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.
Monday, February 28, 2022
Thursday, February 24, 2022
Experience David Chesky's Newest Album Graffiti Jazz in Meta-Dimensional Sound on March 11th, 2022 #jazz
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Best selling smooth jazz at amazon.com
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Monday, February 21, 2022
Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 100 - February 21, 2022 #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, February 15, 2022
Legacy and chocolate mousse: songwriter Jane McNealy serves up both on “Marsha Bartenetti sings McNealy & Kuhns” #jazz
The lavish album featuring vocal interpreter Marsha Bartenetti releases April 1 preceded by three singles and a video dropping next month.
Advancing years and a stage four cancer diagnosis spurred songwriter, composer, arranger and librettist Jane McNealy to sift through the pages of her songbook of jazz, pop, soul, funk and folk tunes as well as theatrical material penned for stage and screen, selecting what she felt are some of the best songs, many of which she wrote with longtime collaborator Alice Kuhns. Set list in hand and with legacy on her mind, McNealy headed to the iconic Capitol Studios to record the material as she always envisioned the songs to sound. Giving voice to the opulent, exquisitely orchestrated collection is award-winning vocalist Marsha Bartenetti. The album, “Marsha Bartenetti sings McNealy & Kuhns,” drops April 1 on McNealy’s Lo-Flo Records.
One would imagine that assembling a “time capsule” of your life’s work, spanning more than fifty years of music, would be an emotional experience and the album is indeed an emotional listen.
“This album is extraordinarily rich, expressive, layered and complex. It’s a lot to take in in one listen. It is a combination of everything that I love that I’ve written over the years that shows in total what my artistic life has been about,” said McNealy, who was mentored by the late Harold Battiste Jr. and has collaborated with Dr. John, Joyce Dunn, Tami Lynn, Lydia Marcelle, Judy Karp, Henry Butler, Andy Simpkins and Roy McCurdy among others
Relying upon Mike Watts to masterfully orchestrate and arrange “Marsha Bartenetti sings McNealy & Kuhns,” McNealy knew that key to bringing to life a project that has such meaning and significance was finding the right voice to illuminate the songs. The tracks were already complete when Bartenetti entered the picture.
“Lyrics are everything to me. Whenever I choose songs to record, my first consideration is the lyric and how I resonate to the story…and then, of course, melody. Jane and Alice’s songs paint very evocative pictures – like you are walking into an impressionistic painting. And the lush arrangements of the songs create depth and texture, supporting each lyric. I was very drawn to the longing and hope in their lyrics as well,” said the elegant-voiced Bartenetti, who is also an actor and well-known voiceover artist.
McNealy knew what she found in Bartenetti, saying, “The subtlety and depth of Marsha’s interpretation, the haunting quality that she infuses into each song, her light touch, the fluidity of her vocal range - all this and more is interwoven into a fine tapestry of musical poetry on the album.”
“Marsha Bartenetti sings McNealy & Kuhns” can be categorized as a jazz vocal album although the project is diverse stylistically, offering a wealth of sophisticated sounds akin to a collection of contemporary classics and standards culled from the great American songbook.
The first of three singles that will preview the album, “Why Does The Sky Keep Changing” will drop March 4 along with a video. Dramatic and desirous, underscored by sweeping strings and Bartenetti’s yearning portrayal, the song was penned for the musical “Gauguin” written by McNealy and Kuhns about the French Post-Impressionist artist. A snapshot of a frayed relationship with a straying lover is depicted on “Running Around,” a jazzy single coming March 11 bolstered by Jeff Bunnell’s classy trumpet and Rusty Higgins’ soulful saxophone. Dropping March 18, Bartenetti’s voice beams wistfully and longingly like an amorous dreamer on “Love,” written for the musical “Primrose Hill.”
The variety show continues as “One Day At A Time” dances to Latin and Afro Cuban rhythms, a soaring jazz number propelled by trumpet, sax and Watt’s gleeful piano, buttressing Bartenetti’s impassioned voice. Vacillating between a gentle waltz and a brisk bebop cadence, “What Is Today Without You” is a showstopper composed for the fantastical musical “To Be Fred” that ruminates on isolation, imagination and ardent pining. Jazz singer and four-time Grammy winner Sarah Vaughan performed “I Never See That Rainbow Anymore,” a bluesy jazz joint featuring yet another knockout performance by Bartenetti about unrequited love. McNealy wrote “Kite In The Clouds” in fond remembrance of her father. The cut is a bright-eyed carnival ride that soft shoes to ragtime piano and whimsical percussion.
“Marsha Bartenetti sings McNealy & Kuhns” is the type of big-budget album the major labels used to make, and you can hear it in the finished product. McNealy is proud of the record and delighted to spotlight Bartenetti. Like uncovering a time capsule buried in the backyard, she hopes that new listeners for years to come will discover these songs for the first time and that people already familiar with her catalogue will fall in love with it as beautifully rendered by Bartenetti. And McNealy acknowledges that the album may present a challenge.
“I think it’s probably extremely difficult to describe this album because it’s almost like eating chocolate mousse seven times. Making it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be treasured forever.”
For more information, please visit https://linktr.ee/loflorecords and https://marshabartenetti.com.
“Marsha Bartenetti sings McNealy & Kuhns” contains the following songs:
“Why Does The Sky Keep Changing”
“Running Around”
“Love”
“One Day At A Time”
“What Is Today Without You”
“I Never See That Rainbow Anymore”
“Kite In The Clouds”
Best selling smooth jazz at amazon.com
Jazz from Amazon.com
Monday, February 14, 2022
Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 100 - February 14, 2022 #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.
Monday, February 07, 2022
Smooth Jazz Chart - Weekly Top 100 - February 7, 2022 #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, February 04, 2022
Craft Recordings Celebrates 30th Anniversary of Natalie Cole's "Unforgettable" #jazz
CRAFT RECORDINGS CELEBRATES 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF NATALIE COLE’S 7x GRAMMY WINNING UNFORGETTABLE…WITH LOVE WITH NEWLY REMASTERED AUDIO AND BONUS TRACKS
The multi-platinum-selling album includes Cole’s GRAMMY®-winning virtual duet of “Unforgettable” with her father, Nat King Cole. Coming to vinyl, CD and digital formats.
Featuring rare B-sides “At Last” and “Cottage for Sale,” the CD is offered exclusively via PBS during their 2021 pledge drive, while a special encore of Unforgettable, with Love: Natalie Cole Sings the Songs of Nat King Cole airs November 27th.
Click here to pre-order Unforgettable…With Love
Craft Recordings celebrates the 30th anniversary of Natalie Cole’s iconic smash-hit, Unforgettable…with Love, with a variety of special reissues. The newly remastered 1991 album—which earned seven GRAMMY® Awards, topped the Billboard 200 and went on to be certified 7x Platinum by the RIAA—features Cole’s groundbreaking virtual duet of “Unforgettable” with her father, Nat King Cole, plus an array of classic hits from the Great American Songbook. As a bonus, CD and digital editions of Unforgettable…with Love include Cole’s stunning renditions of “At Last” and “Cottage for Sale,” both of which were released as B-sides during the album’s original release. The original 22-track album will also be available on 180-gram vinyl as a 2-LP set.
In stores February 4th, Unforgettable…with Love is currently available to pre-order today in all formats, while fans can find a limited-edition purple vinyl pressing of the album (as well as exclusive merch) on Cole’s official website. Ahead of that, Target will offer a pink vinyl edition of the LP on January 7th, while an exclusive white vinyl will be available at Barnes & Noble in tandem with the wide release. Fans can visit their favorite streaming site today to hear the newly remastered edition of “Unforgettable.”
For those who want to experience Unforgettable…with Love sooner, PBS will offer the CD exclusively during their pledge drive, beginning November 27th. This Saturday, PBS GREAT PERFORMANCES will also air a special encore of the Emmy®-winning 1992 concert, Unforgettable, with Love: Natalie Cole Sings the Songs of Nat King Cole.
While Natalie Cole (1950–2015) grew up in a famous musical family (her father was trailblazing artist Nat King Cole and her mother was jazz singer Maria Hawkins Ellington), she insisted on paving a distinctive path for herself. In doing so, Cole consciously chose not to cover the songs which her father was best known for (including many pop standards from the Great American Songbook). Instead, she opted for soulful, contemporary R&B material, scoring hits like 1975’s “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love),” 1977’s “I’ve Got Love on My Mind,” 1988’s “Pink Cadillac” and 1989’s “Miss You Like Crazy.”
But in 1991, after establishing herself as a musical force in her own right, Cole felt it was the right time to embrace her legacy and honor her father through Unforgettable…with Love. Produced by Tommy LiPuma, David Foster and André Fischer, the album found Cole covering many of the songs which made her father a star, including “Nature Boy,” “Route 66” and “Mona Lisa.” The singer was accompanied on piano by her uncle, Ike Cole, and backed by lush orchestral arrangements.
Thanks to the magic of digital technology, Cole was also able to perform a virtual duet with her father, who passed away in 1965. Conceived of by Joe Guercio, the former musical director for Elvis Presley, the duet found engineers isolating Nat King Cole’s original 1951 vocals from “Unforgettable,” allowing Natalie to record alongside her father, 40 years later. Decades after the elder Cole made “Unforgettable” a Top 20 hit, the father-daughter duet flew up the charts, peaking at No.14 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song would become one of Natalie’s biggest hits, earning three awards at the 1992 GRAMMYS®, including Song of the Year and Record of the Year. Unforgettable…with Love, meanwhile, would be a massive critical and commercial success, landing at the top of the Billboard 200 and earning Cole four additional GRAMMY® Awards, including Record of the Year. Currently certified 7x Platinum by the RIAA, Unforgettable…with Love also marks the highest-selling album of Cole’s career.
After the release of Unforgettable…with Love, Cole regularly incorporated pop standards into her albums and performances, finding success with albums like Stardust (1996) and Ask a Woman Who Knows (2002). In addition to her prolific work as a recording artist, Cole also penned two memoirs and flourished as an actress—even playing herself in a dramatic, award-winning performance in Livin' for Love: The Natalie Cole Story, based on her first autobiography, Angel on My Shoulder. Over the course of her storied and inspiring 40-year career, Cole released a total of 23 studio albums, with over 30 million copies sold, worldwide.
Click here to pre-order Unforgettable…With Love.
Unforgettable…with Love tracklist (vinyl)
Side A:
1. The Very Thought Of You
2. Paper Moon
3. Route 66
4. Mona Lisa
5. L-O-V-E
6. This Can’t Be Love
Side B:
1. Smile
2. Lush Life
3. That Sunday That Summer
4. Orange Colored Sky
5: A Medley Of: For Sentimental Reasons, Tenderly & Autumn Leaves
Side C:
1. Straighten Up And Fly Right
2. Avalon
3. Don’t Get Around Much Anymore
4. Too Young
5. Nature Boy
6. Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup
Side D:
1. Almost Like Being In Love
2. Thou Swell
3. Non Dimenticar
4. Our Love Is Here To Stay
5. Unforgettable
Unforgettable…with Love tracklist (CD/Digital)
1. The Very Thought Of You
2. Paper Moon
3. Route 66
4. Mona Lisa
5. L-O-V-E
6. This Can’t Be Love
7. Smile
8. Lush Life
9. That Sunday That Summer
10. Orange Colored Sky
11. A Medley Of: For Sentimental Reasons, Tenderly & Autumn Leaves
12. Straighten Up And Fly Right
13. Avalon
14. Don’t Get Around Much Anymore
15. Too Young
16. Nature Boy
17. Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup
18. Almost Like Being In Love
19. Thou Swell
20. Non Dimenticar
21. Our Love Is Here To Stay
22. Unforgettable
23. At Last*
24. Cottage For Sale*
*Bonus Tracks
About Craft Recordings
Craft Recordings is home to one of the largest and most prestigious collections of master recordings and compositions in the world. Its rich and storied repertoire includes legendary artists such as Joan Baez, Ray Charles, John Coltrane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Vince Guaraldi, John Lee Hooker, Little Richard, Nine Inch Nails, Thelonious Monk, Otis Redding, R.E.M. and Traveling Wilburys, to name just a few. Renowned imprints with catalogs issued under the Craft banner include Concord, Fania, Fantasy, Fearless, Milestone, Musart, Nitro, Prestige, Riverside, Rounder, Specialty, Stax, Sugar Hill, Vanguard, Vee-Jay and Victory, among many others. Craft creates thoughtfully curated packages, with a meticulous devotion to quality and a commitment to preservation—ensuring that these recordings endure for new generations to discover. Craft Recordings is the catalog label team for Concord Recorded Music. For more info, visit CraftRecordings.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Spotify.
Best selling smooth jazz at amazon.com
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