommendation was the second time Sabler heeded Brown’s counsel. The first came last December when Brown was in Nashville to perform. Sabler came to the gig to hang with Brown. It was then that Brown offered to produce Sabler’s next record.
“I was both surprised and delighted that he offered to produce for me. Without hesitation, I seized the opportunity. We started collaborating immediately and two months later, we sat down to record at his studio in LA,” said Sabler.
A year earlier, Sabler wrote and released “In The Light” as a standalone single, which spent three weeks at No. 1 at WAVE.FM in Sabler’s homeland, Canada. The guitar player was encouraged and decided to reinvest the residuals he received from all the airplay into recording a new album, his first since 2014’s Brazilian jazz outing “Jobim Tribute.” Sabler and Brown cowrote eight songs for “Tranquility,” collaborating with hitmaker Lew Laing (“Keep Pushin’” and “Where Has She Gone”), Jeff Carruthers (“Easy Moves”) and Shane Theriot, the latter with whom they cowrote the single slated to go for playlist adds on January 18 titled “Crescent City Strut.”
“Paul and I collaborated with Shane Theriot on several compositions that are among my favorites on the project. Shane’s New Orleans heritage and his work with Hall & Oates brought a vibe to these songs that really inspired my playing,” said Sabler.
Sabler and Brown revisited “In The Light” on the disc with Sabler recording new guitar parts for the debut single as well as for the album’s lone remake, “Sunrise,” a George Benson original that Brown masterfully illumined with Lee Thornburg’s trumpet and trombone.
Speaking of Benson, Sabler references the contemporary jazz crossover legend when discussing how much the choice of guitar impacted the sound of the “Tranquility” album.
“The title track really exemplifies the beauty of this exceptional guitar that was the instrument of choice for George Benson’s classic ‘Breezin’.’ The song title ‘Tranquility’ is so fitting because I can virtually escape to that destination when I listen to this song,” said Sabler.
Sabler and Brown tracked a pair of tunes last February prior to the coronavirus quarantine, including “Keep Pushin’,” which dropped as a single in May. Work on “Tranquility” had to be put on hold until July. When they resumed, Sabler recorded his guitar parts in Nashville after Brown crafted the tracks in Los Angeles utilizing a cast of ace studio musicians such as the deep pocketed rhythm section comprised of bassist Roberto Vally, drummer Gorden Campbell and percussionist Lenny Castro. Bolstered by crackling horn work from Thornburg and saxophonist Greg Vail, the album was completed in September.
“Tranquility” is a melody-rich, contemporary jazz listening experience. The set consists of vibrant harmonies, funky R&B grooves and sophisticated instrumental pop. Sabler’s deft and soulful electric guitar occasionally yields to his more sensitive nylon-stringed guitar, including on the eloquent beauty “Esselle’s Dance,” which Sabler says “is as beautiful as anything I have ever recorded.”
“It was such a great experience to have Paul produce the album and I was extremely comfortable with his direction and guidance. Without a doubt, this is a landmark recording for me, and I am so excited and pleased to share this music.”
“Tranquility” contains the following songs:
“Crescent City Strut”
“City Rhythm”
“Three Dee”
“Esselle’s Dance”
“Easy Moves”
“Tranquility”
“Keep Pushin’”
“In The Light” (Remix)
“Where Has She Gone”
“Sunrise”
For more information, please visit http://www.lessabler.net.
Wednesday, November 18, 2020
No stopping soul-jazz flutist Ragan Whiteside #jazz
Her fifth collection, “Five Up Top,” drops Friday as she enjoys a Billboard Top 10 hit streak
Riding a hot streak of six consecutive Billboard Top 10 singles, soul-jazz flutist Ragan Whiteside will drop her new EP, “Five Up Top,” on Friday on the Randis Music label. Cowriting four new songs for the disc with her producers, influential soul-jazz keyboardist Bob Baldwin and Dennis Johnson (Celine Dion, Freddie Jackson, Melba Moore), the latter of whom handles drums and keyboards on the EP, Whiteside vowed to drop her fifth album this year and refused to be stopped by the novel coronavirus.
“This record, more than my other albums, was an exercise in sheer will, determination and drive. Juggling a family with two toddlers, live shows and all the business-related stuff you have to do as an independent artist is a challenge. Adding an album project to the mix took that challenge to another level. Just when we thought we had everything ‘under control,’ the pandemic hit and everything screeched to a halt. The focus shifted to safety and survival since nobody had a clear idea of the full impact of COVID-19,” said the Atlanta-based Whiteside.
“We knew we wanted to name this album ‘Five Up Top’ since it is my fifth studio album. However, with the time constraints, we realized that if we wanted to get this album out this year, we would have to get realistic and compromise on the length. We ended up making a five-song EP, which kept with the ‘five’ theme and took some of the pressure off.”
The conservatory-trained Whiteside recently rose to No. 3 on the Billboard chart and No. 1 on the MediaBase chart with “JJ’s Strut,” a jubilant joint inspired by her daughter’s moxie that opens the EP.
“Dennis conceived the song that we named for our daughter. She's a feisty little cutie who doesn't just walk - she struts!” said Whiteside who was accompanied on the cut by trumpeter Willie Bradley and guitarist Tony Bunch.
Written with a backyard barbecue in mind that Whiteside describes as filled with “sun, food, laughter, music and dancing with a plate in your hand,” “Jam It” went to No. 2 at Billboard and reigned in the No. 1 position at MediaBase for five weeks.
The EP’s lone reboot comes from an unexpected source: Little River Band. Whiteside climbed to No. 8 on the Billboard chart by soulfully reimagining the Australian rock band’s 1978 hit “Reminiscing,” giving it an R&B flair with lyrical flute play and dreamy vocals illuminating the chorus. The single was accompanied by a video (https://bit.ly/3f9bCx0).
Recalling her Bronx roots where saucy Latin rhythms permeated the air, “12 Bean Soup” is a Latin jazz stew seasoned by Baldwin’s tasty piano and Phil Hamilton’s (Luther Vandross) spicy guitar riffs.
“Dennis and I grew up close to New York’s Orchard Beach, so we spent a lot of time enjoying the sounds, sights and smells of the Latin culture. People would come to the boardwalk with percussion instruments, guitars, flutes, radios, etc. and sit there all day and jam out,” said Whiteside who hosts a weekly radio show on Atlanta’s WCLK.
Speeding to a close comes “Flying on 75,” a clubby Euro house meets contemporary jazz hybrid capable of making dance floors jump. Percussionist Chembo Corniel drives the rhythm with prominent beats and crafty percussive fills.
“In Atlanta, I-75 can often be like a NASCAR race and you really need to know what you're doing. When I'm driving, and especially when I'm running late, I tend to choose specific songs for specific roads that will help me focus and get there. Just be careful with this song: I found that I had a little extra lead in my foot when this song was bumping in my car,” admonished Whiteside with a laugh.
Whiteside’s hit streak includes her first Billboard No. 1 hit, “Corey’s Bop,” along with “Early Arrival” that features saxophonist Kim Waters and “See You at the Get Down.” She has been collaborating with Baldwin and Johnson since her 2007 debut album, “Class Axe.” Pairing her classical flute with R&B, funk, jazz and fusion grooves, Whiteside has cultivated a fervent following with her consistent chart presence, abundance of global airplay and rousing performances at popular music festivals and cruises.
“Five Up Top” contains the following songs:
“JJ’s Strut”
“Jam It”
“Reminiscing”
“12 Bean Soup”
“Flying on 75”
For more information, please visit http://www.raganwhiteside.com.
Tuesday, November 17, 2020
Composer/trumpeter Tony Glausi set to release 'When It All Comes Crashing Down' #jazz
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